Week 57: Mexican food in Bolivia
Monday, Oct. 14, 2024
Que tal yall!
This week was pretty fire. Here's a quick rundown
-Had two exchanges this week with two really awesome missionaries, Elder Gonzalez and Elder Christensen.
-Put our friend Leticia on date to be baptized on November 2!
-got a cracked referral from the Hermanas for a family whose kids aren't baptized they will be getting baptized in a couple weeks!
-had 7 friends come to church on Sunday! Lots of big miracles there!
-had a ton of cracked lessons this week. We are teaching a lot of families right now which is so awesome!
-there is a fire Mexican food place in the area of the elders of La Vina. We went there twice this week because of exchanges and got it to go. Let's just say it's nowhere near on the level of the Soccoro ward cooking but for here, it was pretty buss. A big tender mercy because I love Mexican food so much and it's been a while since I've had it.
-had interviews with Presidente Lopera which are always fire. My mission presidents have always given me the exact council and advice that I need. I am so grateful for them!
-all the conference talks have been now put in the gospel library app and studying them again has been so awesome and so powerful!
Spiritual sprinkle:
As I was studying some of this last general conference today, this part of Bishop Todd L. Budge's talk really stuck out to me:
"When our focus is less on doing and more on strengthening our covenant connection with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, I testify that each of these sacred moments will be enriched, and we will receive the guidance needed in our personal lives. We, like Martha in the account in Luke, are often “careful and troubled about many things.” However, as we commune with the Lord each day, He will help us to know that which is most needful. Even the Savior took time from His ministry to be still. The scriptures are replete with examples of the Lord retreating to a solitary place—a mountain, the wilderness, a desert place, or going “a little way off”—to pray to the Father. If Jesus Christ sought quiet time to commune with God and to be strengthened by Him, it would be wise for us to do the same. As we concentrate our hearts and minds on Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and listen to the still, small voice of the Holy Ghost, we will have greater clarity about what is most needful, develop deeper compassion, and find rest and strength in Him."
It really got me thinking about how often we focus on just doing and not as much as strengthening in terms of the gospel. How often do we just go through the motions in the gospel, with insincere prayers, soley reading the scriptures instead of truly pondering, studying, and savoring them, taking the sacrament without truly preparing to have a powerful, spiritual experience.
What If during these times, we put more awareness and focus on God such as truly being with God during our prayers and giving more heartfelt gratitude and love? Or truly savoring and fasting upon the scriptures? Or preparing for the sacrament by joyfully pondering on the blessings of the Atonement and the peace and happiness Christ brings?
I testify that If we truly focus on strengthening our covenant connection with our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, and turn our time from merely going through the motions, to truly communing with God and Christ, we will be blessed spiritually in ways unimagined, and truly "have greater clarity about what is most needful, develop deeper compassion, and find rest and strength in Him."
Love,
Elder Richards
