Lightly toasted in a good way

Someone that we met this week was named Miguel. The gate was closed on the apartment complex! We got a feeling we should wait for a couple minutes and surely someone came out and opened the gate for us so we could knock on his door. He was really nice, and opened right up to us, telling us that he really has been in search of truth and is so confused by all the doctrines and teachings of the world... We testified boldly that the way he is going to have something that he can trust, is by learning how to receive personal revelation. We are excited to see each other again. 

We started off the lesson with Bryan by saying, "you've talked to Elders in the past, so I'm sure that you know that we like to talk a lot. Today is going to be different because we want to hear about you in order to know how best to help you." He opened up to us, and even told us some stuff that he's never told anyone else in his family. I'm so glad we stopped and listened. Bryan is very soft-spoken, but it is fairly evident that he wishes he could have more spiritual experiences like some of his family members have had. We shared personal testimony of the BoM and how it's helped us to have spiritual experiences and get to know God's voice ourselves. He said that he's had a really hard time reading scripture in the past, he now wants to read the whole book and his whole demeanor has changed. How else can we preach the teachings of Christ except by giving people the tools to change what they are willing to? How else can we know what people want to change except that we listen to them? 

One of the best principles that I've learned this week is the following: Confidence to share the gospel should not come from self confidence but rather from the knowledge that you have something that will bless others. God will bless you as you seek to figure out what is keeping your friends and acquaintances from deeper joy. Why are they unsatisfied with their lives? How can they be filled? How can they feel peace? Find out what will help them, and then seek to break their impediments they have over your knee one by one. 

This is my first transfer in a single adult ward instead of a family ward, so there is a decent amount of learning going on. I'm grateful that one of my leaders reached out to me recently and provided some insights on how we could be doing better. He was very bold with it and invited us to change. I'm glad that he did this because there's a lot we can learn and a lot we could do better. His confidence to share this with me did not come from his personality, but from Him knowing that he had some information that would help us. I feel lightly toasted. I've prayed about what he told me and we'll be changing things immediately.

I know that God loves me because this week has given me a lot of joy!!!!

P. S. To all who read this. If you die please haunt me soon cus I miss you.

Beautiful sunset while we were on exchanges

A new picture our whole mission took together where you can see everyone's faces

Good times