Man, this mission is such a roller coaster. Such amazing times and such hard times too, but I'm finding that the ups always have a longerlasting effect than the downs :)
Well, this last week was Páscoa or Easter! And boy oh boy, strangely enough the church sure did suffer. We had about 15 people in church... and our investigators only came to the first 2 blocks and then left before sacrament :/ Kinda tough when that happens really. It was kinda hard just cuz you spend your whole week working your tail off to find new people, teach the people that you've started with, and you just do everything possible to try and help these people. But when it all comes down to it, people just get SO lazy on sundays... We had like 10 new people this last week and only 2 came to church, and 1 of them told us that it, "Isn't his "time" to be baptized in the true church." Go figure :D Ah well. So after me being all grumpy and bummed out, I decided to pray. Obviously the Lord's arms had already been out stretched, and, the Lord took away my bad feelings. It is so amazing the things the Lord can do. Even though it was so simple as something of just being kinda depressed, the Lord helped me and gave me the motivation and excitment to just go out and get more people for next week! Depression or feelings of depression is a funny thing. Our first instinct is to continue being all down and lazy, complaining or justifying why we feel this way. But, for example: In the mission field, if I'm sad cuz I don't have people to baptize people this week, which is gunna be more effective to get my people for the next week: sitting there in the house eating chocolate? or getting out in the road, knocking some doors, teaching some lessons and really going to work? I think it's obvious :) Same thing in life too; if we're depressed cuz we're getting bad grades, don't have a good job, have a cruddy relationship with someone, or whatever, what's gunna fix it? Sitting there watiching TV, hating our job now, ignoring and being offended with our "someone"? Or studying our tails off, working harder to find a new job or get a promotion, or going out of our way to serve the people around us? Once again it's obvious. Man, I am amazed at the things I'm learning in this mission that are going to help me honestly FOR EVER in my life. I love that the Lord calls us young men on missions, it is SUCH a blessing.
So I don't have a whole ton to actually report this week, it's been kinda a slower, more normal week. This week marks the beggining of the transfer, but the day when we get transfer calls came and went without anything, so looks like me and Elder Huntsman will be staying here for the next 6 weeks. I'm stoked, we're learning every day how and what we need to do to better our work and it's been awesome. Btw, Elder Huntsman is 22 and from Las Vegas, he's a great guy and just took a little longer to get out on his mission. He's got a year and 3 months so he's an awesome elder to work with. Well, I guess now I just wanted to share an awesome thing I learned from my studies this morning. Read 2 Nephi 4:17-35 and you will hear one of the most beautiful prayers ever given in the Book of Mormon. It's really interesting because he brings up all these problems that he has, asks himself why he's so weak (remember that this is a prophet talking here) and so easily beset by such simple and stupid sins, but then talks about all that the Lord offers to do for us, and explains that we must always rely in Him if we want to truly receive success. I really think it's cool that in the same chapter, Lehi dies. So this is kinda Nephi showing us that when we lose a loved one or have whatever other problem in our lives, we need to just remember God. Just read this passage with that in mind. Well, that's about all I got here in Itabira this week. I love this work so much, and I can't believe how amazing this feeling of contentment is when you realize you're teaching the only true gospel on earth. I'm so grateful for all of you and for this amazing gospel and opportunity. Hurrah for Israel!!! Love you all!
-Elder Ballard
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| HAPPY EASTER! |
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