Called to Serve : Weekly update

Hola amigos, familia, y todo

It's crazy how fast time goes by out here. It feels like just
yesterday I was running out of time writing this same email. At the
same time, It feels like I haven't seen a ton of you in such a long
time but I guess it's only been like two and a half months. I hope
everything is going good with everyone though. I'll keep you in my
prayers but if you need anything in particular, shoot me an email.

Thank you to everyone who sent me things for my birthday! Seriously
that was very very kind of all of you! I wish I had time to write and
email you all to tell you thanks but once again, don't have a ton!

So as far as the Spanish and lessons and everything, things are good!
I mean I have embarrassed myself in the Spanish quite a bit since I
have been here but that's a must in the learning process. Some of my
best Spanish moments are when I told my mtc teacher you can't have
sexual relations before you are tired, I told some elders at a zone
conference you can't have homosexual relations before marriage, and I
told a guy just the other day that I have been living in Spain for 8
years. Pero está mejorando. But it's getting better. As far as the
island, it's like a Southern California fall here with no rain and
lots of wind.

As far as investigators, we have so many who are so close to
committing to baptism and confirmation, but they all have an obstacle
in the way. We are fasting and praying for these people and working
hard though, and we are gonna keep giving it our all. That's really
what I've learned out here, these are real children of God out here,
not just a baptismal statistic. Although I wish some of them were
progressing a little faster, I have learned that I need to remember
it's more important to teach people, and not lessons. I've also
learned once again that this is the lords work, not mine. As much as I
would kinda like to see some more progress, it really is in the lords
hands, and I know things will happen on his time table, not mine.

As we approach the Christmas season, my companion and I are trying
really hard to help as many people as possible understand the true
meaning of Christmas. We have some great tools like the videos on
gospel library for Christmas and our testimonies. The best tools we
have to help other people come into Christ though Is the Book of
Mormon.

I want to share a quick experience I had in my studies of the Book of
Mormon the other morning. I started the Book of Mormon over again with
the intent of reading deeper with more intent on studying it this
time. I had just begun the first Isaiah chapter. I don't remember who
said this or in what meeting it was from but someone once said they
were protecting from a bullet wound by their Book of Mormon. The
bullet stopped at the Isaiah chapters. I have to admit, I have often
had trouble with them. The other day I was reading in 1 Nephi 21
(compare Isaiah 49) and I was having a hard time understanding. I
finally just stopped and said a prayer. I asked to be able to
understand why these chapters were important in the Book of Mormon,
and how they added to another testament of Jesus Christ. A couple
versus later, I read something that really stood out to me. It went
something like this

14 But, behold, Zion hath said: The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord
hath forgotten me--but he will show that he hath not.

15 For can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have
compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I
not forget thee, O house of Israel.

16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls
are continually before me.

These versus stood out to me a ton. And I not only was given the gift
of understanding the Isaiah chapters, but they also left a big impact
on my testimony as well. Often times it's hard for us to see the lord
in our lives. Sometimes we feel like we are alone. Well, we aren't.
He's always there. Sometimes we just have to look a little deeper, or
a little Harder. But other times, we still don't see him. All we need
to do is think about the atonement. Because of him, we don't carry
around the guilt that comes with sin. Because of him, we receive
comfort in our times of need when we ask for it, because of him, we
can do things we don't think we are strong enough to do. And because
of him, we can live together with our families forever. Because of
him, we can be worthy to have these eternal blessings. This life is
but a blink of an eye in comparison to forever and the blessings that
await us if we just follow the 5 simple steps in his gospel: faith,
repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and
persevering to the end.

As you approach Christmas, remember one thing, he is the ultimate
gift, él Es la dádiva . Take time this holiday season to do what you
have to do to remember him. Spend some time serving others, spend more
time with your family, etc. and spend some time in the Book of Mormon.

I love you all and I hope everyone is doing well.

Que tenga un buen día

Elder Baron