Running Away to Uruguay

September 22, 2014

When we go out and teach we have to teach as clear as Christ taught and with as much love as he had when he taught too. This is his doctrine and there is no other way to teach it. When we teach with love we are following his direction to teach.

In the last conference, Elder Richard G. Scott said that ´´We must be sure to sincerely love those we want to help in righteousness so they can begin to develop confidence in God’s love. For so many in the world, the first challenge in accepting the gospel is to develop faith in a Father in Heaven, who loves them perfectly. It is easier to develop that faith when they have friends or family members who love them in a similar way… Giving them confidence in your love can help them develop faith in God’s love.´´. When we teach investigators and they feel our love for them they have to trust in our words and desires to follow what we tell them.

We have an investigator who doesn´t have faith in God and doesn´t feel the need to repent. He doesn´t feel this love and confidence. He literally told us that his material things like his tv and dvd player were more important to him than God so he couldn´t go to church, because he didn´t want them to get stolen, he won´t stop smoking, he feels like he doesn´t have time to read even though he doesn´t work, and he really hasn´t been progressing because he won´t follow through with the commitments we extend. After hearing this we explained to him that we can´t help if he wasn´t willing to apply these things

After explaining this to him he told us that if we didn´t want to come then we can leave him in peace and he´ll leave us in peace and said I´m going back to watching TV.. He turned on the TV. and waited until we left. As a companionship we left the house said and feeling horrible. I couldn´t believe the things he had said to us. It made me sad to see that someone who had once progressed lost a lot of faith in us, but more in his Heavenly Father and Savior.

I felt bad the next few days after and prayed to find comfort and know what I could do. I felt the need to go back and talk to him, but I had fear of what next he might say to us and felt hopeless that he would even progress again. Until, I studying and meditating about repentance. In the scripture guide it says that ´´ true repentance comes from the love for the Savior´´.

Even though it was ME that didn´t want to go back I knew I had to. I knew I had to repent and find a way to gain his confidence again. Not for me, but for my Savior who I love and loves C even though he puts other things before him. My job as a missionary is to help him gain more love and confidence in his Savior. I had to do my Heavenly Fathers will not my own will. It all clicked just by reading one line in my studies.

I then went to look for a scripture in 3 Nephi 27:13 that talks about our Heavenly Fathers will and without realizing, opened up to 3 Nephi 11: 29. Verse 29 is in the same place of 13 in the other chapter, but I read ´´For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil , who is the father of contention, and he strengthens up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.´´. I had felt contention when we stopped teaching C that day and I knew that´s what happened. He felt contention and frustrated and that was the work of the adversary.

Then I went on to read the next verse that says ´´ 30 Behold, this is not MY doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away.´´ When I do my own will I am not teaching the doctrine of Christ. I am teaching MY way. I knew I had to go back and talk to C. I knew I had to go back and show him the love I have for him and the love his savior has for him.

We have to be examples of Christ in all things and apply the things Christ taught as missionaries too. I have to teach and be like Christ to change hearts so that these people trust in him and repent. There is only 1 way to teach and it´s his way, if we do it any other way then it´s our way or the way of the adversary.

I learned a very important lesson about repentance. I love my Savior and am so grateful for the forgiveness he gives me when I make mistakes. I am grateful for the faith and love I have in him and the opportunity I have to help others come unto him.

Love,

Hermana Baca