March 24th The Atonement

This week has been awesome. We are so excited for the work, we find ourselves literally running at times from appointment to appointment. Desiring to teach as many as possible. We run down the roads with excitement. I am unable to tell our message without getting exicited. 

Here´s a photo of Gostavo and Kedson and their little sister. Who´s story I shared.

This past week we had some family nights with groups of people. One was with his family. My companion began our meeting together by pulling out 0.95 centavos, he had just enough for everyone in the room (except himself) to have a brazilian coin. He asked would you like this gift I gave you. Everyone said yes. ´Well, he can´t just give you it, someone has to pay for it. ´ I explained. I determined the price to be 20 pushups for each person. I asked Gostavo `would you like this gift?´´yes ´ he replied

´well, it need to be paid for, Elder Gonçalves will you pay for him?´ I asked´I will. ´ Elder Gonçalves responded as he got down on the floor and did 20 pushups. It was a little humorous. After I asked another the same. Elder Gonçalves did another 20, and another, and another, and another, and another, and another. By this time Elder Goçalves was panting and sweating a bunch from the exertion and the massive heat. Some asked him to stop, they felt compassion and said they didn´t want the gift. But Elder Gonçalves responded that he would still pay it for them. He was trembling unable to continue going, he fell on his face a few times.One woman cried out, ´Elder Pollard! Why can´t you help him. Step in for him. He doesn´t need to keep going. ´ But I insisted it had to be him. After all was done, I related that this moment reminded me of another. When someone much greater and a whole lot stronger fell on His face. He trembled as He paid for us. He arrived at the garden of Gethsemane, and there he fell to the ground. Because of the pain he felt. ´And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death, for behold blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people.´ (Mosiah 3:7) He suffered and paid for our sins. Not only just our sins, but our afflictions, burdens, sicknesses, stresses, not just iniquity but all inequality. There is nothing we are feeling, no trial we face, that He did not feel first. This suffering didn´t happen all at once, everyone's pain all together. Rather, he went one by one. He suffered for me. He suffered for you, just you. Just your pain and your sins. He had a moment he thought just your name, and bled just for you. ´Ánd even after all this they shall consider him a man, and say that he hath a devil, and shall scourge him, and shall crucify him.´ (Mosiah 3:9) All the pain he felt in the garden of Gethsemane, returned to Him as he hung on the cross, and He suffered it all again. At times I cry out, why him? He was perfect. He has shown nothing but love, can´t we have someone else? But it had to be Him, the only one who could have given the eternal sacrifice.

I know that these things are true, independently, I have an undeniable testimony. I know that 3 days later he rose from the dead. He lives today with a perfect and glorified body. Because He lives, so shall we. I testify that same Lord Jesus Christ, who suffered for us and died for us, appeared to Joseph Smith in 1820. I testify that our Lord has once again re-established His Church and kingdom once again on the earth. That He has once again called a prophet and 12 apostles and that He is literally the Head of This Church. It is the only church with the fullness of authority. To seal things on earth and in Heaven. 

I am His missionary, when times our tough and ask why is it so difficult, why don´t they get it? I know that all the things that existed on the earth in Christ´s time, exists today. With all the angels, visions, revelations, healings, priesthood authority, ect. Why can´t some people see that? My savior, gently reminds me, that when I ask for another way I should remember I´m not the first to ask. He once asked  if their wasn´t another way. ´father if it be thy will let this cup pass from me, nevertheless not my will, but thine be done.´ Why should  this life be easy for us, when it was never, ever easy for Him? 

The joy I have felt on this mission, is far greater than anything I´ve ever had. I´ve never been happier or more uplifted. I am carried by His infinite atonement.  In His name I bear my witness, Jesus Christ, Amen. 

Love you all!