After having fasted and prayed to be able to bring all of our investigators to church, it was a little saddening to see that not a single one came, and it took a lot of humility not to burst out in anger. But the lesson in Relief Society was exactly what I needed to hear. The topic wasn't even about the Atonement, but the teacher asked, "what does the Atonement have to do with missionary work?" and I thought of the video The Atonement and Missionary Work, that my zone leaders showed us in Jinotepe a few months ago. It is a compliation of a few talks given by President Eyring (Act in All Diligence) and Elder Holland (Missionary Work and the Atonement), and video that I highly recommend to all to search on YouTube. The Atonement is why I am here. Without the precious moments in which our Lord and Savior poured out his soul and his strength for each one of us, we would not be able to receive salvation. The entire message that we as missionaries share, the Restoration, the Plan of Salvation, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Commandments, the Laws and Ordinances, would be in vain. It would literally have no purpose. I have always thought that my Gethsemane in my mission was Pancasan, because it never went my way and no matter how much repentance I thought I was doing, it never got better until the very end. But I think yesterday was another Gethsemane moment. And we were honestly ready to drop every single investigator that we have in the vision, or with a baptismal date, and start completely over. But then we visited an investigator, at eight oclock last night, and a miracle happened. Carlos hasn't been a postive investigator since Sister Hussey and I started teaching him. He went to general conference, and we lost contact with him. The weeks went by and we didn't really focus in him. When Sister Vasquez came into the area, the first day, we went and contacted him again, but he still wasn't progressing very well. But then last night, we went and visited him and every thing was different. He had read the Book of Mormon, he told us that he believed in the Restoration, and he was going to complete his baptismal goal of the 21st of May. I know that some times God takes good things away from us to make room for the better. I know that He sent His Son to die for us so that the entire message of the missionaries could ring true in the hearts of the people prepared. This is why I am here, to preach and bring the world His Truth.
moments like these are defining for my testimony. have the faith that the lord knows the bigger plan.
hermana graves
p.s. a picture of the divisions we did with the sister leaders this week. this is sister morales, who came with me to nicaragua, but won't finish her mission until august.
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