Called to Serve Him


We started the week off well after finally being able to walk around more as my companion had sprained his ankle a few days earlier. He fell down the stairs by accident, only the last few but just enough to make it so he couldn't walk much. We visited a lot of people those first few days of the week. Many of them weren't interested. We also began to lose contact with some investigators, others not progressing, and other such missionary problems. 

It helped that one of the people that we did visit let us in. He had some questions about the Book of Mormón. We explained the basics. He didn't have much of a background of the Bible so he had a lot of questions. We came back another day to explain about the Restoration. My companion testified of what the gospel means to him. Through his gentle stream of tears, the spirit touched our new friend. In the end of the week we received a message from him saying he and his family had gotten sick and won't be able to visit with us but that he would love to talk with us over the phone. His devotion to hear from these two young gringos about Jesus Christ showed me the way he may be willing follow Christ's gospel.

 We also got to see our Mission president this week along with one of the area seventy as they came to talk about the missionary work here in Navojoa. Part of this meeting was that they lined us 4 missionaries up in front of the members there and had a quick Q&A session. It was fun to talk about why I came on a mission and my experience going to college and then the mission. It was especially helpful to see the love my mission president has for the missionary work. He continued showing that love as he extended invitations to the youth in these branches. The Elder from the seventy as well gave a specific invitation to all the youth to go on a mission. It seemed helpful for a few youth in their difficult situations. The way he did it gave another familiar weight of the Spirit in my chest that that's what these kids need to do. That's what I need to do. As he explained about Jesus Christ being the missionary to Moses in the pearl of Great Price, I realized the need of being representatives of Jesus Christ.

 

That same revelation mirrored well as I had some personal questions in our fast and testimony meeting. I saw a common theme trickle through the testimonies. Yet, I noticed my testimony, while similar in core, had different branches. I remembered a quote that talked about the everlasting gospel, an unchanging doctrine. I realized the beauty in the doctrine of Jesus that makes it possible for all of us to come unto Him. Preaching the gospel seemed even more like an invitation to pure principles of love and understanding, something I wanted to continue helping people have a foundation of. People like our new friend that can have that same new understanding of his life even if we come from different cultures or contexts. 

 

What a good time to be a missionary 

 

Elder d'Ivingee

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