This week was awesome!!
Last Sunday, we the missionaries sang a special musical
number in sacrament meeting. There is a first time for everything. Elder Bedke
played the piano, and Elder Running, Elder Lamb, and I sang Oh My Father to the
music of Come thou fount. It was pretty cool. We didn’t sound too bad I hope
ha-ha.
Also Sunday, Mauricio, the son of a lady who is just now
coming back from years of inactivity got the priesthood!! We were so pumped
because we have been working with their family for the past few months. Words
cannot express the joy and excitement that we had as missionaries to see him
being sustained in church. The Spirit was so strong.
On Monday we had a super intense
bolsa run to get to the bus terminal before the shipping companies closed. It
was one of the biggest bolsa runs we have had this change because the Binghams
(the office couple) bought stuff for every house in the mission (blenders,
microwaves, pots, pans, etc.) that needed it. We got to the station with 2
minutes to spare, sent the assistants to run down to save a spot in the lines.
We ran up and loaded up dollies and grabbed as many boxes as we could and
sprinted down the ramps.
This week we find an old school tape player and recorder. We
have been making some pretty cool tapes. Keep an eye out for the mix.
Tuesday I went on splits with one of
our zone leaders. He is called Elder Miranda. He is from Columbia and is such a stud. We had a great
day. We taught a lot and I had a lesson that I will never forget the spirit
that I felt. It was so incredible. We taught the plan of salvation a new way
that we learned at zone conference and it is powerful. We taught it to an
inactive named Diana. When we first met her a few weeks ago, she told us how
she was never going to go back to church and how we could visit her if we
wanted but we would be wasting our time. Now after having a few lessons she has
regained interest. She remembers so much of the book of Mormon and she is
strengthening her testimony. She is asking great questions and is finding her
answers. She is becoming so much happier. Nothing comes close to the blessings
of the gospel and the fruits of the Spirit. Missionary work is the best!
So this has been my last week with Elder Bedke. To be
honest, I am super bummed. I love that guy. I have learned so much from him and
he has helped me become a better missionary, a missionary that Christ would
have me be. We have seen some miracles together and I will miss him. But he is
going over to Cerro (the zone right next to ours) so we will still get to play
soccer every once in a while.
So this change I move up to executive secretary and senior
comp. My new companion is ELDER WOODS!! He is from the same group as Elder
Bedke and Elder Lamb. I have heard awesome things about him and am excited to
keep working here in Oeste with him. LA OBRA VA BIEN EN OESTE!!!
My spiritual thought this week comes from a discourse called
"The fourth missionary." It says:
The purpose and central blessing of life is change. It is to
be changed to become more like Jesus Christ. It is to incorporate into your
character, the qualities of His character. It is to move from one degree of
intelligence and capacity to the next and from there to the next, until you see
God face to face and know Him as He knows you.
(Holding up the scriptures)...none of this makes much
difference unless it gets inside of you. All of this is only marks on pieces of
paper bound together in leather; it has no intrinsic value, unless it becomes
you. The purpose and essential blessing of life is to be changed to become more
like the Lord, to realize the full measure of your divine potential.
This process of change, this process of evolving, becoming,
is the object of the gospel. Change is the design of faith in Christ,
repentance and baptism. Redemptive change happens by the power of the Holy
Ghost.
But it happens only if and when your heart is right. It
happens only if you do not fight against God. It happens only if you
unconditionally surrender your will to the Lord.
I have been thinking a lot lately about how I can become a
better missionary. I have found that it’s the little things that tend to hold
us back from our full potential. It’s those little rules, little thoughts,
little words or sentences, those things that you think make no difference in
the end make all the difference. The time that we have here on the mission is
sacred. We only have one shot to talk to people sometimes. In those moments we
need the spirit with us. The time that we have here on the earth is sacred. We
need to surrender our will to the Lord. This may seem difficult but it’s really
not. When you think about it, it is just doing what you are supposed to do.
When everyone is looking and when there is no one around. Haz lo justo! Just
choose to do that which is right. Be who the Lord wants you to be. Give up the
little things that keep you who you should be. Just try it. I promise you will
see the difference. You will be so much happier and achieve a greater peace in
your life. More importantly, you will have the Spirit with you more abundantly
and find yourself closer to our Savior.
I know this church is true. I know it because I have prayed
and received an answer through the feelings of the Holy Ghost. I know that
families are eternal. I know the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. He
came here to the earth for you and for me. It is only through Him that we can
return to live with our Heavenly Father. I know that He loves each and every
one of us. I am so grateful for this time I have to serve here in Uruguay to
share the message of the restored gospel with those who life in this great
country. There is no better calling than that of a missionary.
Thank you all so much for all of your prayers and support. I
love you all so much. Lets all try a little bit harder to be a little bit
better this week.
Con Cariño,
Elder Staffieri
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