Monday, February 15, 2016

Happy Valentine's Day from Argentina!


Hello Everyone! I hope you all had a great week and Valentine's Day!

Before I start, I want to announce to everyone that I am pretty disappointed that my brother couldn't keep the streak going in Church Ball....but I guess that is what happens when I leave. The Panthers get to the super bowl and High Point loses the church ball tournament! ;) 

This past week was super hot, I don't think I have ever sweated so much in my life..not even in a basketball game or anything! And then I see that it is snowing in NC! We had a pretty good week. We found some new people to teach and Nicolas is still progressing pretty well! I have been very lucky on my mission to be blessed with awesome members that really help the work and really take care of missionaries. I have also come to find that all of the miracles and people ready to hear the gospel are centered around members! My companion and I had one day last week that we were just working like crazy and nothing was really happening. We were teaching good lessons but nothing was really going anywhere. The people were not really ready to hear the Gospel. We were with a member who was accompanying (I dont know if I spelled that right. It's been a while) us, and we were finishing up the day, taking her back to her house and then we were going to head back to the pension. My companion and I both felt like we had a really good day because we taught 9 lessons with a member, but we still didn't find anyone. We were about to the members house, and she takes off running. My companion and I were really confused but it turns out she saw her friend that lives on the whole other side of our area that she hadn't seen in like 3 years. So we talked to her, and she was interested and we got to have a lesson with her and her sister that was also interested..2 new investigators just like that! 

Aqui es la cosa, members of the church are so important in this work. I can look back right now and see that every single convert I have had also had a relation to a member. There is a promise that the Lord is preparing people to hear the message of the gospel. But I can promise that these people He is preparing are through members. Your friends, your family members, your neighbors. They are the ones that the Lord is preparing..because we are all on the same team, bringing to pass the work of Salvation. It would make sense that the Lord prepares those that already have ties to someone else in this work, a member of the church. This is something that has been drilled into my heart, the importance of working through members. If you guys feel that there is nothing you can do to help the Elders, there is! Give them a reference of a friend, neighbor, etc that you feel is ready to receive the Gospel! 

So we had a lesson Sunday in Elders Quorum that really caught my attention. It was about opposition and adversity! Sometimes, we feel that adversity and opposition is something so terrible that we have to face every day. But actually, it is all part of the plan of God! We are here to overcome adversity, learn, and progress! One thing essential for progression is adversity! As a missionary, I really try my best to think of any adversity I have as a way to grow. Sometimes, I can do it, sometimes it is kind of hard and I fall into the question that everyone is guilty of,  "Why me?" But as we really take everything for what it is, and as we humble ourselves enough to grow from every test and trial that we are given in this life...that is when we can really see progression! 

Sorry this letter is long but I wanted to share some thoughts I have had. I want to share 2 more scriptures...one that I read in my personal study and one that our Elders Quorum President read yesterday at church.

First, Mosiah 23:21-22

  21 Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith.
 22 Nevertheless—whosoever putteth his trust in him the same shall be lifted up at the last day. Yea, and thus it was with this people.
We can see here that this answers that great question "Why me?" Well you can go to your neighbor, friend, mom, dad, brother, cousin, classmate, co worker and ask "Why them?" Because we all face adversity, challenges, and trials! Lets be honest, Heavenly Father knows a better way for us to learn than we do. He knows us perfectly, and knows who we need to become. Sometimes we need a trial of patience and faith, so that we can come out so much more strengthened. But everybody needs to overcome these things with trust in the Lord! Because he has gone through it all, suffered adversity and opposition of every kind..so that we would be able to find strength in Him!
This leads to the last scripture, Matthew 11:28-30
28 ¶Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek andlowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
The Lord asks us all "Come unto me, take my yoke upon you, I have been through all of this..I can give you peace and rest." I know that we all go through trials, but we also all have a Savior Jesus Christ that has been through it all. I testify of Him, and of this Gospel. I have come to love this Gospel, and in it is peace, and the answer to all. Lets take this yoke and work with the Lord, so that we may be able to better face adversity! 
I love you all and hope that everyone has a great week!! Transfers are next week, so I will email again on Tuesday. Sigan fiel mis amigos!!
Elder Yeoman 
A recent convert cut our hair. It didn't go so well!

Elder Yeoman with Nazario, a church member in Boulogne

Elder Yeoman and Elder Jenkins sporting the new haircuts!!!


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