Visit from Elder Russell M. Nelson

     Wow what a week! i hope everyone had a great week! This week we had the privilege of having Elder Russell M. Nelson here in Nicaragua. We had both the missions in Nicaragua under the same roof and it was pretty awesome. I loved hearing from the voice of a servant of the Lord. i truly feel like he is a Prophet. I love hearing their testimonies and how much they love the Lord. Many times we think the Lord will bless us in huge ways, with the heavens opening up and angels singing from on high. but i know that the Lord does not work in this way. 

     I know that many times when we are in dire need he gives us exactly what we NEED. and not exactly what we WANT. I have a firm testimony and trust in the Lord and His wisdom. Remember always that His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. So trust in Him and know that even if we dont see blessings right away does not mean that hes not blessing us. it just means that he is trying our patience and our faithfulness. I love you all and am grateful for the many prayers that have been said on my behalf, i really can feel the love you have for me. May the Lord bless you all and guide you in the paths of righteousness.

Danitza

     This last week i was laid up with my companion for half the week because he has a hurt knee right now. apparently we work too hard (said the doctor) and we need to walk less (HA!). But we did have a baptism this last weekend! Her name is Danitza. She is pretty much a single mom who is very poor and has a little stand where she sells chips and candies for children and other things. i was really humbled as i got to know her and teach her and promise her the blessings of the gospel as well. One sunday, we came by her house to bring her to the church at first she said she couldnt come because she just had too many problems in her life, as she explained her story and what was going on she began to cry. in this moment i felt a great love and compassion for her and testified of the divinity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the power of His Infinite Atonement. 

     I know that when the Lord promises us blessings when we obey that he keeps his promises and blesses us with more that we need. Just as we read in Mosiah 2:22-23. also we can find his promises in verse 40 of the same chapter. After this day i have seen that the lord has blessed her. now her little store is doing a lot better and has more product. i know that as she continues to keep the commandments that she will prosper, and she will be blessed not just temporally but spiritually as well. Read the scriptures, seek what the lord requires of us and what he wants to bless us with. As we search with real intent and sincerity, the lord will guide us to Life Eternal. I hope and pray you will all stay faithful and believe in Christ. Everyone have a great week! I love you all!

Guided By the Holy Ghost

     I hope everyone is well and that you all had a wonderful week. This last week was a little interesting. My companion had to do a lot of interviews so i was left in the area with a priest from the branch i serve in right now which was really fun. one day we decided that we didnt want to pay for a taxi so we walked to our next appointment 2 kilometers away. i said it would take us 40 minutes to get there and my comp said it would take 30. so we walked and walked and walked and made it in 30 minutes time. just so you know how big my area is and our only mode of transportation, our feet.
     This week i found myself in many situations where i needed the spirit of the Lord with me. Had I not had the Spirit, i would not have been able to teach as effectively as i did. Many times we find ourselves wondering how we can obtain the spirit in our lives or how we know he is guiding us. many times i ask myself the same question. but i always remember a talk that i heard once by Elder Bednar, that if we are obedient and follow the commandments the best we can, we are worthy of the direction of the spirit.
     I testify that if we do all we can to be obedient we will be found worthy of the direction of the Holy Ghost and the happiness that comes with his presence. Study the scriptures, pray daily, and go to church. without these 3 essential parts of our lives we can in no way find spiritual guidance. If we seek, we shall find. Obedience and diligence brings happiness, no matter how difficult it is or no matter the trial. Keep fighting for whats right and seek the spirits direction in your lives. I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Transferred to Diriomo

     This week i had transfers. i am still in the same Zone but i moved to a different area called Diriomo. My companion is Elder Hernandez, from Guatemala. Hes a good missionary who spent a lot of his mission as Zone Leader but now he is just District leader here. This week was a little bit crazy with having transfers and all but we did see miracles this week at church. The past few weeks the missionaries here havent been able to complete the norm of having 6 investigators at the church. only 4 or 5. but for some reason we saw 6 come this week and we didnt even have the half of our investigators come to the church this week. my companion was very surprised. another miracle was that a couple of young women who did not want to go to church the past few weeks came this week. i think part of it was that the night before we visited them and decided to talk about the importance of the Sabbath Day. as we talked about the importance, the young women started to understand why it was necessary to go to chuch every sunday and partake of the sacrament.
     I know that if we really help the people we are teaching or the people who are investigating the church understand the importance of the sabbath day and its observance, you will see miracles happen with the people who are trying to find the truth and you are trying to bring to church. I pray for all of you. that through your obedience the Lord will continually bless you.

Seven Times Seventy

    I hope everyone had a good week! This week i just want to share an experience and the lesson that i learned or that can be learned from this experience. As we were working hard this last sunday morning to bring our investigators to the church, we went to look for one of our most positive investigators, as we arrived to his house, he was sitting out front waiting for us (as he thought we only came to share a message) as we sat down and talked with him, he told us that he couldnt make it to church because he was going to leave soon. but in the same moment he started talking about one of his problems that he was going through. turns out he was really angry at someone for what they did to him and because of this he felt he needed more time and that he couldnt come to church with us. As my companion began to explain that going to church was the best thing to do, i felt the strong impression to talk about forgiveness with him. As i talked with him about forgiveness, and shared Matthew 18, where the Lord teaches that we must forgive "even seven times seventy". As we talked, he began to share more about his situation and his resentment and growing hatred toward this person who had cheated him.
      As i talked with him i felt the impression to take him to the church and offer a prayer. when we arrived at the church and offered the prayer, we saw that his whole demeanor had changed, his heart had softened and his faith and trust in the Lord had been strengthened. I know now that through his faith and his willingness to forgive himself and the other person, his testimony and love for the Lord Jesus Christ grew. There are two lessons we can learn from this esperience, first, is the miracle of forgiveness. As we root out the spirit of contention from our breasts we can feel the peace and tranquility that comes with allowing the Holy Ghost to dwell and become part of our hearts. I can testify of the wonder of forgiveness and that through finding forgiveness we can also find peace and love. When we have peace and love in our hearts the Lord can guide us through our difficulties and challenges.
       Lesson two, that only in the Lords house can we find a safe refuge from the distractions, temptations, and evil spirits of Satan and the World. As human beings, we are subject to and prey to the whims of the world, we are spiritually sick. when we become sick physically, where do we go? to the hospital! As well, our spiritual selves need the nourishment, care, and medicine, that we can only find inside the Lords house. Always obey the sabbath, for this day was made for us. As the scripture says "the sabbath was made for man and not man for the sabbath." I hope and pray that you will always have the desire to change and become better and more perfected in Christ. I hope that my messages strengthen and uplift your spirits and testimonies. As a servant of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I testify His power and divinity. In His name, Amen. Have a great week!