MAY 21, 2018

Dónde está mi gente? (Where my people at?)

This week I had interchanges, we met President Laney´s family (my mission president) in the chapel, and we also spent the morning with them playing soccer. So it was a pretty interesting week.

I went with an elder in my district named É Cam. He is super funny, he's a convert from four years back, and is of Chinese descendence, but is Peruvian. He is the Housing Secretary of the Mission. 

So a crazy story from this week, is that some members from Bucaramanga moved to Nogal about eight months ago. The mom of the family bought clothes and used the internet in a store a few times and became friends with the lady who runs the store, and the lady that runs the store is the one that stopped us while I was fasting. So, it ends up that the member lady went again this week, and some way or another they got to talking about us! And so the lady from the store figured out that the lady from Bucaramanga is a member, and the member ended up bringing her whole family to church this Sunday. And that all happened without us knowing about it, until they got to the chapel. Great member missionary work!

I was talking with another person this week about how much confusion the Book of Mormon brings, and how the Bible is where people get a clear idea of the Doctrines of the Gospel. I just answered him with the typical, yet true answer -- "How many churches are there that use the Bible, and why do all of these different churches have different doctrines and names and practices. If in Ephesians 4 it says that there is only one Lord, one faith, one baptism".  Just another great reminder that The Book of Mormon is the key to knowing the truths of the Gospel. I have spent quite a bit of time as a missionary, and after all the time, and all of the arguments that I've heard, after talking with Pastors from every imaginable church, I have the security that I belong to the correct church on the earth. 

I bear my testimony this week on The Book of Mormon. Its purpose is pretty simple, and helps many people who claim The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints to be a cult that does not belief in Christ, and many people who don't believe in Him, and many others who do believe in Him but are lost in a sea of false doctrines and obscureness, to come unto to Him.

TheBook of Mormon

An Account Written by the Hand of Mormonupon Plates Taken from the Plates of Nephi

Wherefore, it is an abridgment of the record of the people of Nephi,   and also of the Lamanites—Written to the Lamanites, who are a remnant of the house of Israel; and also to Jew and Gentile—Written by way of commandment, and also by the spirit of prophecy and of revelation—Written and sealed up, and hid up unto the Lord, that they might not be destroyed—To come forth by the gift and power of God unto the interpretation thereof—Sealed by the hand of Moroni, and hid up unto the Lord, to come forth in due time by way of the Gentile—The interpretation thereof by the gift of God.

An abridgment taken from the Book of Ether also, which is a record of the people of Jared, who were scattered at the time the Lord confounded the language of the people, when they were building a tower to get to heaven—Which is to show unto the remnant of the house of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever—And also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations—And now, if there are faults they are the mistakes of men; wherefore, condemn not the things of God, that ye may be found spotless at the judgment-seat of Christ.

TRANSLATED BY JOSEPH SMITH, Jun.

Bold and italics are added by me. And a scripture found in 2nd Nephi 25:26, around 550 years before the coming of our lord Jesus Christ.

26 And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins. 

I know he lives. And The Book of Mormon is the clearest witness I have in my life of His power and love.

Elder Tracy