Elder Brigham Blake: May 18th Time Flies When You're a Missionary

Time flies when you're a missionary, and time flies when you're having
fun. So what about if you're a missionary and having fun? Haha well,
time just kind of slips through your fingers like grains of sand.
Tengo que aprovechar!! Honestly I think the week went by soo quickly that
I cant even really remember what we did!

Sunday was a pretty funny day, the whole country was shut down for
Eleciones. We only had Sacrament meeting and two investigators showed
up. We were pumped to see Ronny at church bright and early. (our
investi with a date for the 4th of June). He even brought us doughnuts,
but the weren't as good as Krispy Kremes. Ronny tells us he loves
church and gave up coffee to get baptized. For the last two weeks he
has been telling everyone that if they drink coffee they need to
repent. He is a super funny kid. After sac meeting we met briefly with
our Branch Pres to try and spark our branch. It was a fine meeting and
he put my comp and I incharge of our branch activities. Finna try and play
a lot of dominoes!! We need to get the members and our investigators
interacting!! After our meeting we went home and realized that we had
NOOO food except for salami, a sweet potato and this gross vegetable
called tayota. It was the worst lunch I have ever eaten in my life - no
joke, I wish I would have taken a picture. Boiled sweet potatoes,
tayota and fried salami, BAD COMBO. We then got a call from the
Assistientes saying that we couldn't leave the house because of the
eleciones, which was probably a good call. The party that lost the
eleciones have been throwing a huge fit for these past few days and
have gone on a nonstop strike. The police have killed 6 people in our
area in the past 2 days. We have seen a lot of burnt tires and burnt
trash around. As a matter of fact yesterday was the worst, but we
didn't leave because my comp and I are sick. I have a fever of 102 and
Elder Irish has the Runs.

Yesterday I had a lot of time to reflect on my mission and what I want
to do going forward these next three months. As I listened to a Truman
Madsen talk on the Abrahamic Test, I thought about the test and trials
God has sent in my own life. The underlying point Hermano Madsen got across
is that God requires tests of our souls; sooner or later he will
strongly probar our testimonies. It's quite interesting actually,
because it seems to be trait of human nature. To grow we must be
tested. I have a strong testimony that as we are faced with trial we
must hold firmly to the Iron Rod, read the scriptures, pray
and assist the church. That is how we can edificarnos sobre la roca
de Cristo. (Helaman 5 vs 12) No one can remain straight and true to
their testimony without haciendo estas cosas. Sooo do them!! Another
interesting point Hermano Madsen made is that more often that not we
pray hypocritically, asking for God's will to be done, ONLY if it se
concuerde with our will. This is something that I know I really have
to work on these next three months, trying to learn what God's will
truly is.

On another note, Harley expressed to his Parents his desire to be
baptized. We don't know the details yet but he told us that he was not
granted permission. We will keep working with him and Carmen. He might
not be able to be baptized quite yet but I have to feel satisfied to
know that next Febuary he will enter into el evangelio. As a
missionary, it's just as important to be a planter as it is to be a
sower, (one person I found and taught with Elder Corder in Moca was
baptized 2 weeks ago, and 2 more have dates for the end of this
month.)

I have no regrets for my mission. I love what I'm doing and I know that
this is the Lord's work. Every time I think that I'm tried, or under the
weather I think of the atoning sacrifice of our savior Jesucristo. I
love all of you!!
Con mucho Amor!
Elder Blake