Transfer 5 Week 6

Ok wow we had a busy week and a busy day. It really helps the time pass by when you're busy. So one of my goals is to constantly be working throughout this next transfer, and the next 16 months as well haha.

This week we started teaching a new friend from Mexico, her name is Yahritza and she asks the best questions and is so sincere about her desire to learn more. She hasn't had it easy in the past but she is a woman of great faith and has seen blessings in her life despite the difficulties she's endured. It was really a blessing to be able to teach her and we have another lesson with her tomorrow.

Also we went on a hike for P-DAY today; it was a lot of fun! Someone said that it was 6 miles round trip. I didn't really notice until afterwards how tired my legs got though. Geezer I used to be in such good shape:( haha I'm not doing to bad in reality, but anyways this hike was very beautiful and we enjoyed the views from the top.

Recently something didn't really go my way, at first I was kind of bitter about it. Wow, so self centered of me right? But over time I'm starting to realize that everything happens for a reason and that God has a plan and knows what we need more than we do. It's funny too because the night before it happened we shared a video called "the will of God" with some members, and it talked about how God would sometimes cut us down so that we could grow to become something even better in the end. I also listened to a talk by Elder David A. Bednar called "The Character of Christ" from an MTC devotional (it's about an hour long, but if any of you would like to listen to it, let me know and I'll send it to you next p-day). In this talk Elder Bednar spoke on how Christ turned outwards toward other people and never turned inward even during the hardest parts of his ministry. I am learning a lot of things out here on my mission and I hope I can learn to do that too. As you can see though I still have a ways to go Haha

Spiritual thought: in this talk Elder Bednar also talked about the difference between having a Testimony and being converted into the Lord. He said a testimony is what you know to be truth by the witness of the Holy Ghost. But a testimony is not enough, we need to be truly converted, and conversion is consistently being true to what you know. Conversion is not just having a testimony, but being willing to act upon the things you know. Go out and become converted, serve others as Christ did and love God with all your heart, might, mind, and strength and love your neighbor as yourself. Don't just know these things, go out and live them.

Well everyone I love you all and I miss you a lot. Things are well here so don’t worry about me; I even got an ICEE for 98 cents. 

One thing, if you could pray for William, he is a wonderful brother we know who's going through a hard time but he has the best attitude about it. I was blown away when we found out how well he was dealing with his challenges. He could use prayers though, thank you all and see you next week :)

-Elder Golden