Sept 5, 2016

Sounds like obedience has brought you blessings too mom! :) This week was fantastic. We went to a mission council last Friday (a meeting for zone leaders to discuss ideas and review numbers.) The president looked at the numbers projected on the wall for like 2 minutes without saying anything. Then looked at me and my companion and said, “What is going on zone nimajuyu? The most wicked zone is the zona flechona (the most obedient and straight.)” 

The zone is throwing fire and seeing numbers that it hasn't ever seen. Just a cool fact, last year there were an average of over 200 missionaries in our mission. Every month we baptized an average of 50 people as a mission. This year we had 170 and lost 20 to disobedience. This week we lost two more. We have less than 150 and we are baptizing an average of  100 every month as a mission. 

When we are obedient we have the spirit. When we have the spirit we want to be here, we want to teach, we want to baptize, we are happy. For the disobedience of two missionaries in a zone, all other missionaries are affected. Our district meetings and zone meetings are ruined because the spirit is not felt. As a missionary these meetings are spiritual reboosters that get us through the week. In the end we are affected, our companionships are affected, and our investigators are affected. We do not convince the people, the spirit does. We do not change people, the spirit does. If you want to be successful then you must learn the first principle to the gospel. :)

This week I have been studying a lot about the atonement. When I reread Lehi’s vision of the tree of life, the spirit taught me a very important lesson. The tree of life represents the love of God, when we partake of its fruit we are tasting the love of God and are filled with immense joy. Or in other words, we are filled with the spirit because He brings us this feeling (Galations 2:22) How do we receive the spirit? We use the atonement to clean purify ourselves, through faith, repentance, and baptism or the sacrament. As a result we are desirous to keep eating and share with others.

11 And it came to pass that I did go forth and partake ofthe fruit thereof; and I beheld that it was most sweet,above all that I ever before tasted. Yea, and I beheld thatthe fruit thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness thatI had ever seen.

 12 And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soulwith exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to bedesirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit.

When we truly are partaking of this fruit we feel the spirit often, we are happy despite affliction and trial, we are desirous to share it. Please share the gospel with someone this week, pass by and visit someone, present yourself, present the gospel, present the missionaries, preach. Participate in never go alone, because its the doctrine of Christ.

For those who have fallen away, who doubt, who don’t feel the joy of the gospel ponder upon these scriptures:

 33 And great was the multitude that did enter into that strange building. And after they did enter into that building they did point the finger of scorn at me and those that were partaking of the fruit also; but we heeded them not.’

34 These are the words of my father: For as many as heeded them, had fallen away.

I know that my Savior and Redeemer is Jesus Christ. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know Joseph Smith was a prophet of God.