Dont throw dog crap at venesuelan police officers
HelloooOOOO
Its been way too long to posibly share everything in sufficient detail. Most weeks I honestly dont even comprehend all of the things that happen here until I have to start explaining some of it in english to my family on mondays. But heres some short recaps.
Im still here in the area of El Congo. Ive been here since like octoberish I think, so like 5 months. A lot has happened here and I have definitely learned a lot.
Random things:
- Bought dinner for a very drugged gringo man with a recently homemade ear piecing out of a metal screw who somehow was in the middle of El Salvador without money or spanish skills or a car or place to sleep, who aparently was German just escaped a venesualan prison for flipping off some police officers who gave him a parking ticket and then chucking dog poo at them. I would like to know his life story and how the heck he got there or where he is now.
- Prayed for a ride while running to our final appointment and out of nowhere, the first english speaking family ive seen in the last year of my existence yelled at us and offered a ride. Turned out to be a wonderful family of church members from Idaho with cousins and aunts and uncles and grandparents and other return missionaries. Brought some seriously happy reminders of home.
Visit from the quorum of the 12
Remember that guy from the quorum of the 70, Elder Olsen? He came back to El Salvador with Elder Cook of the quorum of the 12 apostles. Now lets take a moment to think about what we're talking about here when we say 12 apostles. Jesus Christ, the son of God, when he ministered in Jerusalem, chose 12 men to be special witnesses of him, and ordained them to recieve revelation to direct his church, and were called to preach His gospel. Jesus did the same thing after his death and ressurection when he established his church in the americas, he called 12 apostles. He did the same thing again when he restored his church in the latter days, and that church which Christ restored continues today, where there are 12 men who under the direction of a living prophet of God, act with the same authority which Jesus Christ has always given to his chosen prophets.
So it was way worth it to wake up at like 2:45AM on Saturday to gather the entire mission of a hundred and sixty something missionaries all together in 4 big busses at like 4 in the morning, and then all drive to the temple of San Salvador. There we united with the other other missions of El Salvador to form a group of every authorized representative of Jesus Christ in the country.
The most powerful parts for me in the visit of Elder Cook were:
The moment I saw him, the moment I heard his voice, and the moment he bore his testimony.
The moment I first saw him, our mission was gathered in front of the temple and we began to sing "llamados a servir" (called to serve) as he and his wife stepped out of the car, and began to walk towards us.
That moment when I first saw him I just got hit with that feeling where suddenly your whole mind goes silent as you realize who this man is, and your heart envelops you with that testament, that this man has been given something that can only be given from God.
That same feeling struck again when he went up to the microphone for the first time as the final speaker in the meeting. I had my head down and was writing in my notebook when he went up, so for me it was his voice I heard before I saw him stand to speak. But when I heard it, it just stopped me mid-writing. Just the voice alone has that same power. It made me think about how important it is that we listen to the voice of the Lord and learn to recognize it now, even before we see his face.
After his talk, as he bore his testimony. He told us something that answered a question that had come into my mind a few days before. My question was that if these 12 disciples have the same role to be special witnesses of Christ as the 12 who were with him personally on the Earth, could it be that they as well personally know the voice, and know the face of the living Jesus Christ?
He answered that question and dang, there really are living witnesses of Jesus Christ on the earth today. That is incredible. But you know what the coolest part is? That you can have a testimony directly from God that he lives, through personal revolation that comes from you putting in the effort of building a personal relationship with him. Speak to God in prayer. Read His words. And listen.
Thaz all I got time to write for today but thanks for reading!
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