11/17/10

First off, this week was nuts!!!!  More importantly, Saturday.  But before I get to that everyone, I would love packages and stuff but it'll just have to wait until I get to Ecuador in 4 weeks, because they won't deliver packages here and they told us they won't go and pick them up.  
Back to Saturday, that was nuts.  We drove two hours out of Lima and for real, the bus drivers here are crazy; they use their horns like it's Gods greatest gift to mankind.  So we got to this beat up town where me and my comp went out tracting or proselyting?  I'm not sure, but it was crazy, everyone was speaking so fast, but I bore my testimony and the Spirit was strong.  We handed out a few Books of Mormon and that was pretty sweet, we only got one full lesson though.  We taught the Restoration of course.  We headed back to a small chapel and had lunch then we went out and met with nonactives.  We got assigned to work about 15 minutes away from where we were, which was not a great looking place, but it was still ok.  Ok, everyone pay attention to this because it's important.  Mom, you know that little neighborhood by the boy and girls club?  Well, the most well-off person here would be lucky to have one wall made out of brick and a door that you could use.  We started knocking on doors, and mind you, I can't speak much, so I'm only catching words and phrases...the veteran Elder, Elder Cespedes and myself were all on a split together and they did most of the talking, Elder Cespedes hit it up some.  But we just kept going from house to house and the whole place was just sad.  I can't convey to you what life is like down here, but no one complains and no one thinks that God is not watching over them; they are all content with their lives.

But the most powerful thing I saw the whole day wasn't or phrase someone said.  It was this little boy I saw.  We were walking in this neighborhood and there was this little boy sitting In the dirt, he couldn't have been older than six.  He shot up off the ground and ran in his small "home" and came running out with a bike tire and started rolling it down the street.  He was laughing and running after it and found such joy in this little tire.  And then it hit me that that's what the scripture about becoming as a little child means...meek, humble and submissive, willing to submit to Our Father in Heaven's will.  This boy didn't sit in the dirt thinking "why has God forsaken me"?  He was wondering 'where is my tire', that awesome toy that someone gave me!

The gospel, while the blessing of following it's teachings can change our worldly circumstances, wasn't meant to.  It was meant to change our view of our circumstances from "this is all I have?", to "look! Look at all I have!". 
I know I'm out here to live among and love the people not only of Peru and Ecuador, but all the people of South America, all people who don't make excuses like I have in my life.  The Lord sent me here to humble me.  To show me what an amazing life I have been given.  Please everyone, please try and really see what you have.  I promise if you do, you will become closer to your Father in Heaven.
I love you all and know that this is the Lord's work.

Love,
Elder Nathan R. Church