A New Year And Tender Mercies

New Year's Day In Chichi

Happy New Year and 6 months for me! New Year's day is just like Christmas, nobody is to found in the streets. They are all sleeping from fireworks and parties. So where to begin this week. Yesterday the Branch President and I celebrated our birthdays. His birthday was on January 4th. The food was so good and the cake is even better when its up your nose. So After you blow out the candles on your cake, and before you're actually allowed to eat it, you have to let everyone else pick up the cake and smash it into your face. It's tradition, so you're not getting out of it no matter what! Good times in Chichi, I love it.

Happy Birthday To Us!

Loving Some Cake!

Just to let you know I ate liver this week. Not much else to say about that. Also this week I visited two different little towns that I have never been to. The trips were very interesting. I met a service group from Layton Utah; they came up to us. They were all members. They were helping with an orphanage building a school. One of the kids is waiting for his mission call. It was sweet talking to them.

One Of The Kids From Utah

So this week was all about that tiny miracles that are happening here in Chichi; tender Mercies-divine signatures of reassurance. The simple and sweet tender mercies this week have been being able to testify to almost every contact in the street and really understanding the Book of Mormon in español. This may sound crazy but the biggest tender mercy is NOT having a Baptism. This is probably the weirdest thing a servant of God will say. It is a tender mercy for these two reasons. One I want to baptize the people the Lord has prepared because not everybody is ready just yet and I have witnessed that. Number two I want to baptize someone because they truly know the church is true and not being baptized because they like me. I want to baptize someone that will stay active forever, not just baptizing for a number. To me baptism is a tender mercy; it cleanses us from head to toe and allows us the companionship of the Savior through the gift of the Holy Ghost. It is through the Holy Ghost we receive personal inspiration and that is a tender mercy. 

Which Road Should We Take?

I Just Don't Know!

This week has also been a rough one because I have had to face one thing that I truly hate doing-forgiving myself for past wrongs. I have never pleaded to the Lord with so much energy of heart for help to forgive myself and to be an instrument in his hands. Forgiving myself was one of the hardest things I have had to do but each day is easier and easier and I can feel the Atonement working through me. I know the Atonement is real and it is through the Atonement that you can accept the Savior’s forgiveness, and then forgive yourself. We have to always remember that after you have done all that you can do, that’s when the Atonement steps in and takes care of the rest. The Atonement truly shows how much Christ loves us and how much our dear Heavenly Father loves us. I do truly wonder at times how many drops of blood were spilled for me and because of me. 

Always Look Up

Families are Forever. Elder Robert D. Hales said, "The plan of the Father is that family love and companionship will continue into the eternities." We taught a family about that eternal message.  I have never felt the spirit so strong. The lesson was truly amazing. I have never loved a family so much and have never felt such true love which is the pure love of Christ. After that lesson I realized how important it is to me to have a family and how I need a family of my own. I am now more excited for marriage and to have a family. I know it will be my responsibility to raise my family based on the principles of the gospel. I know that families are forever and as The Family: A Proclamation To The World says, "The family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children." 

This Is How We Roll/Ride

Yesterday I bore my testimony in sacrament meeting; my testimony has grown so much. Every time I share my testimony I get the biggest smile on my face. This gospel is true and this is the only true church on this earth. The Book Of Mormon is true. And I testify as my own witness that Christ lives and I add my testimony to that of the Prophet Joseph Smith: “And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!” 

What I love about Mom and Dad is that they ordered the master duck call-Ducks Forever!

Love,

Elder Mcilmoil
January 6, 2014

Tortilla count this week is 35

Scriptures of the week: Doctrine and Covenants: 76:22 and Alma 34:9 

Yep, That's A Firework!