The first week back here with Elder Peay was a little rough. Mostly because of all the traveling. We didn't get back until Thursday afternoon, then on Friday, we had to travel to Logroño for district meeting. We did have a wonderful and very spiritual district meeting. We were outside our area for almost the entire week, and then we had General Conference. I absolutely loved every bit of it! I don't think I have ever been so attentive through 4 sessions of conference in my life! It was wonderful, and it was exactly what I needed to recharge.
After the Sunday morning session which ended at 8:00 pm, we had a visit with Cristina, an investigator who we hadn't visited in a while. I'm not entirely sure why, but on the way to that visit, I was feeling a little discouraged and down on myself. I felt like I was unable to really make a good first impression of missionary work to Elder Peay. To be honest, I kind of felt like I was failing as a trainer. I said a prayer in my heart, and asked the Lord to help me overcome these feelings. I asked Him to help encourage me. We entered Cristina's house, and I was still feeling a little down. We decided to start with reading a chapter in the Book of Mormon and then had planned to repass the restoration. For some reason I felt like we should read chapter 10 in first Nephi, even though she was on chapter 9. As we got to the end of the chapter I realized why I had felt that way. It talks about how Nephi wanted to know and see of the things his father had just prophesied. Nephi writes that the spirit is that which gives unto all men who diligently seeketh. That is exactly what we needed to lead into the lesson of the restoration. We then taught a powerful lesson on how the true church of God was lost and then was restored in its fullness by Joseph Smith. Although Elder Peay couldn't say much, he quoted the first vision word for word and testified when he could, and in doing so, invited the spirit even more. It was just what Cristina needed. I then went around the room and asked everyone what it meant to them that the only church with all the truth was restored in these days. The answers varied, but almost everyone said that it was a blessing. I shared what it meant to me, which will be touched on later, and then testified of God's love for all mankind and the truthfulness of His message. We invited her to pray about Joseph Smith specifically, and read from the Book of Mormon every day with her son (a member).
Elder Peay is doing very well. He has been here a week, and I have already seen improvement in his Spanish, and his ability to participate in lessons. As well, he is already giving very good input in our daily planing, and has wonderful suggestions of what we could do when visits fiar. I think he is progressing very well. Training isn't quite what I thought it would be. Now I am realizing what it was like to be in my trainer's shoes. We have started the white handbook and also set the goal to read one chapter from the Book of Mormon in Spanish every day out loud. I believe that will help him loads with his pronunciation, and as well, he will become more familiar with key chapters and verses in Spanish. He is struggling a little with the study schedule, but I assured him that that will come with time. Adjusting to the morning schedule was the hardest for me, so I understand where he is coming from and what he is feeling.
One thing I learned this week in our lesson with Cristina is what the restoration means to me. The knowledge that the only true and living church has been restored through the prophet Joseph Smith means everything to me. It means that God hasn't left us alone. Many people believe that after Christ's Atonement, God took a step back and is now just waiting to see what we will do. They believe that the times of miracles have ceased. They believe that there is no need for modern prophets. I testify that that is not true. Because Christ restored His church, that means that God loves us and He is very much a part of our everyday lives. It means that He knows us personally and is aware of our individual needs. It means that He loves us enough to give us modern day prophets to guide us and give us divine counsel. It means that He loves us enough to restore saving ordinances and gospel truths that bring us comfort not only in this life, but in the life we now know is to come. This knowledge means everything to me, and I feel so blessed to have the privilege to share this knowledge with everyone I can. My invitation for you all is to to ask yourself the same question: what does the restoration of the fullness of the gospel mean to me?
With Elder Peay receiving his first assignment to serve in Burgos
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