Agency to Choose

Empañadas!!

I am sweating as I am writing this! it is so unbelievably hot here. I do not remember last summer being this hot. But as a missionary who brings the Lord's restored gospel to people living in darkness, of what do I have to complain? We have a lot of changes this past week. If you haven't heard, the apostles and prophet have changed the daily schedule for missionaries depending on the culture where you are serving. Our schedule stayed mostly the same but with a few changes. We now do planning in the morning and not in the night (which means we come home at 9, write in journal, eat, and go to bed early!) We have an extra half an hour in the morning to get ready (that's more for the sisters haha) We can choose at what time to do companionship and language study (we will normally put it during the siesta when everyone is sleeping) And we have an extra 2 hours on p-day to do everything! (Before p-day started at 10:30, now at 8:00.) We also do not report as many numbers to church HQ. I know that these changes were inspired to help us work more effectively and be more healthy. Like Pres. Uchtdorf says, simplicity is key.

We have not gotten lost this week, which either means we are improving in our directions or the spirit is leading us more. I think both are true. The hard part about opening a new area is just finding people to teach. When we do not know anyone, it is essential to get rid of fear and open our mouths to talk to absolutely everyone. I have no idea how many cards, pamphlets and Book of Mormons we have given out this week. We have had considerable success. If we want many people to teach, we need to talk to many people too. I was reading about the role of the spirit in finding in Preach My Gospel. I think many missionaries (me included) have felt that in order to speak to someone, the spirit needs to tell us. Many time it is not like that. There are no flashing signs and lights telling us to stop and talk to someone. Many times, the Lord allows us to use our agency to choose. In DyC 58:26 it says:

26 For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward.

The Lord does not command in all things, that is why we have agency. As my companion and I have used our agency to stop someone on the street and offer them a card, we have seen miracles. 3 days ago, we saw a young couple sitting in chairs outside of their house just talking. There were 2 empty chairs next to them. I said to Elder McDonald "Look they already have chairs waiting for us!" And we went over and offered to share a short message about how God loves us. They let us sit down and talk. It turns out that the man was not very believing in God but wants to build his faith and learn more. They both accepted a Book of Mormon with an invitation to read and pray about it. If we had not stopped to talk to them, he would still be waiting for the next missionaries to come by. It is by little things that the Lord accomplishes His work.

Sincerely,
Elder Gygí

PS I come home in 6 months... I hope to go to Disneyland when I arrive please ºoº