1. How are you doing? MOM....you always ask that question....my answer is almost never going to change. I am GREAT. I LOVE IT HERE. That is NOT a lie. So don't you worry:) All smiles and love and the Gospel here in Mexico!!!
2. Are you well yet? ...from what?! Mom, I have been well for a long time:) No worries. Thanks for your help in everything, DON'T WORRY. BE HAPPY.
3. What are your plans for Thanksgiving? uh.......teach people, and help them realize how grateful I am for this Gospel.:) Cheesy, but true.
ok... this week... straight quote, “I have often said one of the greatest secrets of missionary work is work!If a missionary works, he will get the Spirit; if he gets the Spirit, he will teach by the Spirit; and if he teaches by the Spirit, he will touch the heartsof the people and he will be happy. There will be no homesickness, no worrying about families, for all time and talents and interests are centered on the work of the ministry. Work, work, work—there is no satisfactory substitute, especially in missionary work.”
–President Ezra Taft Benson
This week, we WORKED. And we worked hard. We have decided, that we were loosing a little bit of that vision of work, so we went to it. To tell you the truth, the first few days....didn't go so well, and we learned something much more important. It is the second part of that quote, to teach by the Spirit. That is what we had to do, what we had to focus on. There was a difference and you could see it, between following the Lord's will in the work, or trying to hasten it by myself. That doesn't mean that the work wasn't good. The promise is true. But the thing was, there is a DIFFERENCE. By those little difference, bring about great changes.
Recently, we have had a new church building built in our zone, and IT HAS BEEN A GREAT BLESSING. A really great mercy from the Lord, especially during this season.
So much of our success, was central to that, this new church. With the new church, we had been inviting everyone and anyone to the "preopen house" and many people were excited. People from all over Colima came to see it, and many members were so proud to show and invite their friends to the new Chapel. It was really a great blessing and that is what I loved to see.
J... continues to be on fire, inviting anyone he can to come unto Christ, because he REALIZES how important it really is for him. It is amazing. Really, he has been working hard and I love seeing that fire of ALL the recent converts in this area. THEY REALIZE THE BLESSINGS, and they really want to share it with others.
Lastly, we have been focusing on finding families, and we have been raising the bar in contacting any family that we can come in contact with (in any reasonable way, and when the Lord tells us, of course) As part of that, we have many new families who are listening and want to understand and recieve the blessings of the message of the Restoration. That has been a great blessing... to see first, that they ACCEPT us. Second, that they listen and are willing to act of the things we give them.
I think I am not doing so great at of expressing this very well, but it is the best I can do in this moment. I worked on this... the Lord will hasten His work, how He wants, when and where He wants. My actions and my humility, demonstrate what kind of instrument I will be in His hands. If I really work on being the best I can be, He makes up for it. Maybe that has been my message like 50 hundred times during the mission, but I hope you and I finally understand it. The Lord loves you and I for who we are, and He wants ALL of us to get back to Him. So when he puts you or me in a situation to share the Gospel with someone else, we shouldn't be selfish and worry about sharing it, or trying new ways of doing it. If the Lord says to do it, do it. It is a lesson I have still been working on. I love this Gospel. I love being part of hastening the work, helping others, feeling what I feel, and getting to help others know their Reedemer in a way they never thought possible. I love my Savior, and that is why I am out here. I don't want to miss the little opprotunites to work out here, whether it be one person, or a family, or a card, or a pamphlet. I love you:)
love,
Elder Goodman!
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