Monday, August 18, 2014

Year 1 Reflections

To my great surprise, I am staying yet another transfer in Campo Limpo with Sister Barboza.  There are still people to find, lessons to learn, and people to baptize.  We are excited!

As we were walking along the street one day, we passed a man smoking in his doorway.  We started to talk to him and he immediately opened up to us and told us he had lost everything because of his alcoholism.  Since then, he hasn't drank (drunk? eu não falo inglês) in over a week!  

It is weird.  Most of our investigators are alcoholics.  I'm not sure how we find these people, but I am happy to help them.  They are the ones who need it the most.  I may leave Sacrament meeting smelling like cigarettes every Sunday from sitting next to them, but it is worth it.  The gospel changes lives and can cure us emotionally and spiritually!  (Jacob 2:8)

Oh, and this week I hit my ONE YEAR MARK!  AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

A year ago today I started out on this unknown adventure, having no clue what to expect.  And this week I had the oppurtunity to think and reflect over this past year.

As I reflected, I thought of the story of this rich young man in Matthew 19...

The rich young man was a follower of Christ who one day asked Jesus what he needed to do to get to heaven.  Jesus told him to keep the commandments.  The young man told Christ he had always kept them.  And then he asked a question that changed everything;

"what lack I yet?"    

He was a good man who followed Christ's teachings, but wanted to know what else was necessary, how else he could be better.  

So Christ told him..

"If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions."

Things could have been so different for this young man.  He could have been an apostle, could have spent all his days at the Savior's side, he could have written a book in the Bible.  But he chose not to follow the Lord's call.  

As I sat there thinking about this amazing year of my life, I asked the same question.  

What lack I yet?  What do I need to do and to change to reach my full potential?  To have a more full capacity to follow Christ and be the missionary He wants me to be?  

I surely have a lot of work to do and a lot to change.  But I am willing to give my all to Him.



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