We have had a great week here in Talavera. We got to visit Lucy!!! We haven't heard from her in a couple of weeks and started to get worried but we got in contact with her and we visited with her and she came to church. It was one of the highlights of our week. We have moved her baptismal date but she continues to progress and form relationships with the other people at church.
I have been asked about the man who jumped out of his car to talk with us, from my letter a couple weeks ago. The answer is that I have no idea. He has not contacted us and has yet to pick up his phone. I pray that one day we will be able to get in contact.
This week we went and met with Manuel who has been investigating for about a year and he bore his testimony to us of his testimony of Jesus Christ it was really one of the most powerful moments that I have been able to experience. As we talked of our Savior the Spirit bore testimony of what he was saying to the point where he asked us "Do you feel that? His Spirit is here with us". It really was to the point of almost being tangible. I am so grateful for that experience that the Lord gave to me. I am so grateful for the time that the Lord has given me to serve Him. There really is no greater blessing that I could have at this time than to serve Him because He is so close.
We had a visit from Elder Moreida of the Seventy. It was an amazing conference. One of the things that he taught us were the fruits of repentance. There are five changes that we must make 1 change in habit, 2 change in thought, 3 change in belief, 4 change in attitude, 5 change in behavior. As a missionary I love to teach people about repentance because of the joy that it brings into their lives. I know that joy because I have seen it in the lives of those around me but more importantly because I have felt it in my life. As we make the changes in our lives that we need to make the Lord steps in and covers the rest.
Elder Moreida then proceeded to shake the mission sharing with us the experience that Jesus Christ had in the Garden of Gethsemane. We talked of how Jesus Christ prostrated himself before the Father and was completely at his command. He in fact went on to talk about the importance of being slaves to God, doing absolutely everything that he commands us to do. The word slave pricks at our pride. It is associated with derogatory things, but if we really think about it what is a slave. Someone who is indebted for some reason or another to someone else and must do all that they are asked to do. While we are not forced by God to be his slaves we must subject ourselves to His will and serve Him with all of our heart, might, mind, and strength. It was a principle that rattled my heart and Spirit. Do I subjugate my will completely to the Father? No, but as I proceed learning how to do that, step by step, one day in the far future I will be able to enter into his presence, thanks to my Savior who did what I nor any man has been able to do and descend below all things according to the will of the Father, and I can receive forgiveness for the mistakes and rebellion against God. This is not a message of sadness but one of hope. It is meant to give us understanding as being "less than the dust of the earth" but also the hope that as we call upon the name of Christ we will be forgiven. I love my Savior for what he did for me, for my family, and for those that I am privileged to teach and love.
I love you all,
Elder Gustafson
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