We have a friend who is teaching a lesson about Paul and wanted to ask some questions, so we used her questions for this week!
Hey Family and Friends,
Wow another week has come and flown by. Its been
insane how hot it has been this last few weeks. We have gone about 3 weeks
without rain and its really starting to get to my brain because of how hot it
is getting. I know that there are a lot of people praying for rain as well. I
know that it really isn´t that big of a deal, in the end I don´t know why I
pray for rain because it makes the missionary work harder. Maybe I should just
learn to take things as they come and not hope for things over which I have no
control hahaha ok problem solved.
This last week we had another baptism of a daughter of a family we are
teaching. The mom and all the rest of the familyw ants to get baptized but the
dad doesn´t want to stop drinking and doesn´t want to get married. We are still
working with the dad about his problems. He is reading the BOM and loves
sharing with us but when it comes to coming to church he just can´t because he
wakes up on Sunday with a huge hangover from how much he drank the night
before. The mom was a little sad during the week knowing that her daughter was
gonna get baptized without her but during the baptism and during church the
next day she was as bright as the sun. She could feel the spirit as to what her
daughter had done. That it was the right thing. We are praying and fasting a
ton for the dad so that he can change.
Here are my answers for the questions you sent:
--Could you relate an example of challenges that
missionaries sometimes encounter on their missions?
A lot of challenges that
missionaries face down here in Paraguay is not learning to interact with the
people. People have a specific way of existing and living life. We can´t expect
to invite people to do something when we can´t imagine ourselves in their own
shoes. So many missionaries are scared of getting rejected and not having any
success, when really it just comes down to loving the people and adapting the
way that we teach to the needs of the people. When we can learn to teach people
the gospel in such a way that they will want to be a part of it, there will be
a tremendous amount of growth in the church. People will stay active and want
to participate in the gospel.
--Has anything specifically happened to you that has been especially challenging
as you have attempted to share the
gospel on your mission?
One thing that has been very hard for me to overcome as
a missionary has been the temptation of idleness. Starting my mission I found
out that it is very very easy to just go throughout the day seeing all the cool
sights and just soaking up the culture and meeting new people. It was hard for
me to really come realize the purpose as to why I was there. I wasn´t called in
come into Paraguay to be a tourist. I was called to bring people to salvation
through the gospel of the Lamb. After a year in the mission I came to fully
realize the importance of my calling as a missionary and how I have such a huge
influence on the lives of the people that surround me. If I will just thrust in
my sickle with all the might, mind, and strength, I will be able to see
miracles every day.
--If so, how did you overcome or deal with the particular challenge?
Well in the
end it was with the help of one of my companions. He showed me really what the
mission is all about. We didn´t get any baptisms, but we worked our butts off.
We were happy because we could come back at the end of the day and say that we
had given our all for the Lord. That we had testified to everyone and we had
invited everyone to hear this great message of the gospel. After working with
that missionary not only my mission was changed but my perspective on life. I
have been called to fulfill a great purpose. I cannot give up, I cannot wait, and
I cannot be altered in my attitude. I will complete with the Lord and His
calling. I love the mission. I love it because I have come to realize that
being a missionary is more than just leaving your home and carrying a
missionary plack. It’s about loving what you’re doing and loving it because you
love the Lord.
--How did this challenge affect your ability to share the gospel with others?
I
was in the world and I was of the world. I wasn´t truly focused in what was
MORE important. I could feel that with time my testimony was growing and that I
was helping others come unto Christ, but not in the most productive way. I was
too prideful to let go of my own desire and surrender myself to the will of the
Lord. Sometimes as people, we don´t like to hear the words, surrender, or lose,
or submit because it show signs of weakness. But if we surrender, lose and
submit ourselves to the Lord, we will come out victorious.
--What do you do if you have troubles getting along with your missionary
companion?
It takes lots and lots of prayer. And it’s all about your attitude.
We can wake up thinking that we have to grin and bear it (our day) because our
companion is a jerk. Or we can wake up and make the decision to grin and change
it. We have to learn to really love and to become united in purpose. Yeah, we
may have differences and we may not get along, but in the end we are serving
the same people for the same reason. It’s all a matter of being able to give up
what you want for sometimes the sake of showing love. I have also learned that it’s
not enough to say that you love someone. You have to show it as well. Simple
acts of service to your companion will help you forget your own problems and
form a love for him or her.
Well, that's it for now. Hope you all have a great week!
Rohayhu
Elder Beatty
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