Hola a todos!Â
Just finishing up my 3rd week as a tech elder and I've said it once, I've said it twice, I'll say it a million times I have no idea what I'm doing. But hey, I have more idea of what I'm doing than about 3 weeks ago, and I can fix some basic problems, so lets go! We're starting to shifting our focus from the tech work over to the area since a lot of the complications and problems from transfers are over. We've been visiting a bunch if less actives, passing by old friends, shouting out messages, and we can kind of see the effects!
One of our friends, Andrés, had apparently ghosted us for a long time on whatsapps, but all of the sudden he dtarted sending us messages again! However he was recently in the hospital and so we were unable to meet with him. But at the end if this week he was fully discharged and he told us he would love to meet with us next week in the morning! He used to have a baptismal date in the past, so this is especially exciting. Can't wait to teach him!Â
We also had an opportunity to teach English twice! Once in a big classroom setting, and the second time was privately with two young girls and their mother. It was funny though, because the girls already speak FANTASTIC English and i would've have noticed it wasn't their first language if I didn't know. They are not members and are not interested in the gospel (yet) but the mom did ask us for a priesthood blessing the next time we came around, so that will be very cool.
Sorry lately the emails have been a little boring. We don't teach as much in my other areas, and so there aren't nearly as many cool experiences. I'm just doing a lot of the office work and making sure the mission is running smoothly. But I did have time to do my personal studied this week and I found something I thought was pretty cool. I was reading this week in the Bible, and I'm starting to get to the end of the gospels where Christ begins wrapping up His mission here on the earth. I read about His Last Supper, His final teachings to His Apostiles, and ultimately His suffering in the Garden of Gestemane. He was "in agony" while suffering for the sins of mankind, but, thankfully and joyously, He was able to overcome it completely. It was very powerful and I am always grateful when I re-read these events to understand them better and read with greater focus, but I was shocked to find a verse in John that I don't recall ever reading. In chapter 18 it says: "Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he...As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground." As I read that, I thought, "simply by confirming and testifying of who He was, they were struck by power and fell backwards." It's a great reminder of the strength that is within Christ's name. Imagine in that moment how those men must have felt in the presence of the Man who had just atoned for every sin that there ever was, and then have Him testify, "I am Jesus." The power and Spirit that would have filled you in that moment would have been elecrifying, all because of a name. In the Church, we always do things in the name of Christ. We forgive, we repent, we pray, we bless, and we serve all in the name of Christ. And why? it's because there is power in His name. I've learned as time has gone on in my mission that the name of Jesus Christ truly is sacred and powerful. After all He has done for us, I could never NOT reverence Him and His name. Through Him, EVERYTHING is possible. Salvation, ordinances, and the ability to return back to our heavenly home is accomplsihed through what He has done for us. So yes, we should reverence the name of Christ, because it is powerful, and He is powerful.Â
¡Cristo vive! ¡El Libro de Mormón es verdadero!Â
¡Os amo!Â
Elder RitterÂ
Fotos:
Pictures from last pday in Retiro Park
