Hello everyone! I hope everyone has had a great week. This week was very busy, but I gained a lot of experiences that I won't forget.
I had the opportunity to go on exchanges to an area called Almeria. It is one of the most mountainous areas on the mission. Biking there was a challenge to say the least. I was with Elder Bunyi and we went to a ton of great appointments. They have a lot of people who are willing to hear the word of God. After getting back to my area, I was super exhausted, but we still got a lot done.
Last week I had the amazing opportunity to witness the Lord's care and kindness towards me in my time of trial. Like I have forementioned, I was quite tuckered out after exchanges. This left biking in my area to be quite the challenge and I was in a less than an adequate mood. While biking up one of the steepest parts of my area, my chain not only popped off, but the spokes of my tire broke. This was the first miracle.
It gave me an opportunity to laugh at myself, and to take a good break from biking. Knowing that I wouldn't have to bike up the hill and there was nothing I could do about it was quite the morale boost. After continuing to walk up the hill, another miracle occurred. We ran into a large group of members. They had been ministering to some of the people nearby and we just happened to be passing by. Seeing us in a little bit of a pickle, they helped us out. They told us to leave our bikes with them and they would take them back to our apartment. They helped me get the grease off my hands and told us to keep going.
That day had been very difficult for me. I was very tired physically and mentally. In this time of extreme strife, God shewed forth his hand to remind me who I was serving. I don't think my night would have ended any differently if my bike didn't break, the work would have been accomplished all the same, but God saw fit to remind me of His love. I was reminded that there are many people, even those I don't know very well, looking out for me. I was reminded that God does not want us to push ourselves, or our bicycles, past the limit. I was reminded that I need to pace myself and have patience in my trial.
Paul counseled the Corinthians to have charity, that it was one of, if not the most important attribute that we can carry. Paul gives us a definition of Charity. He states in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 that:
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8 Charity never faileth
I would like to repeat the words of Paul. Charity never faileth. In our darkest moments, it is our charity that helps us feel the love of the gospel. It’s the attribute that helps us understand what the Savior feels for us, and why He atoned for us. In my trial of exhaustion and heat, God's charity did not fail. He cared for me and showed me that He did. He ran to my aid. He succored me in my weakness. I implore you to see the Lord's hand in your life. You are His sons and daughters. He will not forget you, for He is the one who has led you to this very world, and if you let Him, He will lead you somewhere better. I know that He loves me perfectly. That He bore all of my iniquities, believing in me, hoping that I would repent. He endured the unendurable. He is wonderful. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
I had the opportunity to go on exchanges to an area called Almeria. It is one of the most mountainous areas on the mission. Biking there was a challenge to say the least. I was with Elder Bunyi and we went to a ton of great appointments. They have a lot of people who are willing to hear the word of God. After getting back to my area, I was super exhausted, but we still got a lot done.
Last week I had the amazing opportunity to witness the Lord's care and kindness towards me in my time of trial. Like I have forementioned, I was quite tuckered out after exchanges. This left biking in my area to be quite the challenge and I was in a less than an adequate mood. While biking up one of the steepest parts of my area, my chain not only popped off, but the spokes of my tire broke. This was the first miracle.
It gave me an opportunity to laugh at myself, and to take a good break from biking. Knowing that I wouldn't have to bike up the hill and there was nothing I could do about it was quite the morale boost. After continuing to walk up the hill, another miracle occurred. We ran into a large group of members. They had been ministering to some of the people nearby and we just happened to be passing by. Seeing us in a little bit of a pickle, they helped us out. They told us to leave our bikes with them and they would take them back to our apartment. They helped me get the grease off my hands and told us to keep going.
That day had been very difficult for me. I was very tired physically and mentally. In this time of extreme strife, God shewed forth his hand to remind me who I was serving. I don't think my night would have ended any differently if my bike didn't break, the work would have been accomplished all the same, but God saw fit to remind me of His love. I was reminded that there are many people, even those I don't know very well, looking out for me. I was reminded that God does not want us to push ourselves, or our bicycles, past the limit. I was reminded that I need to pace myself and have patience in my trial.
Paul counseled the Corinthians to have charity, that it was one of, if not the most important attribute that we can carry. Paul gives us a definition of Charity. He states in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 that:
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8 Charity never faileth
I would like to repeat the words of Paul. Charity never faileth. In our darkest moments, it is our charity that helps us feel the love of the gospel. It’s the attribute that helps us understand what the Savior feels for us, and why He atoned for us. In my trial of exhaustion and heat, God's charity did not fail. He cared for me and showed me that He did. He ran to my aid. He succored me in my weakness. I implore you to see the Lord's hand in your life. You are His sons and daughters. He will not forget you, for He is the one who has led you to this very world, and if you let Him, He will lead you somewhere better. I know that He loves me perfectly. That He bore all of my iniquities, believing in me, hoping that I would repent. He endured the unendurable. He is wonderful. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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