Week 70

Wow, another week down!

The week was tiring! Phew…. We walked around…….sooooo much…

We walked around so much because we are still in the midst of good old summer vacation. Oh what fun it is for us missionaries. We are happy for people to be out and enjoying time with their family and hopefully doing some good things but it just leaves us without work.

I feel bad because there isn’t much to say about the week. Other than walking around looking for people we were only able to visit some people.

We were able to finally visit Estefano and we taught him the plan of salvation. He was pretty intrigued. He is progressing well. We are a bit bummed because he told us that he has to cover a shift of another employee at his work and aren’t going to able to visit during the week. So…. We are just going to have to find more people to teach. And last but not least he finally came to church again! He had a good experience and it went pretty smooth. I was even assigned to give a talk. I spoke about building Zion in our homes, hearts, and ward and how we can become unified through the work.

We had a huge cleaning day on Thursday.

Every single missionary had to stay inside the house all Thursday morning until 1:30 cleaning the house from top to bottom. I focused most my efforts on our kitchen and the house turned out to look amazing. It was awesome having that project. We definitely can feel the spirit a little better in the house now. You should have seen the pile of garbage that we threw out.

I was actually able to play basketball for the first time in ages. I don’t think I have played basketball in more than a year. It was awesome playing something I actually like a lot. It was also awesome to prove to all the Latinos that I’m not so bad at sports after all! Hahaha!

We are getting to know all of the members a lot better and we can tell the difference. The members in church were all a little nicer to us. We are just trying to fix everything after so many really overbearing and kind of mean (pesado) missionaries have passed through the sector. We think that some missionaries have hurt lots of people’s feelings a bit and we are just trying to repair all of that.  This is our main focus in the work right now.

It was a loooooooooooong and tiring week, but our spirits aren’t quite down yet . We are hoping for a much better week! WE know that good things will come.

I was walking down one of the main streets of Conce, (Carrera) and this scripture kept bouncing around in my mind. It seemed like I understood Alma perfectly in this moment.

Alma 29

 1 O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!

 2 Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption that they should repent and come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth.

 3 But behold, I am a man, and do sin in my wish; for I ought to be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me.

 4 I ought not to harrow up in my desires the firm decree of a just God, for I know that he granteth unto men according to their desire, whether it be unto death or unto life; yea, I know that he allotteth unto men, yea, decreeth unto them decrees which are unalterable, according to their wills, whether they be unto salvation or unto destruction.

 5 Yea, and I know that good and evil have come before all men; he that knoweth not good from evil is blameless; but he that knoweth good and evil, to him it is given according to his desires, whether he desireth good or evil, life or death, joy or remorse of conscience.

 6 Now, seeing that I know these things, why should I desire more than to perform the work to which I have been called?

 7 Why should I desire that I were an angel that I could speak unto all the ends of the earth?

 8 For behold, the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own nation and tongue, to teach his word, yea, in wisdom, all that he seeth fit that they should have; therefore we see that the Lord doth counsel in wisdom, according to that which is just and true.

 9 I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy.

 I love those verses and I understand them so well now. At times I wish I could declare these things with such force that people would just listen, but it is the will of God and all people have their chances. Besides, it is through small and simple things that great things come to pass. I truly glory in my calling and it is such a privilege to be serving at this time. I truly do love my Heavenly Father and my Savior who bear me up.

Thank you all so much for all your support. I love you all, and I love hearing from you! Thank you for all that you do. Until the next week!

Elder Ethan Haws