We`re already at the last week of this transfer. These six weeks went by a lot faster than the other transfers. That`s good though because it means we`re focused and working really hard. We had a lot of appointments that fell through this week and no baptisms this week since our investigators with baptismal dates didn`t show up. None of that should let us down though. One of my teachers in the MTC showed us a talk from Elder Jeffery R. Holland that he gave at the MTC where he talks about why he thinks missionary work can be really hard at times:
"Anyone who does any kind of missionary work will have occasion to ask, Why is this so hard? Why doesn’t it go better? Why can’t our success be more rapid? Why aren’t there more people joining the Church? It is the truth. We believe in angels. We trust in miracles. Why don’t people just flock to the font? Why isn’t the only risk in missionary work that of pneumonia from being soaking wet all day and all night in the baptismal font?
You will have occasion to ask those questions. I have thought about this a great deal. I offer this as my personal feeling. I am convinced that missionary work is not easy because salvation is not a cheap experience. Salvation never was easy. We are The Church of Jesus Christ, this is the truth, and He is our Great Eternal Head. How could we believe it would be easy for us when it was never, ever easy for Him? It seems to me that missionaries and mission leaders have to spend at least a few moments in Gethsemane. Missionaries and mission leaders have to take at least a step or two toward the summit of Calvary.
Now, please don’t misunderstand. I’m not talking about anything anywhere near what Christ experienced. That would be presumptuous and sacrilegious. But I believe that missionaries and investigators, to come to the truth, to come to salvation, to know something of this price that has been paid, will have to pay a token of that same price.
For that reason I don’t believe missionary work has ever been easy, nor that conversion is, nor that retention is, nor that continued faithfulness is. I believe it is supposed to require some effort, something from the depths of our soul."
-Elder Jeffery R. Holland
I really like this because if it wasn`t easy for the Savior to suffer every one of us, then why should we think that missionary work and living the Gospel is always going to be easy. Missionaries who enter the field thinking they`re going to have success every day and every investigator will get baptized are in for disappointment. I`ve decided for myself that I will never fight or argue with any of my companions. Because that will just drive the spirit away and we won`t be able to get anything done. The missionaries who have trouble with companions and troubles in the mission say that it goes by so slow in these times. I don`t want that to happen so I`m going to try enjoying every transfer and companion.
Well even though we had a lot of appointments fall through this week, we were still able to teach 33 lessons. The new goal is that missionaries teach 34 lessons every week so this should be easy for us. Some missionaries here don`t always get this much, usually like 15 or 20 lessons a week, so I feel like we`re really blessed. We also go on divisions multiple times a week so we can do more than one lesson at the same time, so that helps a lot too. Our Ward Mission Leader is amazing too. He is always willing to help us. A lot of wards have mission leaders who don`t want to work so this really is a blessing from our Father in Heaven that I`m in a ward where the majority of the people are excited about participating in missionary work.
So we have our transfers next week and I`m really excited about what`s going to happen. I feel like I might be staying here but wherever the Lord needs me is where I will go!
Well hope you all have a great week and stay safe and I can`t wait to hear from you all.
-Elder Gomez
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