I didn't want you to have to read the entire letter like this so here is the "translated" version... (Kelli)
Hello everyone. First
I have to say that I am sorry if you can´t read this. My keyboard from South America
is broken and so there are a few keys that don´t work. But I know that really
if you have a desire to read what I am writing you will have the strength to
keep reading. This week was really really hard for us. We had a meeting as a
Zone on Tuesday where we got to share with all the missionaries what our vision
was as a zone and as well as what President Agazzani wants us to do and
complete. It was super super good. We talked a lot about who we are and what we
have to do as representatives of Jesus Christ by inviting everyone to repent
and be baptized. The missionaries left way excited to work and invite everyone
to be baptized. After the reunion that we had, me and my comp decided to go to
a place called Zanta Rita. Its about 1 hour away from CDE. The missionaries are
really struggling there and aren´t finding success and we feel like we need to
do something. So we left our area without anybody to teach and we went and worked
with those missionaries.
We got there and “oh
my heavens” : Everyone only spoke Portuguese. ahhhhh it was so hard for me because
we just kept talking to everyone and no one would let us in because we didn´t speak
their language. But it was super cool because at about 5 o’clock me and another
elder we said a prayer and asked the Lord to bless us in finding 3 families and
to teach 6 lessons in 4 hours. We had the faith and so we set off working. We
did it!!! We found 3 families and we invited them all to be baptized. It was a
huge miracle and we were so happy to know that the Lord was watching out for us
and really that He was guiding us to those people who were ready to accept the
gospel. Side note... Those three families went to church on Sunday as well and
are super pumped to get baptized whooooooohoooooo the only really sad rough
part about when we went there was that there were only 2 beds and there were 4
missionaries, so me and my comp ended up sleeping on the floor. I made a vow to
myself when I got up that I would never sleep on the floor again while I am
here in Paraguay. hahahah It was terrible. hahaha
Other than that,
really this week a just a huge week of tests and diligence. My comp and I work super
super super hard every day getting references from everyone and being super persistent
in trying to get into houses to teach but really no one lets us in. It was a
little discouraging for us because we didn´t know why it was happening if we were
working super hard and being obedient. But the Lord blessed us on Saturday. We
found 5 families and found 19 people in total. We invited them all to be
baptized and they all accepted. It was an awesome day and we knew that the Lord
had blessed us and had given us the blessings after we had been diligent in working
and finding people. I know now that really the Lord is ready to bless us in the
moment if we continue being obedient and trying to complete our duty.
One thing that has
really been bugging me here in Paraguay is that always people are talking about
how they have faith to move mountains. They believe that really faith can move
mountains. I was pondering about that this week. There is a scripture in the Book
of Mormon that says that the Brother of Jared did move a mountain. But I was
thinking that really there isn´t a need to move a mountain in my life. Then something
popped into my head that maybe those mountains that we need to move are the
trails and weaknesses that we have had as human beings. Maybe the Lord put those
mountains within us to test our faith. It was really an inspirational moment
for me that really I do have faith to move mountains because I am making those
changes in my life. I am living the gospel and overcoming my weaknesses.
We were sharing with a
guy this week and he said that he didn´t deny the existence of God but more or
less he didn´t accept it either. It was interesting because he started talking
about the more and more knowledge that we get the more and more that we feel inside
that God doesn´t exist. hahah It just made me laugh when he said that. Really??
It’s because he doesn´t have a testimony. He can´t “study” to gain a testimony.
Try to explain how you know that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Try using logic to try and explain how you know. It’s impossible. Everything
depends on if we are ready to receive an answer through the Spirit, that what
we feel and know is true. Really I can testify that I know that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of the living God. I know through the power of the Holy Spirit. I
invite you all to receive this same testimony instead of relying only on knowledge.
I love you all and
hope you have a super awesome week
Rohyahu
Elder Beatty
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