Hey Everybody!
Well this week I did something
new! For the first time in my mission I moved to a new house. Wednesday my
companion and I packed everything up in our house to move a different one which
is MUCH MUCH better than where we were. Seriously it is so much better. One of
the many new blessings I enjoy in our new house is not waking up early in the
morning to the sound of the flock of birds that were living in our roof. Now we
are neighbors to a family of members in the ward, the Mottos, they are great
and have a special love for missionary work. In fact this Sunday, Irmã Motto
brought a friend of hers to church and told us to sit with him during Sunday School.
We have already planned to go back to his house this week with some other
members to make sure that he feels welcomed and a part of the ward. This is yet
another great opportunity and blessing that we have received.
Another awesome experience that
happened this week is because of a new standard of excellence that our mission
President has established. In this new standard of excellence we have to do 40
contacts every day. Just so you know, 40 contacts every day is A LOT! – haha
but my companion and I resolved to do it, so we started talking to literally
EVERYBODY and giving people pass along cards with our name and number.
Then one day a woman called us,
her name is Christiane, saying that she needs help with paying some bills. At
first we thought she might just be wanting money and nothing else so we weren´t
too sure about what we should do. We thought it would be best if we set up an
interview with her and the bishop so he could decide what is the best course of
action. Christiane talked with our bishop and they made some goals about paying
the bills and having her learn about the church as well. The bishop suggested
to her that she should come to church these next three weeks to really
understand what our church is about and why we are willing to help anyone in whatever
circumstance. So this Sunday she went to church. After the meeting I talked
with her a little bit and she said that she loved everything and also wanted to
meet with us to learn more about the church. It seems like every day we see the
lord’s blessing and guidance in our work!
We also had the great opportunity
to see a family be reactivated these last few weeks with the baptism of their
son Arthur, which took place this Sunday.
Recently I have been fortunate
enough to see numerous blessing and miracles take place. As we are obedient we
can be sure that we will be blessed, but if we feel that we are doing all that
we can and are still encountering difficulties don´t be discouraged as the
prophet of the Book of Mormon, Lehi, said
``For it must needs be, that there is an opposition
in all things. If not so, my firstborn in the wilderness, righteousness could
not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery,
neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one;
wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no
life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery,
neither sense nor insensibility. Wherefore, it must needs have been
created for a thing of naught; wherefore there would have been no purpose in
the end of its creation.`` (2 Nephi 2:11-12)
In our lives opposition must
exist or there would not be purpose in our creation. It is the difficult
moments that allow us to grow and be humbled to recognize the hand of God in
all things!
I love you all and hope you have
a great week!
Elder Rice
