Hey guys! No more Tuesday Pdays for transfers. Alway will be
on Monday now. I am staying in Deming, NM with Elder Elton!
Monday: So today we took care of everything then we went to
the City of Rocks to play capture the flag! We played one round then came back
to Deming to play Ultimate Frisbee. It was a ton of fun! Then we had a nice
dinner with a member. Also, in the morning we made a cake for a challenge we
did we the Chavez family. They completed their charity and service challenge
but we had to postpone the little party. Then we went contacting. We met some
very interesting people and finished the night with a nice old hispanic
Jehovah's Witness lady.
Wednesday: Two young Jehovah's Witness girls knocked on our
door this morning. They were quite surprised! They got all flustered and didn't
know what to do. Then we had district meeting and it went really well! We
talked about how to help others recognize the Holy Ghost. In one of the role
play exercises I realized a way to help someone recognize the Spirit. I thought
that we could use it later in a lesson. We went to China Restaurant for lunch
then went to an appointment. It was with a less active young man. He wants some
help choosing the good again. We later met with Alfredo. He has been reading
the Book of Mormon consistently! It is great! We went over the lesson of the
Gospel of Jesus Christ with him. A lesson canceled so we went and visited a
member before having to go to dinner. Dinner with the Nicoll family. We couldnt
stay long and had an appointment back in town. Those fell through but we went
contacting in the area to find more people.
(I left my planner at the apartment so the next few days are
going to be a very light summary. Sorry.)
Thursday: Studies then we visited some less actives. It went
really well and we are seeing them progress. We had a great night with the
soccer activity! We had some less active youth come! Also, the nonmember
husband of the woman that plays the piano in church!
Friday: Weekly planning! What a day... It went well then we
had some appointments but ended up visiting other people. We also did some
contacting. We were able to visit Daniel and Maneli and they are doing well!
Saturday: We had a service opportunity cancel we took care
of studies and some logistical items. We then had a ton of lessons! We had
great success with visiting people and teaching them the doctrines of the
gospel! When main and backup plans fell through, we were guided to those that
needed us.
Sunday: Church was good and we then had some great lessons!
We had a good goals setting lesson with a recent convert then a powerful lesson
with a struggling less active. We brought a member who is friends with guy. We
testified boldly and challenged him to change. He wants to change. We were able
to give him a blessing before leaving. We then had a good lesson with Daniel
about prayer.
Sorry for the short summaries of the days...
But here is a major spiritual thought that came to mind the
other day.
Smoke. Our neighbors in the apartment next to us smoke a
ton! In New Mexico and Arizona most of the cooling in a house or apartment is
done by a swamp cooler. It is the worst when it is humid... Anyway, there must
be an attached vent because if the swamp cooler is off, then the apartment will
smell like a smokers convention. It is the worst when we come back after a hot
day and it is steamy and smells of smoke. I had the thought that this is how
Satan works. We have been told that we need to "cut ties to Babylon."
When they say "Babylon", they mean the world. The swamp cooler in our
apartment is necessary. It keeps us cool and protects from the heat. We do not
need it on all the time. When we do not use it, the smoke seeps into our
apartment. Only one form can pass through that vent at a time, smoke or cool
air. We must decide what we let pass through that vent. Sometimes, the same can
be said of technology. It helps us perform our duties or our profession. It is
a way to communicate more effectively. It is a blessing to be used for good.
When used for bad, it can be a nasty source of all that is foul and destructive
in this world. Technology is a vent. We need to occupy it continually with that
which is wholesome and true. Technology is not the only application. The same
can be said of our eyes or our ears. Our thoughts as well. We must chose
carefully and wisely what we let enter in through the vent, or we will become
poisoned by the smoke of the world.
I know that as we watch our thoughts and as we watch what we
let into ourselves that we can be pure and protected from the poison of the
Adversary. Be watchful. Choose that which is pure.
Love,
Elder Dallin Baker
No comments:
Post a Comment