The Best Two Years!

Dear Family and Friends,

Life is going here in the great city of La Vega. I've been suffering from a migraine since Sunday and haven't been able to work these past three days. Like concussion recovery, a lot of resting in dark quite rooms! As hard as it was not doing anything these past few days I was able to ponder and listen to some amazing BYU devotional talks the highlight of which was David A. Bednar's talk on the Enabling Power of the Atonement of Jesucristo. A lot of times, we misunderstand the way that God answers our prayers, says Bednar. And we often ask for God to take away burdens when he actually wants us to find a way to support it (sobrevivir) I forgot what that is in English. A few transfers back with my second companion I really figured out the enabling power of the atonement. We were having some problems and he basically told me that he didn't want to work. He would leave the house with me, but would not want to talk in any of our discussions. I decided that I needed to fast, not so that my companion would change, but so that I could find the strength to be happy and positive. And oh my goodness it worked! I was seriously filled with joy, I had never felt the love of Christ sooo strongly in my life. Its like the scripture in 1st Corinthians 10 vs 13. I will attach the scripture down below. 

 

 13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the 

temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Anyway, this week, even for being sick has been wonderful. It has rained almost every day but we are still finding many wonderful people to teach. We received a reference a few weeks ago from a family who has shown some wonderful reception to the gospel. Elder Weaver and I were cleaning the sidewalk of a member when one of their elderly neighbors yells ¨Hey Mormons! I've been waiting for the longest time for you to walk by my house! Come inside and teach me!¨ Haha wow, it was honestly super startling and surprising. Her name is Charo, and like all Dominicans she has been Catholic her whole life. As we got to know her I could tell that she really wants to find out which is the true church. She says she goes and listens to the Catholic priests but doesn't feel like it's right. We taught her the restoration, and as I was teaching about Joseph Smith the spirit hit me like a brick wall and I began to cry. The spirit permitted me to testify with real power and wow, what a blessing that was. She promised to come to church this week. Pray for Hermano Charo!

In other big news, I made it my goal about two months ago to read the Book of Mormon all the way through in Spanish and I finished on Monday. Wow, I felt the spirit very strongly as I read through Ether and Moroni. And I love verse 32 and 33. Moroni's invitation for us ALL to come unto Christ. As a missionary, it is my duty and objective to invite all to come unto Christ. It is remarkable with how little knowledge I really have, yet at how wonderful and beautiful this gospel is. I love my savior, I love the Book of Mormon, I love this church, and I love being a missionary.

Until next week!

Love Elder Blake

 

 32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, anddeny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall denyyourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all yourmight, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient foryou, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if bythe grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowisedeny the power of God.

 33 And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect inChrist, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of theblood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot.