This week we worked with the Gomez Family. I love them so much. We had home made fajitas and a LOT of laughs.... I could hardly control myself. But when the time came for the lesson I knew because of the Holy Ghost that the Gomez family needed a lesson on Love at Home. They have three kids; Hugo who is 16, Anna who is 13 and Aaron who is 10. They joke around excessively with sarcasm and even though Anna is a tough girl I could tell the jokes were hurting her on the inside. It was a tender lesson, I shared about tender moments I've shared with my family and the feelings of love I have for them, and how I wish I would have showed it more. I thank God for that opportunity and I pray that the Gomez family with retain and apply it.
So about New Years. New Years was great! We were very well taken care of (like always)! We ate with the Rico family who are a solid bunch! There was so much food! And the rest of Detroit seemed to have a fun time too! The entire city apparently sounds like modern warfare at night because of a the gun shots fired in the sky from shotguns, to handguns, to semiautomatics. Buuuuut I can't really attest to that myself personally because I slept right through it all! And those in my family know that I am a pretty hard sleeper haha!
D'ante is progressing! He has excepted to live the law of tithing and fast! He is amazing and I hope all continues to go well with him!
And now to explain the title of my letter for this week! We as missionaries are given talks every week by our mission president that he suggests we read, and so this last week was a talk given in the MTC about becoming a consecrated missionary. Essentially what it means to be a consecrated missionary is to put our past life literally on the sacrificial altar to God. The person we were before our mission wasn't good enough no matter who you are, what your story is and where you come from. You should no come back from your mission the same person. Really we all need to do this process as progressing children of God, to give up our wants and earthy desires.
In the talk it talks about a missionary companionship. The one of the missionaries was having a hard time getting up in the mornings and one early day, just like always the alarm to get up at 6:30 sounded off. His companion got up and after sometime said "Get up Elder." and the companion still in bed replied, "I don't want to." And then his companion said something to him that changed his life and mission forever. He said, "It's not about what you want, it's about what God wants."
If we spend our days doing what we want we will never progress, you have to get a little out of you comfort zone to make progression in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our lives are not meant to be lived doing what man wants. And the reason for that is because we are not of man, nor do we come from a mortal state. We are spiritual beings having a mortal experience. Not. The other way around. God's commandments are given to us for our own good and as we follow them we realize who we are and where we come from and why we need to live accordance to spiritual laws that come from our Heavenly Father. To be sanctified is to sacrifice your will to God.
I make a promise to you all that I will not come back the same person I was before my mission. I will be truly sanctified to the Lord and it will be only because of Him that I will have changed not my behavior, but my very nature.
Fear no man my loved ones, stand with the strength of your God as an example to the nations for all time to behold, and in the end the glory shall be God's and we will be exalted on high.
The Savior is coming, do not procrastinate. Learn how to breathe that breath of true life because of He who died. Learn of Him, Speak of Him, Sing Praises of Him, and Become Like Him.
Do not let the Lord's words fall to the ground (1 Samuel 3:19)
Te Quiero Mucho,
Elder Alger
Graffiti picture of the week
Just some snow pictures
Where did all this snow come from? It wasn't here this morning!
Forgive my awkward face
"It is not about what you want, it's about what God wants". That was so beautiful, wonderful experiences. Keep progressing Sam, you're touching more hearts than you think!
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