Beuno Tardes,
What a good week in Tapachula! So the "winter"
finally ended here, meaning that it went from 80 degrees to 90 degrees. For
some reason this week was ridiculously hot. They rarely have a thing called
overcast, which I now appreciate more than ever. I think Washington probably has
the best climate on earth…so yeah.
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| Here is my desk, featuring my Ferrari Book and Elsa and Anna. |
This week we somehow got 14 new investigators!! The past two
weeks we only got 3 and 5 new ones so that is a lot. My companion was freaking
out over it!! A miracle and I know it. Maybe it’s because it is so hot here.
Who knows. We worked really hard this week and I think that’s why. This week we
had an interesting experience with some Missionaries from Jehovah witness. They
somehow found our house and told us they admired our spreading our gospel, then
they went on to share their beliefs with us and we didn’t want to start arguing
with them, so we just nodded our heads and said ok. I think we should have a
soccer game between the Jehovah witness missionaries and our missionaries. It
would be very one sided cause because we are so much younger.
Meal of the week: This week the best meal we had was at
Hermana Leo's Casa. She served us white rice!! And some stew with beef, very American.
Oh and then she gave us ICE CREAM!!! YESSS! I’ve been craving ice cream since I
got here. It was so good to put something so cold that tasted so good in my
mouth. So I was very happy about that.
I also discovered that the oranges are different here. They aren’t
orange. They are kind of green and brown with a hint of orange. They taste the
same though. But the people eat them different here. They peel them roughly
with a knife and then cut them in half. Then they pour some weird spice on it,
then they suck the juice out and really don’t eat the orange. So I showed them
the American way, and peeled it with my hands and ate them by the slice. They
were in awe!
So on Saturday Elder Prows got sick and we stayed home the
whole day. I watched like 7 church movies. And had plenty of time to think.
So I came up with my own parable.
THE PARABLE OF THE ICE BATH
So as a Missionary we walk a lot! And all that walking makes
my feet soar after a long day of tracting. So a few days ago I decided to take
an ice bath for my feet. As I was slipping my feet into the ice bath it was
shockingly cold, but as time passed my feet became numb and the water started
to gradually warm. At one point, I couldn’t even notice that my feet were in
the water. I would like to apply this to our lives. Do not let yourself be
numbed to the waters of temptation. Do not lower the bar of your standards just
because everyone else is doing it, or because that movie only has a few sexual
scenes, or just because that song only has a few swear words. Do not let
yourself warm to the waters of temptation of the world. As you say to yourself
oh it’s just a little sin, Satan has already started to wrap cords around you
and if you keep up this attitude those cords will soon be strong chains. The
only way to stop the spiritual numbing of our souls is through the Gospel of
Jesus Christ, or a dry suit. "Be in the world, not of the world." Your
testimony and faith in Jesus Christ are what keep us dry from the waters of
temptation. As we attend church every week and attend the Temple, we are
lifting our feet out of the waters of temptation. And as we read the scriptures
and say our prayers, we are adding cubes of ice to that water to keep it cold
and foreign to us. If your spiritual dry suit has leaks, patch them with repentance
through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Do not become comfortable or tolerate
temptation or sin and remember that trials are here to lift us up and not bring
us down, "remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our redeemer...
that we must build our foundation." Do not let yourself be numbed to the
waters of temptation.
So that’s my spiritual thought for the week. I have really stated
to read the scriptures in depth, and find them far more interesting than I ever
did before. I am so thankful to be here serving our savior.
Miss you all!
Love,
Elder Pugmire
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