Some quick weekly highlights: We've been teaching an older gentleman named Alejandro Robledo for some time now. He wants to get baptized and knows the church is true BUT has a bit of a problem. He needs to get married to his live in girlfriend of many years. Here it's a pretty common problem and not that hard to fix UNLESS you are married already and your old wife from over 40 years ago doesn't want to be legally divorced unless you give her 10,000,000 chilean pesos. If that is the case you have to start a legal process and wait about 2-3 years. Alejandro is progressing well though. He's actually an old investigator from the missionaries that were here before but hasn't attended for about 6 months. He came to general conference! And brought a friend! Even though he won't be baptized for a while we're working to get him attending regularly for when he can.
We are also working with a little girl named Constanza. She is nine years old and started attending church when we invited her to attend with her grandpa who is an active member here. She loves the primary and is being looked after by the primary presidency. This week we met with her mom who is also very receptive!
We're working with some other families as well and have found some very receptive people this week. Miramar is where miracles happen!
I'm not getting too trunky here but every now and then I remember that I only have a few months left. My companion and I get along great and we're working hard to help the zone as well!
Spiritual Thought:
Alma 12:9-10
" 9 And now Alma began to expound these things unto him, saying: It is given unto many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless they are laid under a strict command that they shall not impart only according to the portion of his word which he doth grant unto the children of men, according to the heed and diligence which they give unto him.
10 And therefore, he that will harden his heart, the same receiveth the lesser portion of the word; and he that will not harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the word, until it is given unto him to know the mysteries of God until he know them in full. "
It takes time and energy to understand the mysteries of god. We need to heed what God has already helped us to understand and dilligently follow what we already know. As we do so we bit by bit come to understand spiritual things. I think after two years of missionary work I'm finally begginning to understand some of the many mysteries of the universe.
This week a lady basically yelled at us that we were slaves to religion and trapped by what we were doing among many other things. I think that if anything, as I've devoted more time to spiritual things I've gained more self control and more agency over what I can do in life. As we choose to give more to God we gain more agency. One of Satan's biggest lies is that we are "trapped" by commandments. As we sin we become slaves to sin and bit by bit lose our agency until we only can focus on the things that give us momentary pleasure. I wish I could have helped the lady to understand the gospel of Christ but every one has their agency to accept the gospel or not.
I love you guys so much! Keep making good choices! Follow the commandments and don't become slaves to sin!
Elder Walker
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