#notananimallover

I am obsessed with the Book of Mormon videos (I told my baby brother Blake that last week, and he called me out for being so late to the game). THEY ARE SO GOOD, and it helps me to remember that what we read in the scriptures isn't just pretty experiences but literal stories of real people and their trials, dreams, miracles, and testimonies.

Reading/watching Nephi's story (a prophet in the beginning of the Book of Mormon) has helped me to understand how I can better trust and act on the spirit's guidance in my own life.

While traveling in the wilderness for many years, the Lord comforted the family of Lehi and Nephi by reminding them...

1 Nephi 17

13 I will be your light in the wilderness, and I will prepare the way before you if it so be that you shall keep my commandments. Wherefore, inasmuch as you shall keep my commandments, you shall be led towards the promised land, and you shall know that it is by me that you are led.

Though Nephi and his family suffered great affliction and sacrifice, they eventually were led to a land better than they could have imagined and truly "prospered in the land."

The Lord's promise still remains. He is our "light" in a darkened world. He "prepares the way before" us through modern-day prophets, personal revelation, scripture, and His church. His commandments are our instruction/spiritual GPS so we can "be led towards the promised land." We will know "that it is by [Him] that [we] are led" through the gift of the Holy Ghost.

One of my most favorite things about the mission is that I am able to focus on and strengthen my relationship with each individual in the Godhead (God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit). Recently, I have focused on how I can better follow the whisperings of the Spirit to become a better instrument in the Lord's hands.

While reading/watching Nephi's experiences and reflecting on my own personal experiences of following the spirit, I have realized that acting on spiritual impressions takes us out of our comfort zone so that we become more than average. God did not create the earth and put His children here so that we become mediocre. He wants us to achieve our godly potential.

The spirit will always guide us against the desires/comfort of the natural man, and if we continually seek to follow them, we, like Nephi, will find our purpose and be led to never-ending happiness.

Highs:

AGUSTINA GOT BAPTIZED!!!! Such a queen

GRISELL GOT BAPTIZED!!!!! AND PEDRO (her brother who was baptized 3 weeks ago) BAPTIZED HER

VICTORIA GOT BAPTIZED!!!!

PEDRO WANTS TO BE BAPTIZED

Vicente (one of my early friends who accepted baptism) sent me the most precious email ever bearing a powerful testimony. I love the mission

I got to visit Chayavientos again #blessed

I LOVE TALKING IN CHURCH and just being able to get up on the stand with just my scriptures and talk about the gospel in Spanish. WHAT A LIFE.

Patricio (recent convert) kills me with laughter

Lunch with Elders Parker and Jones 2 days in a row

Random ping pong games in the park and joining the tournaments

Zone conference!!!