This week I had the privilege of doing an exchange with the elders in Centenario, in Los Andes. It was awesome and a little surreal going back to the same streets. It has been one of my favorite areas, so it was really awesome. We ate lunch with one of my favorite families... and since I never got to take a picture with them, we took pictures. The elders told them I was coming, so they received me with pizza... it was awesome, and they said I've lost weight. Also awesome.

But the best part was going back to the Aburto family's house. The elders had told them that on Friday they were going to have a surprise. The mom opened the gate for them and they entered with their bikes and said the surpise was outside the gate. She poked her head out, saw me, and screamed. It was so awesome. They are progressing more than ever, and are hoping to get baptized in December... 

This was a pretty good week. We are working with an awesome investigator who had come to church three times before we realized she lives in our area. Her name is Josselyn. Elder de Castro called her Saturday night and asked her if she'd prayed to know if she should get baptized and she said that she had. He asked if she'd recieved an answer, and she said that she had. Yesterday, we extended a baptismal date for December 8. She decided on December 12, because it is a special date for her. We are very excited for her. She is very brave, she says that her family will not be very happy with her decision, but she knows that it's correct. We have changes next week, so I hope I'll still be around... We have no idea what's going to happen.  

Today we did a zone activity in the Stake President's house. We played soccer and did a barbecue. We were about 20 missionaries. It was pretty fun.

Saludos a todos.

Elder Garrett

Salvation is Not a Cheap Experience

This was a great week. As I told you on Monday, I did a one week long exchange with Elder Hart in his sector. It was really awesome, I had a great time, and learned a lot from him.

On Tuesday, we got to see Elder Holland. We were about 1000 missionaries. It was a historic meeting, all four Santiago missions got together for a conference. Elder Holland was very excited to be in Chile again. He said that he loves it here. 

They shared some excellent talks. Something I liked was that he said that a lot of times we talk about going home from the mission as returning to "real life," or going back to "the real world." But he said that it shouldn't be that way. One of the most powerful things he said, as he passionately hit the pulpit with his fist, was "This is real life!" 

He advised us not to waste time asking why the mission is so hard. Because "salvation is not a cheap experience." It shouldn't be easy for anyone, and it certainly never was easy for Christ, His Apostles, or the prophets. But it is so worth it to do everything you can to try and help someone find their way back to God. Sacrifice is fundamental in the salvation of a soul. Christ always asks us to take up our cross... I don't think He meant it would be easy. 

He also quoted Elder Perry in saying that this time period is equally important historically as the First Vision, the translation and publication of the Book of Mormon, and the restoration of the priesthood. We are making history as we share the gospel like never before.

If we want to be successful, he said, we have to kick when we don't want to kick, and stroke when we don't want to stroke. (Reference to swimming.) When we think we can't do anything else, or we don't have any energy left, we have to give it all. That is the moment when we have to decide just how committed we are, if we really want to finish. Because they give out the prizes at the end of the race, not in the middle, and it's always easy to start a race.

Anyway, it was really great, and it has helped me out a lot. I hope you're all doing well. 

The Book of Mormon is true.

Elder Garrett 

Last night president called at midnight and said that I would be going on an exchange for a week  in Los Andes... with Elder Dallin Hart... it was a little unexpected but pretty sweet right?

We had Bernardo's baptism this week. It was awesome. He was so ready. He married a member four months ago, and was baptized this week. It was really great. 

We also had another baptism in the ward yesterday. She said that a couple of weeks ago she had considered suicide, because she had suffered a lot of really terrible things. A couple of days later, the missionaries showed up in her door like angels to her. She immediately accepted their visits because she'd always felt a desire to enter the chapel, but it had always been closed when she passed. About three weeks later, she was baptized. She bore a powerful testimony. She said that the gospel filled the emptiness inside, and she's never before felt so loved.

The church is true folks.

Elder Garrett (CHILE)

P.S. Tomorrow we leave Los Andes at 5:30 AM to listen to Elder Holland in Santiago.... so sweet.

This weekend we had Stake Conference here in the Los Andes Stake. We are lucky that our chapel is the Stake Center.... many others had to travel 30-45 minutes in a bus. The great part about it is that I got to see many people I knew in Centenario.

 

One of them was a recent convert that told me that she decided to take my advice and set the temple as her goal, and is now preparing herself to go to the temple this month. I was so happy to hear that news! I hope that her husband will soon follow her example and be baptized. 

 

Another member called me by name and thanked me for everything I did for her family. She said she hadn't wanted to go to conference, due to the distance, but remembered that if she does her part, God will do His part. She was surprised to see me there, and she recalled a scripture that I had shared with her over eight months ago and told me that she still remembers it and it gives her the strength to keep fighting everyday. 2 Kings 6:15-17. "Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them."

It's good to find out every once in a while that you were really able to be an instrument in God's hands to help someone in their time of need.

 

Alma 29

 

9 I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy.

10 And behold, when I see many of my brethren truly penitent, and coming to the Lord their God, then is my soul filled with joy; then do I remember what the Lord has done for me, yea, even that he hath heard my prayer; yea, then do I remember his merciful arm which he extended towards me.

 

Elder Garrett