Happy Halloween and parties and such. Life here is pretty darn awesome and I am so grateful for the fact that I am a missionary. I am just SO HAPPY! We call it fengue. Its like dengue, the fever, but with FE (faith)! Its super contagious and amazing.
Big thanks to momsy and DFM for the Halloween cards and Sheila for the chocolate! Holla! And special thanks to the fam bam and friends for awesome emails and prayers. Love you!
So yesterday we were in sacrament meeting, and I heard a gagging sound and looked to my left just in time to see a kid stand up and throw up on the ground... All i can say is thank you tile floor. Amen.
And a few hours later, we were teaching outside and a drop of water mysteriously fell from the sky and I looked up to see a little kid with some water just spitting it on me. Love children!! JESUS LOVES THEM!
And while I was at the airport, I found someone else who spoke french... a sign that I need to fresh up on french? I think so!
Anyway, this week we started a 40 day fast as a mission. Not that were not eating for 40 days, were just purifying ourselves! and my goal is to FIND JESUS in the Book of Mormon. So I mark each time I find Jesus name in the book! and I mark surrounding words to figure out why a person was referring to Jesus. Its amazing! I love the book of Mormon! I love Jesus!
This week we have seen miracles. We had 4 less actives in church, and these people are coming back for good! Its so amazing to see people change because of a simple invitation home.
So of all things I can share with you, I just wish to share with you something cool that happened in a lesson last night. We were talking to a lesson of recent converts and the whole family is struggling. The daughter just said THE CHURCH IS TAKING AWAY MY PERSONALITY BECAUSE I CANT WEAR A TON OF EARRINGS. There were a lot of ways I could have responded to that, but I stopped and thought of what she needed. She didn't need to know how her body was a temple and all that jazz, because she was frustrated and crying. She did't need to know why she needed to change her life because of a religion. She needed to know God and Jesus Christ. I simply asked her if she had prayed recently. She said yes. I asked if she had communicated and spoken with the Lord to find his opinion on the matter of modesty. Then she said no. I testified that the standard isn't about what she can and cant do, its about who God wants her to become. And ultimately, her lifestyle comes down to how her life is in harmony with what God wants. I testify to each of you, no matter how close or far you are from God, it matters what direction you're facing (see John Bytheways dvd, Come Unto Christ). I invite each of us to come unto Christ a little bit more this week. To stop living by rules and start living with Christ. To walk with Him. To come unto Him.
Come unto Jesus; He'll surely hear you,
If you in meekness plead for his love.
Oh, know you not that angels are near you
From brightest mansions above?
It is my testimony that prayer is the key to happiness. It is the key to any doubt, question, or uneasiness that besets us in this life. To those who may feel like He has left you, He is ignoring you, or He simply doesn't care about you, I kindly invite you to reconsider your thoughts. It is easy to complain, but it is not effective (thanks mom). I finish with a teaching of a less active, who said the following when asked about how she reTURNed to Christ. She said something like this:
I have learned that when we don't choose the right, Christ never leaves us. Hes always there reminding us what we should do. He always invites us back. He just waits and waits until we reTURN to Him.
I testify, as the Eagle Scout that I am, that the Savior invites us to do a good turn daily toward Him.
I pray that each of you has a blessed week this week. I love you with all my heart and thank you for your support. Let us all look for the angels on our individual journeys back home.
Till next week,
Elder Risueño
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