Well, I am 22. Weird. Thanks for emails. So, what happened this week...
Well basically the two cool things were yesterday.
Have I told you guys about the Familia Cabezas-Donoso? He is the ex-stake president that has been inactive for like five years. Anyway we visited this family a lot this past week. And yesterday the WHOLE family walked into the church. Talk about the best birthday present i could have asked for. It was awesome to see them in Church, especially the father. Then later we had a Noche de Hogar at their house. There was cake involved. It was good, we talked about Thomas S Monson has a prophet and how we can all know that he is Prophet of God, we can all gain our personal testimony.
The other cool thing is that on Saturday night we had the feeling we needed to go work up in a certain part of our sector. So we did, we passed by this REALLY inactive members house and his family. Turns out someone in their family had just been diagonsed with cancer and given four months to live. And he had been hoping for something to come and give them a little support. We were able to sing a hymn with them and then we talked a little about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and how it can help them through these moments of life. We may not have been able to set up another time to go by, but I know we were instruments in the Lords hands. God always answers the silent prayers of his children and sends help, sometimes even in the form of two missionaries.
What else happened this week. Oh, Chile beat Mexico last monday (sorry Ale) and tied with Uruguay on friday. It was really funny, we were leaving a house on friday night and just then they turned the game on...and just in this moment when we were leaving and they turned the TV on...Chile scored. It was pretty sweet. There was absolutly NO ONE in the streets, but we could hear people freaking out from inside of all the houses (especially all the ALMOST goals that happened after). I want to say they play Peru tomorrow. I promise I really am focused on the mission.
So we were talking last night in the pencion with the other Elders. As missionaries, we talk to a lot of people. from many backgrounds and many religions. The other Elders have an investigator that is getting baptized in two weeks, who I guess yesterday in a lesson said to them, "you know what, im finally starting to understand this concept of asking God. And you know what else, i have been with and studied all the other religions and churches...and you guys are the only ones that i have ever told me to pray and ask God if what I'm learning is true. Now i know i can ask God about anything and he'll answer me". When the other Elders told me that i just remembered....not once in my mission or even in my life have i heard ANYONE apart from a member of La Iglesia de Jesucristo de Los Santos de Los Ùltimos Días tell me to pray and ask God to know whether or not something is true. Most people just tell me, "It says in the bible!".
Do you know what else it says in the bible:
5aIf any of you lack bwisdom, let him ask of God, that cgiveth to all men liberally, and dupbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
6But let him aask in bfaith, nothing cwavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
-James 1:5-6, Holy Bible, Authorized King James Version
That is a promise. I know it is a promise because I have asked. I have had a falta de sabiduria (a lack of wisdom). I exercised my faith, asked in prayer. and God answered me. In the Church, many times this is just an unsaid, understood idea. But if you have a question about Thomas S Monson as a prophet for example....pray and ask God. God answers prayers, and yes answers very direct questions, even. This is what I do as a missionary...I teach people about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and then invite people to pray about it. The people who have real faith recieve answers and don't need to be "convinced" by any 22-year-old missionary. Because the power of the Holy Ghost gives a suave but yet, convincing undeniable spiritual witness from God that these things are true. Jesus Chist lives. He is our savior and the only way to return to our Heavenly Father. His Church and Gospel have been restored to the earth through living prophets, Joseph Smith was the first. Because of this we can be baptized by his authority and the families can be sealed together for the eternities. I know the Bible (as far as it is translated correctly) and the Book of Mormon are the word of God. If you don't believe me, I am not asking you to. I ask to you learn of these things and then...PRAY. Ask your Heavenly Father. He will answer.
Wow, this has been long. Have a great week. I love you all! Thanks for the Birthday emails!
Elder Hyer
