Saturday, July 5, 2014

Week 50: (Central) American Dreams‏

Dreams.
Why else do you think that we wish upon stars? When hopes are high and life worth living, we, as members of the human family, dream our dreams. They are not merely personal records that we set our to surpass, they are goals of faith! They not only require our attention or our focus, they force us to draw out the very best of ourselves, allowing us to move forward on a more excellent way.

And in a lot of ways, America has been a land of things like that. People like Columbus, George Washington, Martin Luther King Jr., Lehi and the Brother of Jared have all seen this land in which we live as a place of promise and of potential. Sure, it has it's kinks, nobody's perfect, but at the end of the day, America is a place where dreams come true.
Take this week for example:
Sunday: The Francos came to church again! It was an incredible opportunity to see them in the congregation, ready and involved in everything! They participated and loved every minute of the services! the part that was even better was the fact that when we visited them that night, Walter and Ingrid set their own date to be baptized. "I don't know if we'll be able to do it on the 12th, because I have to work," Hermano Walter started, "but would it be all right if we hold the baptismal service on the 13th after church?" 
On the outside I was like, "Yeah, for sure, whatever works for you guys works for us. " but on the inside I was all like, "YES! With Pleasure! FINALLY! WOO HOO!" 
It was a great lesson.
Monday: After the incredible miracle the night before Monday kind of paled in comparison. We held our office meeting; talked about what things we need to do in order to prepare for the coming of President Caffaro on the 11th. I never really realized how much work goes into an event like this...so we'll have to see how it goes! Today was national Bankers day...so, naturally all the banks were closed (how's that for irony). Essentially that meant that we, as Financial Secretaries couldn't do anything but go to Zone 1 and Taco Bell with the Assistants in search of a man who may or may not have robbed us (it's a long story).
Tuesday: Not much to report for today, we had a rather normal day, we worked in the offices, we worked in the mission field and I ate a wonderful lunch...but I can't really remember what I ate, all I know was that it was wonderful.
Wednesday: Today we went on divisions with our esteemed district leader, Elder Layton. He's from Oregon and was my Zone Leader in Jutiapa, so I already know him well. The whole day we got along like two peas in a pod, birds of a feather, like peaches in cream, I'm telling you, it's been a while since I have had the opportunity to geek out with someone else. We talked all day about some of the most nerdy stuff ever, from Pokemon to the end of the world, the day turned out to be an epic success. We found new investigators, contacted everyone and their dog and then committed a less-active member to come back to church.
Mission Accomplished.

Thursday: When we got back to the White House after divisions there were construction workers fixing a leak in the roof and making a lot of noise. I mean, it was a good thing that they were there, because every time it rains, our house gets flooded and stuff gets ruined....but the downside was that we couldn't leave until they were done.
5 hours later Elder Gil and I had some serious cabin fever. So while he slept, I started writing an epic novel on some napkins that I didn't use (total JK Rowling Style).
Finally, 4:25 rolled around and we were able to boot the construction workers out of our house and get to the offices. Waiting for us was President Stay and the Trapnells, and we had a jovial conversation...it was awkward, but they understood why we weren't able to make it on time.
And then Elder Gil and I jumped into the Truck and drove to Costco to buy muffins and Sunny D for the Mission Council the next day (all of it was imported, which made me laugh).
Then there was traffic and we barely made it home in time to get to an appointment with the Bate Family and Balthazar. It was really just to see how they were doing, they still don't really feel like progressing, but I suppose God has his own timetable for them.
Friday: We had an awesome day yesterday, we were able to make it to the Mission Council on time and set everything up and give out reimbursements and then run to drop off President Stay's Car at the Toyota Dealership so that it could be inspected.
That night we talked to Ingrid Franco in the doorway and had an awesome chat, she is so fantastic, she says that she has been praying so that her children can now find their way to the church too! 
And I know that our Heavenly Father answers the prayers of righteous parents, I mean...look at Alma. We are going to start trying to help the kids, but I think that'll be a huge challenge in and off itself, they have two daughters and a son who are all kind of...rebellious.
We'll see.
Then that night, we had a lesson with Manuela, and we talked about Enos and the ways that God answered his prayer of faith. And at the end she asked us about some odd dreams that she had had the previous two nights:
In the first, she found herself on a road, in a great hurry to get to an uncertain destiny when she passed by a great party. The party was filled with people, dancing all types of dances, with multicolored lights streaming from all around her. She said that it would be easy to loose herself in this party and dance forever, but her conscious wouldn't let her, that she was too worried about getting to the end of this road, to her destination, that she left and kept moving forward.
When she asked us for the interpretation, I surprised myself as I felt the words slip out of my mouth, "The party represents the things of the world, how we can be so easily distracted on our way through this life by thing that have little value. You were so focused on the things that lied ahead that you weren't at all affected by such things. Now that you have been listening to us and searching for this truth you have been given an eternal perspective and your focus has been turned to the things of God, and your eternal destiny."
Once again, another incredible lesson.
Everybody has a dream, and if our Heavenly Father's way of answering the prayers of Manuela is through them...then so be it!
I love you all and I hope you have an awesome week!
-Elder Monson
        




    

   

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