So, this was an interesting week. We had changes, but our area didn`t change. I am finishing the training of Elder Rodriquez. However I did recieve two from my group. Elder Smith (de Lehi, not the one that WAS here, from Bountiful), and Elder Christiansen (not sure where he is from).
We came down to recieve changes at the house of the other Elders. Elder Porter and Elder Herrarte. They told us to be there at 6, so we got there about 6:20. They didn`t answer our yells, so I decided to throw rocks (like Elder Porter always did when we didn`t answer the door). Long story short, I hit a window (a very small one) and it broke. Turns out they weren`t even there, they went to visit Abuela. Please don`t worry anyone, I`ve already talked with the owner and he said it will cost like 30 Limpirias (or 1.50$) to fix. The other Elders took pictures, that I need to get.
That was the crazy story, the rest of the week was just working. We got to meet all the new people on Thursday. All the people from my group are in the same District, so every district meeting is now like a group reunion. The sad thing is that it is almost guaranteed that I will go this next change (I have a lot of time here, and I`m training, the combination makes it almost sure, but no one knows with changes), so I won`t be able to disfrutarlo.
Friday, we went to the Mountain and we got to teach a REALLY drunk guy. Luckilly all the drunk guys in Tatumbla are really tranquilo (calm), just a little crazy. With this guy he said a bunch of wierd stuff. His wife asked him if he wanted to put on a shirt and he said ¨No, asi muriò Jesucristo en el cruz¨ (This is how Jesus Christ died on the cross).
We also invited him to church and he started going of on one of the common excuses that people here use. They cite the scripture in 1 Corinthians that says that everyone is a temple of God, and say it doesn`t matter what church we belong to because we all have our ¨path¨. Its really a bunch of papas (potatoes, or in this sense, crap), but people say it to us all the time. The way this guy said it was just funny. He said something like ¨Dice la Palabra que todos de nosotros son iglesias. Mire, no nesacito ir a iglesia porque soy mi iglesia. Cuando estoy aqui sentado, estoy en mi iglesia.¨ (It says in the Word (or the bible) that we are all churches. Look, I don`t need to go to church because I am my church. When I am sitting here, I am in my church). It was just funny.
It made for a fun day, and we have been quoting him ever sense to brighten up any bad moment.
Saturday we just worked visiting people, and Sunday it was about the same. We are hopefully going to have a babtism this week if we can find her and fill out the registro. We also have a Noche de Hogar hoy a las 5, so we have to return early from P-day to prepare for that.
For me this week, just with all the excuses and false doctrines I have heard, I was thinking a lot about how Satan is really smart. He takes gospel truths, and he adds a lie, so that if the people accept the truth, they get a lie with it. He uses this as a wedge, and drives people away from God until they don`t know where they are, but they don`t know how they got there either.
I was also thinking about something that President Packer said, that the fasted way to change behavior is to teach doctrine, or in my own words, pure truth. It is interesting that when you teach truth, and bear your testimony of that truth, it cannot be denied. People can offer excuses or try to attack you, but they cannot deny the truth. In the end, they only have two options, to accept the truth, or try to hide from it, under a cover of justification.
I know that a testimony has power, never forget that. When it comes down to it, it doesn`t matter how much scriptural backround we can give that makes our church true (though we have a lot), it comes down to we have a testimony of Joseph Smith and the Restauracion. We obey a lot of commandments because we believe that he and his successors are prophets from God. We obey by faith, but like Jesus once said, Blessed are they who have not seen, yet have believed.
I love you and I feel your prayers. I know I have seen protection from the Lord, or the guidance to avoid dangerous situations. Please continue strong, and know that every day I am trying to do the same.
Elder Henrie
