True happiness

This week was really good.  Its hard to explain why except that we were busy.  Also I got to see a missionary homecoming to a family that has been struggling a lot lately.  There was a very sweet spirit in that home, that after so much hardship, things got happy.

I was thinking a lot about that this week.  Happiness.  I realized something that I have always know, and yet never understood.  True happiness is when you live the commandments.  Always looking for opportunities to lauph and have fun, but always taking into account the Lord.

The end result is you have many positive experiences in your life, and you are unweighed by sin.  Many people do good things, but balance it with bad things, so they are only half as happy as they could be.  True happiness comes from obedience, because you have all the good things lifting you up, and no mistakes weighing you down.

You are like the balloons that kids let go up into the sky, you have no limits.

I had a really great week this week, and I will have a better week this week.  Bad things will happen, but I can use the atonement to fix mistakes and forget pain.  

When I was in the CCM, we were shown a talk by one of the apostles.  He gave us two promises.  First, the mission was going to be the hardest thing we had ever done.  Second, the joy of christ would make it all worth it.

I know that´s true.  I had one of those weeks that testified to me that I am in the right place.

I love you all, thank you for all your support and love.

God Loves you.

ELder Henrie

Why I'm a Mormon

So this week was AWESOME.

We had a Zone conference on Wednesday.  We talked about a lot of the same things that we talked about in the Consejo, but we also got to watch the Meet the Mormons movie.  It was fantastic.  I totally loved it.  I loved the part at the beginning when it showed the different views of Mormons.  You feel like that a lot as a missionary...

Hey, we´re missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, have you heard of it?

(Blank look)

Or the Mormons

(confusion changes to happiness)

Oh ya, you guys can´t drink coffee can you?

Everyone in Paraiso says that because Paraiso is a MAJOR coffee producer.  There is a sign that I need a picture of that says

Paraiso, where the earth tastes of coffee.

We also had a Stake conference.  I saw a powerful example of revelation.  We had an investigator that went to the iglesia for the first time.  She has been considering getting a divorce with her husband.  The last speaker, Elder Morales of the Seventy, stood up and said [I feel impressed that I should talk to those of you who are thinking of getting a divorce[.

It was totally quiet.  He then began to talk of the importance of the family, how divorce was a last (very last) option.  He talked of many different ways to strengthen your family and fix problems.

Unfortunately, with how many people that came I wasn´t sitting by her.  But her friend that brought her told us it was very powerful for her.

THATS WHY I¨m a Mormon.  God speaks directly, not just by words written a thousand years ago.

So in general, it was a pretty inspiring week.  Miracles exist!

I love you guys.  Thank you for all your prayers.

Elder Henrie

Time flew this week

This week went by really fast. 

I got to go to the consejo de lideres de la mision.  It was fantastic, I learned a lot.  The interesting thing is that they didn´t talk about anything really new, but they showed me again how perfect this church (and its missionary program) is.  God had everything planned out.  If we follow his plan, things work out.

We had many small miracles this week.  One of our investigators that we hadn´t seen for weeks, came back, and is still positive.  Another investigator is progressing, even though I wasn´t sure if she would.

The mission is full of so many miracles.  I remember when I started, I always seemed to remember the miracles from the Ensign articles, and I thought, that is the mission. The truth is, those things do happen, but more common are the small tender mercies of the lord that you must look for and appreciate. 

A painting is what we call thousands of tiny brushstrokes.  That is what my mission has been (and will continue to be) for me.  It is bueatiful.

I have seen this week the blessings of the gospel in so many families.  It is in the family that the gospel really shows its power.  It makes a family blossom in their circumstances, and gives them hope to continue forward even as others might faltar.  God loves us, and has given us everything we need.

I thought I would be really baggy with Jessica getting home and everything.  I was for a little bit, and then I remembered where I was.  I am in the feild of miracles, where daily I see the light of God´s revelacion.

I love you all and thank you for all your prayers.

Have fantastic weeks, no matter where you are.

Elder Henrie

A Great Feeling

I don´t know how to explain how I feel right now.

I just have a marvelous feeling that I am doing what I should be doing.  That I am in the right place.

I love our zone right now.  We have such a great time together and it is just fantastic.  Today we just watched a movie (yes that is permitted).  Especially us 6 Elders of Paraiso llevamos muy bien.

I am just so happy because I feel like I am in a miraculous place.  I am seeing positive changes in myself and in the area.  I have never felt such self'confidence and control than I do here.

I was always the type of person that I let that my circumstances control me.  I am still to a point.  But I have learned something here in the mission.  You can´t change your circumstances, and if you follow them, it will only lead you one way.  Down.

What you can do is change yourself, fight your circumstances and make a situation that you can be happy with.

I still have a lot to work on with this principle, but it feels amazing.

Always remember that God´s purpose in sending us here to earth was not to just suffer the consequences of the fall.  It is so much more than just teaching us just how great it was in the presence of God so we would all want to go back.  

It is to turn us into agents unto ourselves (scripturereference).  To help us learn how to control our circumstances to help us.  To becomeconstantly better.  The best part is that we have the promise that if we use our earth life as he promised, we don´t have to carry the bad consequences of some of our actions here, just the good consequences.  

Christ´s atonement frees us from the limiting weight of sin, so that we can become limitless.  But only if we choose it.

God offers Vida Eterna a todos.  But you must choose it.  Think about it, it is an offer to be able to continue this learning experience forever, just with a glory that here we do not understand.

There´s no better deal in the entire space-time continum.

Take advantage of it.  Become the person you want to be and fufill your dreams.  If you do it by obedience to God´s commandments, he will help you and guide you to your highest potencial.

Don´t let your your circumstances control you.  Control them.

I love you all and I know that this church is true.  I know it because I have read, pondered, and prayed.  I have seen promised blessings and I have seen a happiness in my life that doesn´t seem to end.

I am still imperfect, but I know what I want, and I know its what God wants for me.  If I follow him, I will get it.

Its that easy.

Thank you for everyone that has helped me realize this.  Take care of yourselves, and remember...

Always act.

Elder Henrie