P Day

All, This week was a pretty good week here in Illapel. We're still battling with our investigators trying to help them to attend church, but we've met some great people lately so I know we'll start seeing some results from our work soon. I have been learning a lot about sacrifice and patience. I suppose anyone who would have a mission time spanning 3 years from when it started to when it would end would learn those things. haha. The other day I read about Abraham and Isaac, which is a story that has always intrigued me and taught me a lot. I found the following scripture- D&C 101:4-5 4 Therefore, they must needs be chastened and tried, even as Abraham, who was commanded to offer up his only son. 5 For all those who will not endure chastening, but deny me, cannot be sanctified." His test was so interesting, and he proved worthy. The Lord knows all things from the beginning and knew that Abraham had enough faith to do what he was going to do, but I believe the Lord allowed him to get to the point of sacrificing his son so that Abraham could learn and grow and see how much faith he really had in the Lord. So as we pass through our trials I believe we can learn something important from the trial of Abraham. Sometimes we are tested to get stronger and also so that we can look back later and say, "wow, I didn't know I really had that much faith." or "Look how far I've come" We all have to pass through the refiner's fire at some point to be sanctified. Just something to chew on for the kiddos. :) Anyways, we had a great lesson with a lady named Karina and her mom, Orina this past week. We found them shouting (that's how you knock outside a gate, you shout haaallloooo). They accepted the Restoration really well and had already read Alma 40 from the contact we did with her before the appointment and understood it really well. We're excited to see their progress this week and to help them to attend church on Sunday. Other than that I took a 2 day trip to Los Vilos (another area in the zone which is by the beach and is thus a lot cooler in temperature) because my comp had a leadership meeting in Viña. I was with a new missionary and it was pretty good. Anyways, on the way home we were waiting at the bus terminal for our roughly hour long bus ride when a car pulled up and it ended up that it was a councilor to a mission president in a place called Rancagua, which is close to Santiago. He said David Archuleta is serving in his ward. haha. Anyways, he agreed to drive us home. It was a great favor and allowed us to work for an hour that evening. He and his wife then returned on Sunday and took us to lunch! hahahaha, it was so funny. They took us to some really nice restaurant, but it was really funny cuz it was Sunday. They were super nice and it was a great favor, because they came from another area in our zone named Salamanca on Sunday which is about an hour drive away because they had gone their for the wife's mother's funeral. The Lord blessed us with a tender mercy. Anyways, love you all! Shame on the siblings for not writing in 2 weeks other than Colesters. haha. Have a good week! Eat some turkey and play some football!