We've been teaching this one guy, Artemio the last two weeks, and let me say I have never been happier. Artemio is amazing, he's come to church the past two weeks, he reads the Book of Mormon all the time, he prays, and he loves church!
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| Chicken Nuggies! |
He keeps telling us how grateful he is for all the time we've spent helping him. He lives the church and he always talks about how welcome he feels. When we were teaching a lesson on Saturday (where we put him on date to be baptized!) he asked if he could give us things, and we were like, um yeah i guess... so then he reaches into his bag and pulls out this huge box of bonbons! (Yummy Argentinian candy).
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| Yummy Bon Bons! |
And he's like, I'm just so so grateful for you guys teaching me that I wanted to give you these. Then he pulls out a second massive box! He got us one each!!! Guys, my heart melted, then he said he would see us at church tomorrow and I literally died!
He's so awesome that after church on Sunday he texted us asking if we could meet him on Monday to help him read the Book of Mormon since he didn't understand everything! Guys, please pray for Artemio, he's so ready to get baptized!
Viajes
Sleep is a foreign concept to me... Tuesday we had divisions so we had to stay at the STLs house over night which always means a bad night of sleep, then Thursday night we took like an 8 hour bus to Bahía Blanca so they could do a less than 30 minute tramite, then we took the same 8 hour bus ride home Friday night and got home around 6 all so we could wake up at 6:30 and work all day.
But it's all good cause I'm legal now so that's awesome!
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| My Companion drew a portrait |
Discurso!!!!!!
I talked in church in case anyone wants to read my talk!
El trecer paso en la doctrina de Cristo es el bautismo, que incluye el bautismo de agua y el bautismo de fuego, o tambien se llama, el bautismo del Espíritu Santo. El bautismo solo hacemos única vez en nuestras vidas, pero renovamos el convenio bautismal repetidamente cuando tomamos la Santa Cena cada semana.
Cuando somos bautizados somos sumergidos completamente en el agua. En Romanos explica,
"3 ¿O no sabéis que todos los que hemos sido bautizados en Cristo Jesús, hemos sido bautizados en su muerte? 4 Porque somos sepultados juntamente con él para muerte por medio del bautismo, a fin de que como Cristo resucitó de los muertos por la gloria del Padre, así también nosotros andemos en vida nueva. 5 Porque si fuimos plantados juntamente con él en la semejanza de su muerte, así también lo seremos en la de su resurrección; 6 sabiendo esto, que nuestro viejo hombre fue crucificado juntamente con él, para que el cuerpo del pecado sea deshecho, a fin de que no sirvamos más al pecado."
También, como explica Moroni, elegimos ser bautizados cuando tenemos la edad suficiente para comprender la decisión que estamos tomando,
"10 He aquí, te digo que esto enseñarás: El arrepentimiento y el bautismo a los que son responsables y capaces de cometer pecado; sí, enseña a los padres que deben arrepentirse y ser bautizados, y humillarse como sus niños pequeños, y se salvarán todos ellos con sus pequeñitos. 11 Y sus niños pequeños no necesitan el arrepentimiento, ni tampoco el bautismo. He aquí, el bautismo es para arrepentimiento a fin de cumplir los mandamientos para la remisión de pecados."
Pero, Por qué es necesario que seamos bautizados? Cuando sea bautizado, recibirá el perdón de sus pecados. Usted concierta un convenio, o promesa, con Dios: promete aceptar a Jesucristo como su Salvador, seguirle y guardar Sus mandamientos. Si hace su parte, nuestro Padre Celestial promete perdonarle sus pecados. Al ser bautizado por la debida autoridad, sus pecados le serán quitados.
Pero esta remisión no es todo, y como dijo Hermana Ellison, cuando estamos obedientes a los mandamientos, recibimos bendiciones. Si esta es cierto, imaginemos las mayores bendiciones que les esperan a quienes son fieles a una relacion convenio.
Mosiah capitulo 18, versiculo 10 dice,
"10 os digo ahora, si este es el deseo de vuestros corazones, ¿qué os impide ser bautizados en el nombre del Señor, como testimonio ante él de que habéis concertado un convenio con él de que lo serviréis y guardaréis sus mandamientos, para que él derrame su Espíritu más abundantemente sobre vosotros?"
Me encanta esta promesa! Para tener más de este gozo, de este espíritu. Elder Dale. G Renlund tambien habló de esta gran bendición, diciendo:
"Al participar de la Santa Cena a conciencia, invitamos al Espíritu Santo a nuestra vida, tal como cuando se nos bautizó y confirmó. Conforme guardamos el convenio descrito en las oraciones sacramentales, el Espíritu Santo llega a ser nuestro compañero."
Mediante el bautismo, y el mini bautismo cada semana de la santa cena, podemos tener el Espíritu Santo siempre, en cualquier momento, en cualquier situation. Después de bautismo recibimos el don del Espíritu Santo, y como dijo Mosiah (y la hermama Ellison) cuando tenemos este Espíritu nosotros experimentamos
"un potente cambio en nosotros, o sea, en nuestros corazones, por lo que ya no tenemos más disposición a obrar mal, sino a hacer lo bueno continuamente."
Tuve una experiencia muy poderosa sobre esta promesa. Me bauticé cuando tenía 8 años, pero no siempre fui fiel a mi promesa. Cuando yo tenía 16 años cometí un error. La culpa por mi error pesaba mucho sobre mí, y por eso me arrepentí, y esa semana cuando tomé la sante cena me sentí limpia nuevamente.
Pero luego la semana siguiente cometí el mismo error. Y arrepentí, y después el mismo error. Y otra vez, y otra vez, y otra vez. En este tiempo, dejé de arrepentirme, dejé de creer que podía parar, dejé de creer que Dios tenía poder para ayudarme.
Todo en mi vida se volvió más difícil, mi ansiedad creció y sentí ganas de renunciar a todo. Empecé a preguntarme si Dios era real y, si lo era, por qué no me ayudaba? Comencé a abandonar mis convenios bautismales y me cerré al poder de la guía de su espíritu.
Por supuesto, este camino solo me hizo sentir más sola. Finalmente, después de un año de luchar, decidí intentarlo una última vez.
Esa noche, mientras leía el Libro de Mormon y oraba fervientemente por una respuesta, leí 2 Nefi 4: 17-21,
"17 Sin embargo, a pesar de la gran bondad del Señor al mostrarme sus grandes y maravillosas obras, mi corazón exclama: ¡Oh, miserable hombre que soy! Sí, mi corazón se entristece a causa de mi carne. Mi alma se aflige a causa de mis iniquidades.
18 Me veo circundado a causa de las tentaciones y pecados que tan fácilmente me asedian.
19 Y cuando deseo regocijarme, mi corazón gime a causa de mis pecados; no obstante, sé en quién he confiado.
20 Mi Dios ha sido mi apoyo; él me ha guiado por entre mis aflicciones en el desierto; y me ha preservado sobre las aguas del gran mar.
21 Me ha llenado con su amor hasta consumir mi carne."
Como yo, Nefi no era perfecto, pero el confiaba en el Señor. Esa noche supe que el Señor podía ayudarme, y cuando tomé la Santa Cena esa semana, sentí que el peso de un año de pecado me abandonaba. Yo estaba limpia, y por confiar en el señor no he vuelto a cometer el mismo error.
Esto es el final paso del Evangelio de Jesucristo. Preseverar esta el fin. Confiar en el Señor. Saber que no tenemos poder para cambiar nuestras vidas, pero hay alguien que puede.
Realmente no somos perfectos, pero si no tratamos, nunca lo seremos. Un día seremos perfectos, si seguimos haciendo lo mejor que podemos para seguir los mandamientos de Dios. La promesa del bautismo es que si guardamos sus mandamientos tendremos su espíritu con nosotros.
Esto es lo que me estaba perdiendo. Pensé que debido a que había cometido un error después de mi bautismo, nunca volvería a estar limpia. Abandoné la influencia de Dios porque dejé de cumplir mi parte de la promesa. Sólo recibimos nuestras bendiciones prometidas cuando somos fieles a nuestra parte del trato.
En el discurso, Este es mi evangelio” — “Esta es mi iglesia” Por el élder Dale G. Renlund, el dijo,
"La esencia del Evangelio que enseña la Iglesia es que Jesucristo llevó “nuestras enfermedades y sufrió nuestros dolores”, se “cargó en él la iniquidad de todos nosotros”. Él “sufrió la cruz”, quebrantó “las ataduras de la muerte”, “ha subido a los cielos, y se ha sentado a la diestra de Dios para reclamar del Padre sus derechos de misericordia”. El Salvador hizo todo esto porque ama a Su Padre y nos ama a nosotros. Él ya ha pagado el precio infinito, por lo tanto, Él puede “reclama[r] a todos los que tienen fe en él; y […] aboga[r]” por ellos, por nosotros. Jesucristo tan solo quiere que nos arrepintamos y vengamos a Él para que Él pueda justificarnos y santificarnos. En ese deseo, Él es implacable e inmutable."
Cuando entramos en el pacto del bautismo recibimos acceso a este don divino. Cuando tomamos la santa cena cada semana, usamos este don divino. Y cuando nos esforzamos por ayudar a otros a hacer lo mismo, les damos este don divino.
Estos son las grandes bendiciones del bautismo. No nos bautizamos solo para convertirnos en miembros de la iglesia, pero sí para tener una relación más poderosa con él. Para tener una remisión de nuestros pecados, para estar llenos de gozo hasta el extremo de consumir nuestra carne.
Además, después de nuestro bautismo la obra no ha terminado. Necesitamos arrepentirnos, compartir el evangelio y vivir vidas dignas de entrar al templo.
Yo se que el bautismo fue el mejor decisión de mi vida. Gracias a mi bautismo siempre tengo la oportunidad de sentir el amor de mi Padre Celestial. Gracias a la santa cena, yo tengo la oportunidad de vivir más como Jesucristo. Gracias a estas cosas yo puedo tener una segunda oportunidad, y una tercera, y un millón.
Terminar con testimonio :)
Sorry that was long.... but I love you all! If you need anything don't hesitate to ask! Chau chau!
English Translation of the talk (per Google translate)
The third step in the doctrine of Christ is baptism, which includes the baptism of water and the baptism of fire, or it is also called, the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We only do baptism once in our lives, but we renew the baptismal covenant repeatedly when we take the sacrament each week.
When we are baptized we are completely immersed in water. In Romans he explains,
"3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 For we were buried with him into death through baptism, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by glory of the Father, so let us also walk in new life. 5 For if we were planted together with him in the likeness of his death, so we will also be planted together with him in his resurrection; 6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with him. , that the body of sin may be dissolved, so that we may no longer serve sin."
Also, as Moroni explains, we choose to be baptized when we are old enough to understand the decision we are making,
"10 Behold, I say to you, this you shall teach: Repentance and baptism to those who are responsible and capable of committing sin; yes, teach the parents that they must repent and be baptized, and humble themselves like their little children, and they will be saved. all of them with their little ones. 11 And their little children do not need repentance, nor baptism. Behold, baptism is for repentance to fulfill the commandments for the remission of sins."
But why is it necessary for us to be baptized? When you are baptized, you will receive forgiveness of your sins. You make a covenant, or promise, with God: you promise to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior, to follow Him, and to keep His commandments. If you do your part, Heavenly Father promises to forgive your sins. By being baptized by proper authority, your sins will be taken away.
But this remission is not all, and as Sister Ellison said, when we are obedient to the commandments, we receive blessings. If this is true, let's imagine the greater blessings that await those who are faithful to a covenant relationship.
Mosiah chapter 18, verse 10 says,
"10 I tell you now, if this is the desire of your hearts, what prevents you from being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a testimony before him that you have made a covenant with him that you will serve him and keep his commandments, so that may he pour out his Spirit more abundantly on you?"
I love this promise! To have more of this joy, of this spirit. Elder Dale. G Renlund also spoke of this great blessing, saying:
"By consciously partaking of the Lord's Supper, we invite the Holy Spirit into our lives, just as when we were baptized and confirmed. As we keep the covenant described in the sacrament prayers, the Holy Spirit becomes our companion."
Through baptism, and the mini baptism each week of the Holy Supper, we can have the Holy Spirit always, at any time, in any situation. After baptism we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, and as Mosiah (and Sister Ellison) said, when we have this Spirit we experience
"a powerful change in us, that is, in our hearts, so that we no longer have a disposition to do evil, but to do good continually."
I had a very powerful experience about this promise. I was baptized when I was 8 years old, but I was not always faithful to my promise. When I was 16 years old I made a mistake. The guilt for my mistake weighed heavily on me, and that is why I repented, and that week when I took the holy sacrament I felt clean again.
But then the next week I made the same mistake. And I regretted it, and then the same mistake. And again, and again, and again. During this time, I stopped repenting, I stopped believing that I could stop, I stopped believing that God had the power to help me.
Everything in my life became more difficult, my anxiety grew and I felt like giving up on everything. I began to wonder if God was real and if He was, why wasn't He helping me? I began to abandon my baptismal covenants and closed myself off to the power of His Spirit's guidance.
Of course, this path only made me feel more alone. Finally, after a year of struggling, I decided to try one last time.
That night, as I read the Book of Mormon and prayed fervently for an answer, I read 2 Nephi 4:17-21,
"17 However, despite the great kindness of the Lord in showing me his great and wonderful works, my heart cries out: O wretched man that I am! Yes, my heart is grieved because of my flesh. My soul is grieved because because of my iniquities.
18 I am surrounded by the temptations and sins that so easily assail me.
19 And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groans because of my sins; However, I know who I have trusted.
20 My God has been my support; He has guided me through my afflictions in the desert; and has preserved me over the waters of the great sea.
21 He has filled me with his love until he consumes my flesh."
Like me, Nephi was not perfect, but he trusted in the Lord. That night I knew the Lord could help me, and when I took the sacrament that week, I felt the weight of a year of sin leave me. I was clean, and because I trusted the Lord I have not made the same mistake again.
This is the final step of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Preserve this the end. Trust in the Lord. Knowing that we have no power to change our lives, but there is someone who can.
We really aren't perfect, but if we don't try, we never will be. One day we will be perfect, if we continue to do our best to follow God's commandments. The promise of baptism is that if we keep his commandments we will have his spirit with us.
This is what I was missing. I thought that because I had made a mistake after my baptism, I would never be clean again. I abandoned God's influence because I failed to fulfill my part of the promise. We only receive our promised blessings when we are faithful to our end of the bargain.
In the talk, “This is my gospel”—“This is my church” By Elder Dale G. Renlund, he said,
"The essence of the Gospel taught by the Church is that Jesus Christ bore “our infirmities and suffered our pains,” “took upon himself the iniquity of us all.” He “suffered the cross,” broke “the bonds of death,” “He has ascended to heaven, and has sat down at the right hand of God to claim from the Father His rights of mercy.” The Savior did all this because He loves His Father and He loves us. He has already paid the infinite price. Therefore, He can “claim[e] all those who have faith in him; and […] plead[e]” for them, for us. Jesus Christ only wants us to repent and come to Him so that He can justify and sanctify us in that. desire, He is implacable and unchangeable."
When we enter into the covenant of baptism we receive access to this divine gift. When we take the sacrament each week, we use this divine gift. And when we strive to help others do the same, we give them this divine gift.
These are the great blessings of baptism. We are not baptized just to become members of the church, but to have a more powerful relationship with Him. To have a remission of our sins, to be filled with joy to the point of consuming our flesh.
Furthermore, after our baptism the work is not finished. We need to repent, share the gospel, and live lives worthy of entering the temple.
I know that baptism was the best decision of my life. Thanks to my baptism I always have the opportunity to feel the love of my Heavenly Father. Thanks to the Holy Supper, I have the opportunity to live more like Jesus Christ. Thanks to these things I can have a second chance, and a third, and a million.
End with testimony :)
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| Knockoff McDonalds... |
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| Progress on the temple |
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| Typical city scene |
