Elect Youth + Meeting an Apostle! (Week 65)

The weeks seem to be getting better as the transfers pass! :)

This week was a particularly marking week for several reasons. Let me fill you in! As I told you last week, we received a miracle reference from a member last week and as we visited them along the week we saw how prepared they really were for the baptism. The couple are Erica and Vitor and their children are Brendon (16), Liliana (14), Sofia (7) and Lucas (2).

Everyday we have gone there and taught another lesson. As Erica and Vitor aren't married yet, we have been working more with Brendon and Liliana. Their learning and conversion process has been incredible to see. When we taught the Word of Wisdom I made a little joke saying they couldn't eat chocolate anymore. Liliana looked visibly disappointed but said: "That's fine, I'm willing to give it up." She was relieved when I told her I was kidding but she impressed me with her willingness to do the will of God, perhaps without knowing the reason. Everyday they are reading the Book of Mormon and in one week or so, Liliana is already starting 2 Nephi. AMAZING! :D She removed her nose piercing, began changing her wardrobe and both her and her brother have shown a real desire to serve missions. They were both baptised on Sunday and it was a wonderful moment for the family. :)

This week we had the privilege to go to a fireside with Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Him and his wife gave amazing talks about families and how to live in this ever more gloomy and dark world.

Sister Renlund gave the following words of advice: "Beware of the Chicken Necks"

Now let me explain the story she told before saying that! When she and Elder Renlund moved from Salt Lake City to Maryland, they were invited to a "Crab Feast" the ward would be having. When they arrived, Sister Renlund asked how they had caught so many crabs. A brother explained that same day, they had gone to a butcher and bought lots of chicken necks. They then went out to sea, tied each chicken neck to a string and dropped them in the water where they would fall about 2 metres until hitting the sand. Slowly but surely the crabs smelt something delicious and made their way to the bait. When the crabs held on to the bait, the fishermen would slowly pull the string up. When the crabs felt danger they would release the string but the clever fishermen had a net underneath the bait waiting for them to fall into the net and later into their mouths at the ward dinner.

She then said: "If there was a booklet called 'For the Strength of Little Crabs' its contents would be very simple and very few. Beware of the chicken necks. They are not good for you! Don't go near them!" She compared the chicken necks to the many things that lure us to sin in these last days. At times it's subtle things like spending too much time on social media or going to places where the spirit can't abide. Sister Renlund said that the scriptures and the prophets warn us of many "spiritual chicken necks" and how to avoid them. If we pay close attention to the many advices contained in these sources we won't run the risk of being caught by the clever fishermen. :) It was an amazing talk!

Elder Renlund talked a lot about forgiveness, stating the parable of the King who forgave his servant the unpayable debt of 10,000 talents. This parable in Matthew 18 teaches us how we should always be willing to forgive, for Christ has forgiven our unpayable debt so long as we forgive the trespasses of others. He spoke about the joy that the saints in Rwanda felt when they took the sacrament for the first time after the government prohibited any church operation in the country. He said we should seek to feel the same joy and get the most out of the cleansing power of the Atonement each Sunday as we partake of the sacrament. He said many other things which I wrote in my diary but can't remember right now sitting in front of this screen. At the end we had the opportunity to shake his hand and exchange a few words. It was a wonderful experience which strengthened my testimony of the restored church. :)

This week we found out me and Elder King will stay companions for one more transfer, SO HAPPY! :D It means we will both be here for the wedding and baptism of Luis and Geane. Speaking of them, Geane invited us over this week to make some gnocchi. Despite the mess it caused, it ended up super delicious!

Love y'all! (I'm getting americanized by Elder King)

Elder Torres