February 18, 2013

Granted, my tan lines probably aren't as cool as Pono's.

Hey all, long time no email!

Not a whole heck of a lot going on since last time. The cool part was that even though it was a short week, we still taught a bunch-as many lessons as we had in a full second week of this transfer. Not a whole lot new going on though. Elder Larsen has his travel plans to go home, which is crazy, but other than that it's been a pretty calm four days.

But hey, I've gotta talk about something. This week, we got to teach a woman named Jocelyne again. She is in her 50's, is supporting her very old mother who I have never heard talk, and is definitely one of the most spiritual people I have met. It seems like every time we call her, she's in the middle of reading her Bible. She has frequented a bunch of religions, and right now is going to an evangelist church. We taught all of the restoration, and when we gave her a Livre de Mormon, she said that she was excited to read it; she had seen one before and had wanted to have one. I really want her to accept the gospel, because she is already so faithful, and I know how much she would appreciate everything the gospel has to offer. Pray for her, please! Also, while you're at it, pray for Urdine, who I recently promised would have a testimony of the Book of Mormon by March 30th. I really felt like it was the right thing to do, but since then I've had some time to start doubting myself. Yeah, just keep me in your prayers in general, and I just might make it through this.

Oh, and for some physical happenings-I have less mosquito bites than I have had in a month, which is great-hopefully it lasts! Also, I've got a pretty gnarly tan line from my watch-it's fun to see how white I was when I left. Pono-I totally bet I'm still darker than you!

SPIRITUAL THOUGHT:

This week's thought comes from Helaman 10:12. For those of you not familiar, the prophet Nephi is heading home from a full day of predicting the assassination of his nation's grand juge, being accused as accomplice in his murder, divining the killer and getting a confession, and then having everyone decide not to try to kill him, when suddenly the voice of the Lord comes to him, and, among other things, gives him new power and a commandment to preach repentance to the people. Now, if it were me, I would have probably said "Man, that's great! I'm going to go get a good night's sleep and make a game plan so I can really tear it up tomorrow!". Fortunately, it wasn't me. "And behold, now it came to pass that when the Lord had spoke these words unto Nephi, he did stop and did not go unto his own house, but did return unto the multitudes who were scattered about upon the face of the land, and began to declare unto them the word of the Lord which had been spoken unto him, concerning their destruction if they did not repent". That, my dear friends, is called immediate obedience, and is a step above being a good person. May we all strive to do the right thing, right now.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

This one from Elder Hansen, who has also been here for two years: "You know the random crowds of background people in your dreams? Well, mine are all black now."

FOLLOW UP:

On the invitation-apparently that's important or something. But for those of you who manage to do that, I would love to hear the story of how it happened-I find that I am now very inspired by stories of member missionary work.

Yep, that's really all I've got.

Lots of love,

-Elder Santos