Yet again I pray that this email finds you all in good places on your earthly journey. I know we all suffer through struggles, but I pray that these few minutes I get to spend with each of you will give you a little more strength to keep going.
So one of the random stories of this week is I got hemorrhoids because members kept feeding me lunch (I ate 2 lunches filled with soup, main course, and dessert in a row sunday and tuesday) for my birthday and tuesday my colon gave out. But I'm okay now! YAY ME!
Also, yesterday in my new ward I played a musical number in church and some investigators came and gave me a round of applause and the whole ward followed with them... Awkward. But thanks!
This week we had transfers and I moved a whole 5 minutes in bus down the hill. I can see my old area from my new area. But I am also a Zone Leader now. So for you people not familiar with missionary jargon, here's the DL on being a ZL. :) So my comp and I are the examples in our area. Our area needs to be the prime of all primes. Along with that, we are in charge of keeping track of the missionaries, especially the 10 elders in our area. We make sure they are obedient, they are working, and they are happy. We visit them, go on exchanges with them, and we train them. We are also in charge of keeping track of the money the missionaries spend that needs to be reimbursed and sent to the church offices. We are Presidents eyes and ears. We are an organized church and that is good, but it is work. So imagine the stress that can come with this role. I am so blessed to have a great companion, Elder Bailey. He was my old District Leader a few months ago, and is a great friend. We are working so hard and just feeling so much love from God. Hes from Ogden, Utah and is great.
So with everything going on, we also went from having 30 lessons a week to 20. A big drop. And the Lord kept humbling us and humbling us. We realized our vision wasn't His so we fasted and prayed. We realized in this time that our ward doesn't have an Elders Quorum President because we don't have a priesthood holder worthy to fill that spot. So we realized the Lord needs us to build this ward. As a leader, its hard to change my focus baptisms to visiting active members, but the Lord needs us to do this work to bless many others. I have felt so close to the Lord as I have relied on Him with all I have. One night as we were meditating, a favorite song came on that has changed my perspective on life and the mission. I have changed some of the lyrics to make the song more personal:
Dear Lord, who blesses me with love,
Please send this day, thy spirit from above,
As I, thy child, accept a call from thee,
Help`me, I pray, to learn humility.
Direct my footsteps every day,
And keep me ever walking in thy way,
Inspire me as I preach thy gospel plan
Lord, hold me in the hollow of thy hand.
In the hollow of Thy hand, as I grow from boy to man
Help my understandings deepen and increase
In the hollow of thy hand, as I grow from boy to man
Help me know the special blessings of thy peace.
I know that this song applies to each of us. We each have been called to serve others, to put smiles on their faces, to heal them, and to walk with them. Its not an easy talk, but its the most rewarding. I promise each of you that as we make the decision to put aside our troubles to help others, we will feel the presence of He who walks with us each day. I know He holds us and cares for us in the hollow of His hand. It is my prayer that we can follow His example to heal those in need through our light we shine, the light of Christ.
I am now in downtown Tarija. Its a super nice area, and we have everything I could ask for. I am happy, and I am obedient. I love my Savior and His work.
For a dollar!
Elder Risueño
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