This was a good week...lots of work. First, I met a new missionary to our zone at our zone meeting this week. His name is Elder Ranking. He is a super great guy from Arizona. I was talking with him and after a bit, I told him that I only had two months in the mission. He was like " OH REALLY?? I figured you had like a year." That was sweet to hear. He said he thought that because of the way i talk and the way that I carry myself...he said I seemed like someone who had a lot of experience. Kinda cool to hear that.
Second, I went on divisions with Elder Orchard because Elder Peck had to go out with Elder Johnson bc he is the district leader. We went to this man´s house. His name was Patricio. Patricio is learning English, so we spent a while helping him. with that...he actually speaks and understands pretty dang well. Anyway, we started talking about the gospel.( More Elder Orchard just because he knew him better and everything.) Patricio basically said that he doesn´t want anything to do with the church, but that he wants to continue English. Suddenly, I felt prompted to say something. I started talking in what seemed to be( and what Elder Orchard told me later) "like perfect Spanish". I don´t remember what I said, but I know for a fact I was being guided. I wasn´t the one talking. It was like someone else was in my head whispering what to say. I would have this voice tell me what to say, and then i would think " That´s perfect!" All I really remember doing, is testifying of the truthfulness of the gospel. I know that the Holy Ghost was speaking through me because the most powerful lessons are always the ones that you don´t really remember, BECAUSE YOU AREN´T SAYING ANYTHING REALLY! This was such a humbling experience. Elder Orchard told me that night while we were planning that while I was talking, he couldn´t help but to look at me because he felt the Holy Ghost so strongly and knew that I was being guided.
We had once with our friends from the Bahai church again this week, but this time it was in OUR chapel. It was a good time. At the end, we showed them around. When we got to the chapel, Sebastian said "permisso" or " Excuse me" and went and started looking around the chapel. He went to the back and just say in one of the pews...smiling. When he came back he was real excited and just said that he feels at peace in there...we explained why. lol
We ran into a super old menos activo family...it´s a guy named Luis and his mom. When I say old, I mean OLD! His mom, is 103. That was super cool...she has more energy than us!! lol They had a bunjch of stuff from world war 2. We had a great visit and lesson with them. At the end, they asked me to pray. I prayed. After Luis opened his eyes, he turned to his mom and said "Mommy, how do you feel?" She replied "Peaceful. That was so awesome to know that both of them feel the spirit when we are there. We had another lesson with them yesterday and they said "I just feel so happy when you are here...happy and at peace." It is so cool to know that we have been striving to be worthy of the presence of the Holy Ghost and the people around us are starting to see it.
The miracle of the week, it the Acosta family..again. lol The hermano (recentely reactivated) started inviting less active families over to his house for family home evenings. at the end, he has been challenging them to return to the church and basically giving them stuff to do in the church ( but not an assignment) The amazing part is, due to that, we had a new less active family come to church for the first time this week. We hadn´t even taught them. Also, his son, Gonzalo, went to a fireside with Elder Christianson this week. He said " I knew I needed to go, so I invited a friend to go with me." His friend is a nonmember. He told us that she smokes weed. He told us that after the meeting she said basically "I don´t want to do that anymore. I want to live clean and receive the blessings of the gospel." Since then, she hasn´t smoked weed and is going to church in the sector where she lives.
The scriptures this week are on revelation. Revelation is something that many people think is out of their reach, but the reality is that it is in your pocket, waiting for you to take it out.
Mathew 7:7-8 7 ¶Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seekethfindeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
If we don´t pray for revelation and seek to obtain revelation, we won´t have it. He that seeks the gift of revelation with a sincere desire to inquire of the Lord, will receive it.
Doctrine and convenants 42:61 "If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive arevelation upon revelation, bknowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the cmysteries and dpeaceable things—that which bringeth ejoy, that which bringeth life eternal."
The gift of revelation is a miracle. It testifes to us how to bring joy into our life, into our families, into our hearts, and into our souls. It is how we can know the desire of the Lord in our lives.
Doctrine and Covenants 9:7-9 "7 Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me.
8 But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in yourmind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shallfeel that it is right.
9 But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong; therefore, you cannot write that which issacred save it be given you from me."
The spirit of revelation is a powerful tool and a mighty tool. It isn´t something that is just given. It is something that we have to seek. We have to meet God half way with it. He wants to give it to us, but we have to want it for ourselves as well. We must study our desires out in our mind and in our prayers. You will know you have received revelation when you feel a burning in your heart and when you continue to return to the topic. If it is something isn´t right, you will forget about it. You will feel the insignifigance of it and desire it no more.
2 Nephi 28:30 "For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learnwisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have."
Revelation isn´t something that is given all at once. It is a process. It is given to us piece by piece as we strive to become more like our Lord and teacher Jesus Christ. If you use not the gift of revelation, certain truths of your heart will be taken away. That is why it is so important to constantly seek the Lord´s desire in our lives and for revelation for our lives, our family, our work...daily.
Doctrine and Covenants 6:23 " 23 Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?"
Don´t look for signs. More often than not, they aren´t going to happen. When we receive an answer, when we have peace of mind, and a confirmation of what we need to do, it is a witness from God. What more do we need??
I would encourage everybody strongly to seek the guidence of the Lord in your lives. Through the gift of revelation, we can know how to better live our lives in harmoney with the desire of the Lord, lead our families, be happy, and become who we are destined to be. I love all of you. Miss you. Pray for you. Know that your Lord wants to show you the way in your life....all you have to do is meet him half way and ask.
Con amor,
Elder Jackson
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