Let´s start with a joke from our wonderful teacher Hermano Gómez! (He knows english pretty well but not everything, and he is hilarous! He is also getting sealed in the temple in 14 days!) Hermano: There are two ballons in a dessert. Us: Dessert? Hermano: Dessert!!... Desert? Two ballons in a desert and one says to the other, " Hey bro Watch out for that cactus!" "Bro what cactusssssssssssssssssssssssss
Sorry I had to! Did I tell you guys yet that last week we went out on the streets of Bogóta and contacted!! First week! And I don´t even know any spanish! It went pretty well buttomorrow we are contacting on the street for 3 horas!! I am very nervous but excited because that´s what I´ll be doing for three years! It is so great!
One of my favorite things here in the CCM is the time we have to teach "investigadors". Elder Baker (my companion from Orem) and I are teaching Marcos ( a wine drinking futbol lover who has a wife who is a less active mormon) and Freddy (a less active 50 year old that believes in reincarnaiton). Miracle numero 1: They have us here at the CCM memorize a couple of things in spanish on entry! First our objective, second the baptismal invitation, and third the First Vision. During one of our lessons with Marcos, I quoted the First Vision in Spanish for the first time in a "real life" situation. That was the miracle. I felt the Spirit in my words and could tell Marcos did too. The Spirit is the energy of the mission and I love it. It really is the one thing that look for everyday and I have a good day!
Miracle numero 2: CRE is an excersise they have us do where we teach an "investigador" for the first time and they film us and then evaulate us. It was Elder Baker and I´s second time doing it and for some reason it was harder than the first. I couldn´t remember the scripture I wanted to share. I couldn´t think of the words to say in English or in Spanish. It was really hard and I got down on myself pretty hard. The miracle came that night while I was writing in my journal. I noticed that in the past couple of days I didn´t write about a tender mercy that I had seen that day. And I wasn´t having a prayer in my heart all day that i could have the spirit to be with me. I prayed fervently that night that I could look for the spirit every day and be able to have that energy from the spirit to help me have better days. And you know what? It works! Heavenly Father knows exactly what you need!
Okay one more thing before I talk about the title! Orar Orar Orar! (That means to pray) Do you know how many times we pray in the CCM? I think I counted 15 times in one day! Morning, night, before planning, before every meal, before every lesson and every devotional! Ore Ore Ore! I love it! I invite all to pray as much as you can and when you aren´t to have a pray in your heart because the spirit will always be with you no matter what!
Miracle #3: Okay the title! So on saturday morning, presidente assigns certain topics for Sunday talks! Everyone writes a talk and prepares as if they are going to speak in Sacrament. They have 6 to 8 people give talks every sunday but you don´t know who is giving the talk until they call your name after the sacrament! So everyone kind of gets nervous because no one knows who will be called. So this last sunday I was leading the music and assumed I would be off the hook but nope! They called "Elder Alder" and I got sooo nervous! First talk in Spanish!!! I was talking about God is our Loving Heavenly Father but it was in Spanish and I wrote it myself! Scary but once I started I felt the calming spirit of my Father. Did I say some things wrong, yeah, but at least I tried to say them wrong with the spirit! Now later that day we had a devotional with Presidente of the CCM. And let me just say I love him! And when I say that he is the most blunt person I have ever meet, I mean it in a loving manner because it is so funny some of the things he said. Including this: The devotional was on Gift of Tongues and in the middle of it he said: "Like today during sacrament" He looks at me "Does Elder Alder know Spanish? No he doesn´t" I knew it was true but it was so unexpected infront of all the Nortes, then he added, "Just like the rest of us." Then he said what the spirit told him to say even if it was a little bias "But between you and me, I think you gave a much better talk than any of the other Latinos because you prepared with the Spirit" During sacrament, I was the only Norte to speak with 6 other Latinos.
Heavenly Father knows what you need. He knew I needed Presidente to say those words to give me confiedence that even if I can´t speak Spanish right now, he will help me use what I know after I have prepared as much as I can. The scripture 2 Nephi 25:23 "For we know that is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." Now that scripture means something a little different. Grace for all is not only being saved at the last day but also grace is everyday when we do all tha we can and somehow, someway, we do what God wants because of grace.
I love this gospel. I love this work. Find a love for it and you will go far in whatever you do!
Con amor
Elder Alder
Excellent and very exciting site. Love to watch. Keep Rocking.
ReplyDeleteenglish to spanish