Sorry I don`t have time to write individually today, but I
wrote this for everyone. I hope it helps in some aspect of what you are all
going through.
This last week passed even faster than the one before that,
and I feel as if they are just going by faster and faster. I am loving
argentina and the people here, and have slowly been adjusting to the heat here.
It is a little different than in Moab...about 85 degrees with 100% humidity. I
literally feel as if I showered and never dried. I have learned that a dog is a
mans` best friend until each man has like 10 dogs...then they aren`t so
friendly because they are all in the street tearing open every bag of garbage
in sight. I have learned that Patience is not only a virtue, but it is the only
way possible to be a missionary. I have learned that the saying "there is
no place like home" is as true as always, except for when you are able to
Love the people here as if they are your family, and then you feel as if you are
at home. The only difference is I can`t hug my mom here :( (Love ya mom)
Right now there are so many things I want to write about,
but so little time to write it all, so I am gonna summarize. This last week I
have been studying a lot about self-Confidence and Pride, and the difference
between the two. Pride is what leads to the destruction of man. I say it boldy
because it is as simple as that. DESTRUCTION. Families are destroyed, lives are
destroyed, and more than anything, the relationship that you could potentially
have with the only person that can help you to change (God) is weakened. I have
met so many people here that have let something as small as a misinterpruted
text message and their pride, destroy a relationship that was once a beautiful
gift from God. From there literally everything goes downhill. Now to the more
important and happier half of this comparison. Self-Confidence. Self-Confidence
is what motivates ourselves to develop the talents that God has given us. IT is
what inspires us to be our best, and helps us to have the courage to bear
testimony. As I have been studying these two topics, I have found that really
the only difference between the two (in the beginning) is that the motivation
of one of them is to be better than someone else, and the other is to better
than youself. Better than the person you were yesterday. Always thinking of
little things that you can change to be a brighter Light in this world of
Darkness, not a brighter Light than your companion. Or a brighter light than
your enemy. God has given us all talents that are unique to us. He wants us to
be succesful and develop those talents because they help us to be happy. But HE
also expects that we use them worthily and not abuse them. Recently Elder
Holland came and spoke to us about the importance of "US" as
missionaries. The importance of the abilities that we have been given and what
we should do with them. HE used a scripture in Doctrine and Covenants 88:33 (if
I remember right ) Something along the lines of receiving a gift and then
abusing it or rejecting it is also rejecting the giver. Who gave us our
talents? Who Gave his Only Begotten son to Die for us so that we would be able
to Develop those talents? Who Loves us more than we can even fathom? GOD. God
did all of that for us! So, who are we to abuse or reject those talents that we
have been given? The answer to that question is WE AREN`T. This life is the
time for men to prepare to meet God. How are we supposed to meet God, look him
in the eyes, and tell him that we love him when we couldn`t didn`t even accept
his gifts? He will still accept us, and he will still tell us that he loves us
because he will ALWAYS love us. But how little he really asks of us, His
Children. "Accept and love me as your Father. Be obedient to what I "Teach
you", (teach because the commandments are for our learning and not just
for doing) and use what I give you. Three things that are not hard to do, but
are the difference between a lifetime of pain and suffering or happiness and
rejoicing.
I love all of you! I felt inspired to write this because it
is something that had been causing me to suffer both as a misisonary, but
mostly as a Child of God. I know that God is our Father and that he Loves and
wants the best for all of us in all we do. I know that "Sufrimos cuando no
lo Cumplimos" (we suffer only when we don`t complete what God has given
us. Don`t let Satan and his slandering harden your heart and cause you to be
prideful and I can promise you that you will see, feel, and love the difference
that you have in your lives and in your missions. I love this Gospel and I know
that it is true! In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
--
~Elder Hazlett
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