I now have 6 months left in my mission. I now have six months left to serve the Lord with everything I have. I now have six months left to share the gospel and invite people to Christ. I now have six months left to wear His name on my chest. And that scares me. I don't want to end, I don't want to leave. I want to keep going.
This week I learned from the scriptures that when we sin voluntarily, or sin knowing fully what we are doing wrong, that is when Satan has power over us. The Nefite people in 3 Nephi suffered this plague. They knew the gospel, knew the covenants, and knew what they should do. However due to their pride and earthly desires, they fell in sin and in doing that fell under the power of the Devil. In 3 Nephi 6:15-16 says "15 Now the cause of this iniquity of the people was this—Satan had great power, unto the stirring up of the people to do all manner of iniquity, and to the puffing them up with pride, tempting them to seek for power, and authority, and riches, and the vain things of the world. 16 And thus Satan did lead away the hearts of the people to do all manner of iniquity; therefore they had enjoyed peace but a few years."
Satan had captured this people and had destroyed their peace and joy in only a few short years. And he still does that with us. Little by little things that we do Satan can destroy our happiness and progress starting by little things. Making us doubt and sin in little ways. And before we know it we have fallen in his trap and we have lost all progress and peace that we might have had before.
I had unfortunately fallen in that trap. Puffing my self in my pride and not doing all of the things that I should have been doing until I hit rock bottom. Really when the Lord gives commandments and rules and norms he gives them so that we keep them, and he means it. Right now I find myself in a deep repentance process looking for whatever way to be better and gain progress and joy.
But just little things that make a big difference. But my companion and I have committed to make changes and do things how they should be done. I know that as we keep the commandments and do what Christ desires he strengths us, helps us in every step, and guides us in everything that we do. I am so thankful for this gospel, eternally grateful. Right now I am learning much about the power of the gospel and the power of repentance. I thank you for your words and comfort and I know that as I move forward the Lord will bless me greatly. It is a process but my goal is inner peace and power to serve the Lord with all my heart, might, mind, and strength.
Con Cristo voy a ganar!!!!!!
Other then my call to repentance, this week we had the Baptism of Arturo Bocanegra and it was a day of miracles. IT was on Tuesday at 5:00 and wow I will always remember that day. It all started off Tuesday morning. Every Tuesday morning we have Zone and district meetings until 1:00 so we were really busy with that but we knew that we had to prepare for the baptism. On Tuesday morning we still didn't have baptism clothes. The brother is a very large man so we had to find very large clothes. WE LOOKED EVERYWHERE. Could not find anything. At 2:00 we started freaking out and panicking. We called everyone!!! We called other zones, bishops, secretaries, even missionaries that were on the other side of the mission, and NO ONE HAD CLOTHES. NO ONE. My companion and I were dying. We had no idea what to do, but we were not going to let that this man not be baptized for clothes. So I just started praying, praying praying praying.
And then around 3:30, to add to our stress and worry we realized that we hadn't cleaned or prepared the baptism font. I about had a heart attack. We booked it to the chapel. Busted through the doors getting ready to do a 10 minute font cleaning and we get there, and everything was done. Everything. The chairs were all set up, the hymn books were set out and the font was filled to the brim with pure clean water. I just about died in that moment. We had no idea who had done it or when or how but all we said was "Angels".
And so we just sat down in awe, just thinking about what we could do about the clothes and then I receive a call from the sister training leaders in our zone, and they tell me that they had found TWO baptismal clothes in their ward. So we grabbed a bus and headed our way to their area. We get there at like 4:00 and the nicest lady in the world gives us her husbands temple pants so that the Brother could be baptized. I am now eternally grateful for those miracles and the great mercy that my father in heaven has.
We got back to our area around 4:304:45 just in time for the baptism. Everything worked out perfectly and it was the most spiritual baptism that I have ever attended. The brother Arturo was baptized and confirmed that same night and then shared a powerful testimony of the great love he has for his family and the gospel. The Lord blessed us greatly that day and I am so so grateful for the power to pray and ask my father in heaven for help. Later we found out that the bishop had gotten up at 6:00 am to clean and prepare the baptismal font. Our bishop is very special but this time did a great deed. I am very grateful for the blessings that the lord gave us that day and the help he is giving us.
I am very grateful for your love and council. Thank you for everything that you do for me and please pray for me!!!
I love you!!!!! KEEP ON KEEPIN ON!!!!
Elder McIff
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