Monday, March 10, 2014

Practice makes perfect

Last week my good friend and companion Elder Brito was transferred. I´m going to write out his conversion story because it´s amazing. He has taught me so much about the Savior´s mercy. He has taught me about never giving up on someone, instead of condemning them for their problems, looking for ways to help them. 
Now, I´m with another Brazilian; Elder Gonçalves. He´s a new missionary with just 6 weeks, I´m finishing his training here. He´s very fiery and great desire to work hard. President says that when he met him, he reminded him of me, also my height. He´s ready to run as fast as I want, so we begin running from 6:30am we are on our feet literally running to 9:00pm when we come in crawling with nothing left. We talk to everyone. We are happy and full of humor and the spirit. We have great desires to be exactly obedient. We want to completely submit our will to the Lords will and do His work. We are upheld by His grace.
I love what you shared about the Saviors Grace. I love your stories of sharing time. I want to apply them here. (I find most of the people to be child-like, it´s a good thing) I have found the Saviors Grace, to be the presence of His Power. It´s not just the light at the end of the tunnel, it´s the light that carries us through the tunnel. It´s not the booster that kicks in after our engines are exhausted, it´s what gives our engines capability to thrust us forward. I read in an Ensign once it related to that of a mother paying for the child take piano lessons. Because the mother pays the debt, and pays it in full, she can ask the child to do something, what is it?
Practice
This practice doesn´t pay the piano teacher, nor does it pay back the mom. The moms joy is not in being repaid it´s seeing her child use this gift to be transformed into something great. 
Christ paid for our sins, sorrows, sicknesses, worries, and weaknesses entirely and completely. That doesn´t mean that we don´t have to do anything, it means we have an opportunity to use this gift or in other words ´practice.´ His grace is the enabling and strengthening power, it´s what transforms us to become like Him, Perfect. 
As a young piano player begins, he hits a lot of wrong notes and nobody says he´s not worthy or not good enough because he makes mistakes. Just as we make mistakes in our life, we should feel pain for these sins, but remember this pain isn´t for punishment or payment, it´s purpose is change. Learning Piano, is similar to learning Heaven. Never be discouraged or weighed down, His grace is sufficient to enable us to stay on the piano and keep trying. 
We have found the people here to be very kind and prepared for the gospel.  We talk to everyone and it isn´t to just do contacts. Nor is it only just to invite people to go to church. Nor is it just to attempt to find someone to teach. The reason we talk to everyone we can, is because we know that every time we open our mouths, we exercise faith. And every time we exercise faith we allow God to increase it. We invite His spirit and His mighty miracles into our lives and the lives around us. His grace enables us to open our mouths about the truth to everyone and it always makes the difference we fall short. 
Elder Daylen Pollard

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