11/10 We had a bit of a rough week this week. We had set a number of visits with several investigators we thought had a lot of potential. We did everything we could to ensure the visits would all work out. We even called each of them at least twice to double confirm them, but unfortunately just about all of them fell through. It was a little hard to see such a well planned week fall apart, but I guess that's what happens sometimes. God must have intended for us to find or visit someone else.
The good news of the week is that we had a very good visit with one of our investigators who has been investigating the church for several years. His name is Julio. He told us that he is looking for a new job so that he doesn't have to work on Sundays and can come to church. He has a lot of family who are members in Peru, and he has a vast knowledge of the doctrine of the church and seems to already have a testimony as well. It seems to us that he hasn't been baptized simply because he doesn't want to make a promise he doesn't feel he can keep. We are excited for our next visit in which we are going to clarify his doubts and possibly set a baptismal date with him. I feel sure that now is his time. He told us that he would try to make it to church on Sunday because he wasn't working. I was so happy to see him walk in 10 min early! He is already super good friends with about half the members of the branch as well. We are really excited for him!
Elder Peay and I are all caught up on the 12 week program. We are now studying my favorite part about the importance of the Book of Mormon. His knowledge of Spanish is growing quite a lot. He knows the grammar and the words well enough on paper, but when it comes to speaking it, he still struggles with it a bit. I can see his study habits are helping him a lot though. I think he is just missing the confidence to be able to speak in front of other people. That's usually the hardest part of learning a new language.
This week I was asked to give a talk in sacrament meeting on the topic of Jesus Christ and how through Him we can be cleansed of sin. In my preparations for the talk, I learned a ton of things. As part of God's eternal plan for us, we will all one day be judged according to our works and desires here in mortality. We know that God is loving and merciful, but we also know that He will judge us in a just way. According to the law of justice, when we disobey, there comes a penalty. Equally, when we obey we receive a reward, or blessings. We know that all of us have disobeyed and broken commandments of God. We would have to suffer punishment to complete the law of justice, but because of Christ, we don't have to. When He suffered for our sins He literally took upon Himself the punishment for our sins. Because He loves us, He suffered the punishment for each and every one of us in order to fulfill the law of justice. Alma 34 states that the "bowels of mercy... overpowereth justice". It is through Christ, and only through obedience to His commandments and teachings that we can be cleansed of our sins. When we show that we accept His sacrifice by having faith in Him unto repentance, are baptized, receive the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end, that is when we qualify for His atoning sacrifice.
P.S. A little update on transfers: Burgos will be receiving two more elders. Another training companionship will be coming to join us this week here in Burgos!
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