June 18, 2012

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