Elder Stabenow Cancun Mexico Mission: Week 5

Wow it is amazing! I still don´t believe that on the 9th I will be going to my area, that is Hot, I will be sweating all the time, and teaching real investigators. But I am really excited, This past Sunday was Fast Sunday, and it was one of the best that I have ever had. I was pretty worried about a going out to the mission field. So there is a area at the CCM where there are a lot of trees all around, we call it the "Mini Sacred Grove". But we got to go there and start our fast. It was just so nice, and you can feel the spirit, I was on my knees and I was not really close to anyone, so I could just say the words out loud quietly. And that improved my experience so much. So I went through the next day, I stood and said my testimony in sacrament meeting, in as much Spanish as I can, I talked about how the area of the mission is not important. It is the people that are in our areas. After Sacrament Meeting, we ended our fast and I still felt the same about going out into the field. Then later that day, every Sunday we watch a devotional that happened in the Provo MTC, and we watched one with Jeffery R. Holland. He talked about how Preach My Gospel came into missionary work. And how much it changed missionary work. It was so good and right at the beginning of the Devotional he said somewhere along the lines of "I hope that I can say and teach about the right things, so that you can feel more ready for the field", and when he said that I just whispered very quietly "Oh Thank You" And he did teach and said the right things. I came out of there more committed to study the Preach My Gospel. it was so nice to receive a answer like that. I wish I studied Preach My Gospel before I came out here, but it definantly applies a lot more because I am out here.

I have come to love my district, I don´t know if it is because we are all thrown into the same situation and we are studying for most of the day in the same room. But they are great, and it will be sad to leave them soon. But I look at how I started my CCM experience, and I honestly have changed a lot already, I learned a lot about myself personally, and I believe that is how it is suppose to be. I have tried to open up to them a lot more, and lately I have been trying to talk to the Latinos. It is really fun, and very hard to just do it in Spanish. But I will improve, life is all about improving ourselves. I learned that there are many things to improve on. And as a missionary, I just keep moving forward, having faith in Christ, and put in my part so that he can help and lift me up. Ether 12:27, it is a very popular scripture, but it was the one that actually made me realize with all the trials and hardships I was having, was going to be alright. And there are so many scriptures in the Book of Mormon, that actually talk about coming unto Christ and how he makes us strong. I have grown to love the Book of Mormon because it is so personal, and it will give you personal revelation in your life. And we need the Book of Mormon to be a constant in our lives. Think about all the years of stories, and lives given into writing that book, and all the things that the learn, and testify of. It´s the most important book, and I know all that time spent writing and lives given for that book, was for each one of us in the Latter Days. I love it, and we can all find peace in it. Study it, Love it, and Keep It In Your Heart. And you will always find a answer. I have changed so much in my life because of it. And I have changed so much studying it on my mission, it would be weird to go home now, so imagine how I am going to act 23 months from now. I love this gospel, and being here has testified of it´s truthfulness in my life. Don´t worry our Heavenly Father is a loving and knowing Father, Trust in him.

Elder Stabenow