It has been a pretty long week, but a good week. On Monday morning Elder Castillo and I went up to Santa Elena and he left for the cap, all alone, and I stayed with the ZLs, like I already said. On Monday night we had an FHE with some members and investigators and it was really good. People that I probably won't see ever again. But, that's ok.
Tuesday I went out to work all day with them and we had lots of success. During my personal study on Tuesday I also finished the Book of Mormon for the 3rd time in my life, and the first time in Spanish. I felt rather accomplished and I learned a LOT this time around. Reading the Book of Mormon in another language can really change your perspective on certain scriptures that you hadn't seen in that way before. I am thankful to have the Book of Mormon in our day to read. An interesting note I made maybe a month ago is that we are truly lucky to have the Scriptures that we do. In no other time in history have the people had such a wide access to the Scriptures as we do. In Mormon's or Moroni's writing he says, "I write to you as though you were present, and yet you are not". The Book of Mormon was not written to be scripture for the Nephites. The Book of Mormon was written for US, the people of these last days, so that we may know of a surety of this latter-day work and look steadfastly towards Christ and His Second Coming. How great a time in which we live, to have the fulness of the Gospel at literally our fingertips.
On Wednesday Elder Barahona and Elder Vestal were sick, and we stayed in their house because they couldn't leave. In the morning I received the news that Elder Bobadilla from Peru would be my companion, but that left me completely in the dark, since he's brand new. The day in the house wasn't too boring since I spent most of it talking to an Elder named Elder Codling from Cedar Hills, UT. Super cool. At about 11:15 pm the bus showed up and I met Elder Bobadilla, my new companion. When I told him I would be his companion he jumped right in to give me a hug. Loving guy. I'm so grateful to be his companion! In my journal on Thursday night I wrote, "E. Bobadilla is going to be a great missionary. He has a lot of excitement, energy, and enthusiasm for the work and nothing is going to stop him." We stopped by some new investigators on Thursday night, Manuel and Margarita, and they had read the first 50 pages of the Book of Mormon in about a week! It was super awesome! I am hoping and praying for great things there!
On Friday I spent a lot of my journal writing focused on "The Fourth Missionary". After a few months of wanting it, I was finally able to get it and read it during my personal study on Friday and Saturday. It was truly incredible, and though it has a lot of focus towards missionary work, we could all use it with a small twist towards every day life. My journal entry goes as follows:
"The 1st and 2nd missionary are both disobedient and do not benefit from their missions. The 3rd missionary has great qualities represents the majority of missionaries. He is obedient and worthy, does his dute, sacrifices his will for the Lord's will, serves faithfully, but withholds his heart, he does what the Lord wants but he wants to do what he wants. Now here is the 4th missionary. He is obedient and worthy, consecrates himself, has charity, is a disciple of Christ, measures success from within, total surrender (he gives himself), and his predominant desire is to do what the Lord wants him to do. In all honesty, I am the 3rd missionary. I have not completely given myself, I don't have complete charity, and there are times where I want to do what I want. However, I am truly trying to become the 4th missionary. I still have a ways to go, but it's a process. While sharing this with E., Bobadilla I mentioned that my will is slightly changing. There are times when I may want to do what I want, but I am learning to want to do what the Lord wants simply because He wants it. For example, I wanted to be ZL right now, but I now want to be here because it is what the Lord wants for me. It's a satisfying feeling. While out in the field today I was completely focused on the work and my wants and desires were far from mind. I think this talk will help me for my last 6 months."
Saturday the 15th. "I made a promise with myself and wrote it down. It says, 'I, Elder Andrew Anderson LaPray, will become the Fourth Missionary. I will be obedient and worthy. I will totally and unconditionally surrender. I will consecrate myself. I will seek to have charity. I will become a disciple of Christ. I will measure success from within. My predominant desire will be to do what the Lord wants me to do. I will be the Fourth Missionary'".
Love,
Elder Andrew A. LaPray
Tuesday I went out to work all day with them and we had lots of success. During my personal study on Tuesday I also finished the Book of Mormon for the 3rd time in my life, and the first time in Spanish. I felt rather accomplished and I learned a LOT this time around. Reading the Book of Mormon in another language can really change your perspective on certain scriptures that you hadn't seen in that way before. I am thankful to have the Book of Mormon in our day to read. An interesting note I made maybe a month ago is that we are truly lucky to have the Scriptures that we do. In no other time in history have the people had such a wide access to the Scriptures as we do. In Mormon's or Moroni's writing he says, "I write to you as though you were present, and yet you are not". The Book of Mormon was not written to be scripture for the Nephites. The Book of Mormon was written for US, the people of these last days, so that we may know of a surety of this latter-day work and look steadfastly towards Christ and His Second Coming. How great a time in which we live, to have the fulness of the Gospel at literally our fingertips.
On Wednesday Elder Barahona and Elder Vestal were sick, and we stayed in their house because they couldn't leave. In the morning I received the news that Elder Bobadilla from Peru would be my companion, but that left me completely in the dark, since he's brand new. The day in the house wasn't too boring since I spent most of it talking to an Elder named Elder Codling from Cedar Hills, UT. Super cool. At about 11:15 pm the bus showed up and I met Elder Bobadilla, my new companion. When I told him I would be his companion he jumped right in to give me a hug. Loving guy. I'm so grateful to be his companion! In my journal on Thursday night I wrote, "E. Bobadilla is going to be a great missionary. He has a lot of excitement, energy, and enthusiasm for the work and nothing is going to stop him." We stopped by some new investigators on Thursday night, Manuel and Margarita, and they had read the first 50 pages of the Book of Mormon in about a week! It was super awesome! I am hoping and praying for great things there!
On Friday I spent a lot of my journal writing focused on "The Fourth Missionary". After a few months of wanting it, I was finally able to get it and read it during my personal study on Friday and Saturday. It was truly incredible, and though it has a lot of focus towards missionary work, we could all use it with a small twist towards every day life. My journal entry goes as follows:
"The 1st and 2nd missionary are both disobedient and do not benefit from their missions. The 3rd missionary has great qualities represents the majority of missionaries. He is obedient and worthy, does his dute, sacrifices his will for the Lord's will, serves faithfully, but withholds his heart, he does what the Lord wants but he wants to do what he wants. Now here is the 4th missionary. He is obedient and worthy, consecrates himself, has charity, is a disciple of Christ, measures success from within, total surrender (he gives himself), and his predominant desire is to do what the Lord wants him to do. In all honesty, I am the 3rd missionary. I have not completely given myself, I don't have complete charity, and there are times where I want to do what I want. However, I am truly trying to become the 4th missionary. I still have a ways to go, but it's a process. While sharing this with E., Bobadilla I mentioned that my will is slightly changing. There are times when I may want to do what I want, but I am learning to want to do what the Lord wants simply because He wants it. For example, I wanted to be ZL right now, but I now want to be here because it is what the Lord wants for me. It's a satisfying feeling. While out in the field today I was completely focused on the work and my wants and desires were far from mind. I think this talk will help me for my last 6 months."
Saturday the 15th. "I made a promise with myself and wrote it down. It says, 'I, Elder Andrew Anderson LaPray, will become the Fourth Missionary. I will be obedient and worthy. I will totally and unconditionally surrender. I will consecrate myself. I will seek to have charity. I will become a disciple of Christ. I will measure success from within. My predominant desire will be to do what the Lord wants me to do. I will be the Fourth Missionary'".
Love,
Elder Andrew A. LaPray
