Good Morning!
How was everyone’s week? Well we had Riley’s baptism this week! Wow
it was so awesome! I don't remember how much I told you all about him so l'll
give a quick summary of his life. He was
baptized at age 11 or 12 in Peru, but fell inactive a few years later, now he's
29 years old and he found my companion and me walking one day in the street and
told us he is a member but wants to be active again. Well, come to find out his
records were lost somewhere in the last 15ish years so to be an active member
he needed to be re-baptized. He made a lot, a lot, a lot of mistakes in his
life, so it was such a blessing that he can just repent, be baptized to erase
it all! He has such a strong testimony now. The bishop baptized him and after
when they were standing in the water they both hugged and cried! I love being a
missionary!!!!
So that was probably the highlight of my week...his baptism! But I
was thinking this week a lot and studying agency and I learned something that’s
not going to sound super profound probably because we've all heard it 1000
times, but hearing it and learning it are two different things! What I
learned...basically is: we can choose our success, our fate our happiness. Everything,
including attitude, events, decision (obviously), its all a choice. My
investigators CHOOSE to feel the spirit, and accept or not, CHOOSE to be baptized
or not, CHOOSE happiness, blessings, freedom, love, the gospel... everything.
They CHOOSE if they are going to fall, succeed, grow etc. (this was my thought
process first) Then I realized...obviously its not just them that get to
choose, I get to choose too. I can choose to be obedient to the mission rules,
choose to learn from each experience I have, etc. The Scriptures are always
talking about when there was peace in the land; it was when they had religious
freedom and the ability to choose. Agency is the plan of God. Its the peaceful
way, its the successful way, and its the ONLY way to return to live with
Heavenly Father again. I hope this maybe makes sense a little bit! Well, when
we were walking yesterday I tried to apply this lesson. When I was absolutely
freezing I thought its a choice I’m not absolutely freezing...and well, it didn't
work...I was still absolutely freezing, Then I thought and decided: ok I can't
choose the weather, but I can choose my attitude. I put a smile on my face and
yeah I was cold, but I was happy!!! Well summery of what I’m trying to say is
this week Riley choose to change his life, choose to get baptized and choose to
accept the atonement. I choose to be happy about cold weather ha-ha. But what
can you chose to change this week to better your self? Well I love you all a
ton! Have a good week full of good choices and missionary experiences!
Love,
Hermana Marchant
