Elder Jace Yeoman: La Obra del Señor

¡Buen día!

Well this past week was awesome!! First of all, we have some changes in the mission schedule, and p day starts at 8 oclock now, instead of 10:30!! Also, now we have a lot more flexibility in our studies and work, which is something that is really good here in Argentina because have yall ever heard of the "siesta"? Well basically, from 1 to 5 everybody goes in to take a nap, everybody closes their businesses and the roads look like one of those old western movies with the tumbleweed blowing across the street, except it is Buenos Aires, one of the biggest cities in the world! So now, we can adjust our schedules to work more effectively in the hours that people aren´t asleep. (Perdón Hermana Dedios, quizás eso fue una exageración ;). So the new changes are pretty cool, they don´t really apply to me yet because I still have to keep my office schedule, but it is still cool! President told me that I will be staying in the offices for at least another transfer, so I am not going anywhere, no changes there!

This week was another week full of miracles, and a lot of learning! We had a training by Elder Stevenson, in the quorum of the 12, and he talked a lot about the importance and power of a testimony from a representative of Jesus Christ, and promising blessings as a representative of Jesus Christ. As Elder Bednar says, we can only take the message unto, but the investigator has to take the message into. The only thing that can convert someone is the spirit. He related it to having Elder Holland as our companion. If Elder Holland was our companion, we would for sure let him speak. Now, the Holy Ghost is our companion, and is a member of the Godhead, and sometimes we don´t give him room to speak! The way that we give the Holy Ghost room to speak is by bearing strong testimony of Jesus Christ, so that the Holy Ghost can also bear witness! And let me tell you, trying to apply this principle as best as I can has made a big impact on me as a missionary, and has been such a blessing!

We went to Susana´s house, who is one of our investigators that we found last week that we felt the impression to just knock her door, and she has cancer. She was afraid that her sickness was going to inhibit her from being able to progress in the Gospel, and truly have all the blessings of the restored Gospel. I felt a strong impression to promise her that her sickness would not inhibit her from the great blessings of the Lord as she strives to be better and follow Christ, then I bore my testimony as a representative of Christ, of Him, and she began to cry. At that point I really began to understand what people truly need to hear and feel to want to change, and it does not come from me! The spirit touched her heart, and she was truly moved and influenced to change, and to come to church! She came to church by herself, without our help, and brought 2 other people in her family! I was sitting near the back of the chapel with another family, and I heard another missionary say to me "Elder Yeoman, here are investigators that are here from your area." Then the next thing I heard was "I came, it was all I could do, but I came." And it just filled my heart with happiness. It was during the opening hymn and Elder Lyon was playing the piano, so he didn't even realize it, until after I gave him the motion and he was elated! She told me that she wanted to bring her whole family but she didn't have enough money on her bus card, and I just wish she would have told me, but next week I hope they all come! She committed to be baptized, and we are teaching her family as well! This is without a doubt the Lord´s work.

Another investigator, named Juan, was Susana´s ex husband, and they live next to each other. He is the one that we talked to first when we knocked on the door. We also went to visit him on Saturday, and he was drinking and told us that he was really bad off! He told us that he was already decided that he was going to kill himself that day, and that there is nothing we can do to stop him. I do not feel that it is necessary go into the detail of what was happening with him, but just a lot of problems! At that point I just began to pray because I had no idea what to tell him or say to him to make him change his mind, but then I just felt to bear testimony of Heavenly Father, and his love and plan for us, and I just felt so strongly his need for the Gospel! We talked about repentance, and testified that people really can change! We had a great lesson with him, and he calmed down a little bit and at the end said a prayer. I know that anybody who is willing to drop everything behind and follow Christ can change, and through the atonement of Christ, every wound can be healed, and it leaves no traces! He did not come to church this week, but he is doing a lot better and he understands that he needs to change! We will see what happens!

It is so humbling to be in situations like that, things that 2 years ago I could have never imagined. But one thing is for sure, the Lord is aware of every single one of us. He knows exactly what we need, because he has suffered for everything that we have suffered, are suffering, and will suffer in this life! There is nothing we could go through that he doesnt know exactly what we need, if only we choose to follow Him, and be perfected in Him!

As a representative of Jesus Christ, I know that He lives, I know that He sacrificed himself for all of us and that because of that we can change, be better, and live again in the presence of God! There is no other plan more perfect than the Plan of Salvation, and the Atonement is the base of it all. As we repent daily, and try to be better daily, we will continue in our progression to Eternal Life. This is a promise that comes straight from Jesus Christ, the promise of Eternal Life to those that believe in Him, and follow Him! I know that this is the true church of Christ, that has been restored in our day so that we can have all we need to be able to complete the grand plan of our Father and Heaven, live with Him eternally, with our families!

I hope that all of us can do some things different this week to express our gratitude to Heavenly Father for all the things we have, and all of our many blessings!

Sister Smith told me to put down goals for my last 6 months, to pray about it and write them down, and it kind of took me back a little bit to think about how fast time goes, and how much I have changed, but I just want you all to know that you don't have to worry about me letting up at all!

Dejaré todo en la cancha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

¡Les amo mucho! Gracias por todo :)