Monday, May 14, 2012

Week #18

Novi tjedan! (A new week!)
A new week and this is also transfer week! Sestra L and I are blessed to work with each other for another 2 months, but Elder Baldwin is heading to Zagreb and Elder Moulder from Vadaržin is coming. We don't know a lot about him, but we will very soon! The end of my first transfer...AHHH!!
The past few weeks we were preparing for classes on questions of the soul like "Does God exist?" and "Is there life after death?" Last week we had two classes on "Does God exist?" and "How can I make life in my home happier and safer?" The first class, only one person came and then one English student decided to stay. The person who came was kind of so-so. I think we answered his question, but he wasn't interested in learning more. But the English student was interested in learning more, so the elders are going to teach him! If anything, this class was for him. The second class, well, we had less who came then before. I think you can do the math. But we used this lesson for Sunday School the next day, so we wouldn't have to prepare two lessons. Then I realized how blessed I am. When we asked if they did any religious traditions together as a family. No one said anything. Only missionaries told of times when their family would pray together or read scriptures or have family home evening. I thought of what my life would have been like with out these simple things. Life would be rough. How would I know how to pray or that reading scriptures every day was important if I didn't see my family doing it? And since yesterday was Mother's Day, I was able to Skype my family! I didn't get to see everyone or talk too long, but I realized that my whole family are more than the active members in the branch I'm serving. It was a light that went on about how important families are. Even if my friends don't believe what I believe or understand what I'm going through my life, my family knows. They have seen me grow up and seen me through all of my stages. Family is the basis and the core for the gospel to thrive in. But it has to start somewhere. First we are individuals and then we are strengthened as family members are involved with our life and the gospel. I saw this picture of a man and a woman at the bottom of a triangle and Christ at the top. As the man and woman came closer to Christ, they grew closer together. Same with families. The closer we come to Christ the closer we come together and are able to help each other. Big family week realizations for me :)
Funny story: So we were tracting and right off the bat this older man came up to us when we knocked at his home. He was coming home and he just held out his hands and money was in it. We said we didn't want his money, but wanted to give him a free lesson on how his life could be happier. He said he just wanted to help us and to take his money. We had to pretty much fight him off for giving us his money. He couldn't hear very well, so it was even harder to explain. He put his money on Sestra L's Book of Mormon and then I gave him a pamphlet. After that I put the money in his shirt pocket. He smiled and then we said Doviđenja (do-vee-jen-ya, Good-bye). It was no point to try to explain more why we were there. He couldn't understand, but it was funny trying to stop him.
Scripture of the week is Ether 4:19. This just says it plainly about enduring to the end. If we are found faithful at the last day, not at the day before the last day or on the last day we're good. We need to be faithful throughout all our days including the end. Yes, God is merciful and will help us in the times when we are not faithful, but how will he judge us if we knowingly go against Him? If we know about a commandment and then choose to do something else? Someone yesterday asked us why do we live the Law of Chasity? Because he said he knew someone who slept around and then became a nun. What's the big deal? We said we knew the promises and that's why we keep it now. Why reject the promises? That goes for any commandment, why reject the promises? I want to endure not just to be happy now, but to be happy for eternity. That's why I'm keeping God's commandments and doing the things that He tells me to do even when it's hard. Izdržavanje do kraja! Endure to the end! Volim vas!!!

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