You guys are famiiliar with the hymn "I Stand All Amazed". This week, and in the past few days, that hymn has become quite a reality for me - I am truly amazed by the love our Savior Jesus Christ offers us. We can be lost in sin, living in the world, or be one of the "best missionaries", and the love our Savior has for both parties is the same! Mom, you always told me you loved all your children equally - I´m not sure if I currently comprehend that, but I hope to be able to one day when I have my own kids. I feel like it´ll help me understand a bit more the love that God has for us as His children. I hope I can love them all equally too. I can´t wait!
I´m also amazed at the love that God has for us to forgive us over and over again. To let us come to earth, make mistakes, suffer. He sent His own only begotton son to die for the rest of us so we could make all those mistakes and still be ok if we repented. What class of love and patience must He have with us? I´m just grateful He does, for now. I am so imperfect and so badly need The Atonement in my life daily! We´re lucky he´s willing to forgive us time and again.
So like I mentioned last week, this week came and went in a blink of an eye. Going to consejos in Panama feels like a dream, but I really enjoyed it. I think it was my last consejos meeting - I´m kinda sad about that. I liked voicing my opinion on how to better the mission. The mission as a whole has been struggling as of late with baptisms. I don´t know why this is happening, seeing that we now have more missionaries than ever! I sometimes question our example that we´re giving to the mission as leaders - me personally and the rest of the leaders, too. I sometimes feel like I could do better. I haven´t done divisions in a while, and I think we´re gonna start doing that more now. Helping these newer missionaries learn how to teach.
Now..... Conference!!! Man! What a general conference, eh? I was gonna write a whole lot about my favorite talks and everything, but I forgot my journal at home before coming to write ya´ll! But man. Wanna know my favorite talk? It was in the very first session by Elder Bednar, about tithing and the blessings we can recieve. He took paying tithing to a whole next level for me!! He went DEEP into the blessings that we can really recieve by paying an honest tithe with a willing heart. I REALLY liked it. The best was when he said that paying tithing helps us in the life-long process of personal sanctification. Anyway. There were so many dang good talks though. Elder Maynes, Elder Uchtdorf´s, Elder Scott´s, and Elder Perry´s in the priesthood session. I loved how he based it around the 13 articles of faith! I want to memorize them.
Well, some great news is that Daniel came to church again! He totally showed up to the Saturday morning session in a white shirt. Elder Saavedra and I are thinking baptism. I love him! Him, with a few others, have a baptismal date for the 19th of this month. Which reminds me!
Quick story. Yesterday after conference, (about 5:30-6 PM) I found myself without ganas to do anything! I don´t know why, but conference had just worn me out, and I had no desire to go anywhere. Just wanted to lay down and not have to interact with anyone. I don´t know why! Anyway, we had a family night with a less active family planned, and I just wasn't looking forward to it. So, on the 20 minute walk there, I just didn´t know what to do! I haven't found myself like that that many times in the mission, but I finally decided to just say a little prayer in my heart, asking God to help me have desire to go teach and feel love and charity for these people, and want to help them. Well, to make a long story short, the lesson, although the flow was somewhat hard to control with the member help we had, ended up turning out fabulous!! I mean, truly great. We animated the father, Hno. Cantule, for the first time since I´ve been here, to commit to coming to church next week. He works, but he´s gonna get his shift covered. That is saying A LOT for this guy, seeing as he hasn´t been to church in years. Also, with the help from my companion, we were able to put a baptismal date with his littlest 8 year old daughter who´s not baptized! Marlenis :) The best part about it was definately the STRONG spirit that was felt at the end of the lesson. And I felt so much LOVE for them!! God granted me exactly what I had asked for in my prayer! Now are you seeing why I´m amazed sometimes at the love He has for us? He helps us SO much! We are nothing without Him or His help.
I love being a missionary and I´m gonna miss it so much. I love you all! Have a great week!
-Elder Clarke
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