Monday,
I took Elder Strong to the office, and spent the day with the wilcox´s
and Elder Harman and Elder Carty. They stayed the night in Republica,
and we had some good lessons. Then Tuesday was when it got crazy. We
get to changes meeting, and I find out my new companion is Elder
Rodriguez from Hidalgo, Mexico. He goes home 3 changes after I do. So
in the middle of the meeting, the assistants get a call-- all the provo
MTC missionaries that were supposed to arrive in the mission on
Wednesday came a day early and were waiting at the airport Tuesday
morning! Two weeks of planning the logistics of changes week by the
assistants, down the drain! I know just how basically impossible that
is. So Elder Morgan, Elder Stetler, and I offered to help out in any
way we could as ex-office Elders. President was very grateful for the
offer, and so we went to work! I was substitute secretary for a day!
haha I did the new missionary training for the new Provo MTC
missionaries, did mission shopping for pillows, etc. Good stuff.
Meanwhile, my new comp went back to the zone with other missionaries-- I
felt kind of bad for meeting him, and then immediately having to give
him to another companionship for the day. Anyway, at about 4:00, I saw
an email that basically said, SURPRISE!!!! the mission is going to
recieve an extra missionary from the Chile MTC--- we got the notice
after President had picked him up. yep. surprise. So at about 5:00,
my work was done and Elder Stetler and I headed back to go be with our
comps. Then President called me..... "Hey Elder Moffat! Are you still
in the office?" "No, we´re in the metro." "Oh, well thanks for all your
help today. And for all your hard work, I have a surprise for you--
another companion!!" Yep, the surprise missionary is also my
companion!!! Elder Silva is from Peñaflor, and is waiting a few weeks
for his visa to clear so he can go to his mission in Ecuador Guayaquil
South. I actually met him one time on divisions my first or second
change in the mission. small world, eh? So basically, we´re training
him--- without going to the trainers meeting, without going to the
temple, and without any sort of instruccions. Yay! Good thing Elder
Rodriguez just got done training!
So
yes, we´re in ANOTHER trio. my 5th and 6th companions in this sector.
But it´s fun. they´re both good guys and good missionaries. I wish I
was as good as Elder Silva my first week in the mission!
Also,
Last night we had a very humbling and sacred experience. I´ll tell you
on skype in a few weeks, but I definitely have a very strengthened
testimony of the power of the priesthood now. It really made me think
of the "Sanctify yourselves" mormon message. here´s the link so you
can watch it: http://www.lds.org/pages/mormon-messages?cid=HP000041&lang=eng#sanctify-yourselves
Also,
upon seeing a fellow ward member in urgent need of a priesthood
blessing, I realized a few things. I realized just how much I have come
to love the people in this ward. I realized how much I have come to
love the people in all my wards, now looking back on it. And that made
me understand just a little more just how much God loves his children.
It hurts him to see his children suffer, and his arms of mercy can be
all-enveloping if we choose to receive, see, and feel it. I always
wants to help us, and in many instances, he sends help in the form of
other people. Often times, we are those children of God who are
suffering, and we need to be humble enough to ask for and/or accept the
help that God sends us through other people. Even more often, we need
to be those people that God sends to help the suffering. We must always
be willing and looking for ways so serve and help other people. God
hopes and expects that we always we worthy and willing to lift those
that have fallen, to encourage those who are downtrodden, and
especially as priesthood holders, worthy and willing to bless the lives
of those in need through the power of God. We must always keep
ourselves worthy. “Be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord,”
says Isaiah. And as Joshua says, and as I know is true, for I have seen
it, "Sanctify yourselves: For tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among
you."
I love you.
Elder Cole Moffat
