Elder John Mcilmoil : Remember Lot's Wife And Where Can I Turn For Peace

Welcome To Huehue

Tortillas for the week:15

Where should I start this week, Saturday was dia de los muertos (day of the dead) and Huehue was dead, not literally but there was no one in the street. It was strange. I bought a traditional food that is 100 qtz and 100 qtz is a truck load of money, it was worth it, it was so good. This food is called fiambre (it is basically a salad served with over 50 ingredients) and you can only get it on November 1st and that is it, so of course I had to get it and try it, seriously who would pass that experience up.

Look Who I Ran Into In Huehue!

The Book Of Mormon Will Change Your Life

Anyway we had so many things happen this week; I hope I can remember everything. We had a meeting with President Smith and the Stake President and wow was it cool. President Smith shared something’s well I should say revelation he had received, and was it amazing. I just felt and knew what he said the Lord was speaking through him. It was incredible experience.

My Halloween Celebration

We had dinner with Josue on Tuesday night. We had taco with a truck load of meat, it was so good. I pray that we can continue to have a positive influence on him. Anyway earlier we had an amazing experience where I know the Lord does truly answer prayers. We were contacting and I asked my comp have you contacted this neighborhood and he said yes. I then asked did you have any success and he said no. I looked at our agenda to see how much time we had which wasn’t until 6. Needless to say all of our other appointments had fallen though. It was about 5 and so I said lets go with the plan (appointment) we have at 6 which was with a member. I wouldn’t normally suggest that but I just felt like we needed to go early, all I can say it was Heavenly Father’s will that everything fell through so we could go to this member’s home at 5 instead of 6. We knocked on the door and she had a friend over who was also a member. We start talking to both of them which then turned into a lesson. I don’t remember exactly what I said but it was something along these lines, life isn’t always easy being a member of the true church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Life wasn’t easy for Him why would it be easy for us. Then came the answer to the prayer, we didn’t go to this appointment for the member but for the friend who was suffering. We were the answer to her prayers. I pull out my Bible and ask if she remembers the story of Lot’s wife. They all said yes, and so I asked what happened. They respond by saying Lot’s wife looked back and she was turned into a pillar of salt. I said exactly. I said let’s read what the Savior cautioned in Luke 17:32, “Remember Lot’s wife.” I then asked what does the Savior mean by “Remember Lot’s wife?” And just what did Lot’s wife do that was so wrong? With the Lord’s counsel ringing in her ears “look not behind thee” she turned and looked anyway. She just wasn’t looking back she was looking back with her heart and longing to go back. With her looking back with her heart she was saying Lord, I don’t trust thee, there is nothing to look forward to in the future. I want to back where life was good. She doubted the Lord’s ability to give her something better than she already had. She had zero faith. The Lord is cautioning us to beware of attachment to the past outweighed our confidence in the future. We need to have faith in the Lord’s plan for us. I shared my experience of looking back. I told them how I have been looking back to San Antonio, that I have yearned to go back. I have learned through reading the account of Lot’s wife the Lord was teaching me that I was sinning. He was teaching me to have faith and to trust in Him and his plan for me. I shared with them that I’m changing that today and I’m no longer going to look back. I’m going to look ahead and believe in good things to come. I looked at the member’s friend and I could see tear marks. She said oh thank you Elders, thank you, you don’t know how much you have said means to me. She shared a little bit of what is going on in her life. She opened up to some of the pain she was experiencing. I felt her pain, and her cry to Heavenly Father, the same cry Joseph Smith the prophet poured out to the Lord in Liberty Jail, ““O God, where art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place? How long shall thy hand be stayed…?” She shared with us that she has talked to her bishop and his counsel to her was don’t look back. Then she said you have given me the same direction. I feel as if the Lord is speaking unto me. I knew He is talking to her, He is saying hija mia, paz a tu Alma (my daughter peace unto thy soul). My companion also shared some incredible words, he said I testify that angles are still sent to help us, on both sides of the veil, He has sent us to teach you. Then we ended with this, there was a night so long ago, where the Savior Jesus Christ went unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. Then saith he unto them, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.” And he went a little further and prayed. He cried out in all loneliness isn’t there an easier way but the Father had to stay his hand as he watched his perfect son suffer in ultimate loneliness as he said, “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. (Mathew 26) Our Savior Jesus Christ overcame everything and now He stands at the gate with a smile and His arms out reached and saying Come Unto Me. I love you wherever you are and whatever struggles and adversities you are experiencing. He tells us “Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.” (Doctrine and Covenants 6:36) Then we sang ‘Where Can I Turn For Peace.” I just love this hymn

Where can I turn for peace?

Where is my solace

Where, when my aching grows,

Where, when I languish,

Where, in my need to know, where can I run?

Where is the quiet hand to calm my anguish?

Who, who can understand?

He, only One.

I love the words who can understand, HE, THE ONLY ONE. I testify He understands. I can’t count how many times I have cried out in pain, saddened, despair wondering who understands. I know He does through many experiences. Elder Bednar says, “There is no physical pain, no spiritual wound, no anguish of soul or heartache, no infirmity or weakness you or I ever confront in mortality that the Savior did not experience first. In a moment of weakness we may cry out, “No one knows what it is like. No one understands.” But the Son of God perfectly knows and understands, for He has felt and borne our individual burdens. And because of His infinite and eternal sacrifice He has perfect empathy and can extend to us His arm of mercy. He can reach out, touch, succor, heal, and strengthen us to be more than we could ever be and help us to do that which we could never do relying only upon our own power. Indeed, His yoke is easy and His burden is light.” I also testify of the words shared by Elder Bednar, in the mission I have never felt such great burden but such lightness, I know His hand lightened my load. He lives, oh what sweet the joy this sentence gives.

Instant Nacho Cheese Sauce

Not Sure About This

On Sunday we went to a member’s house and met some family members that don’t live in Huehue. As we talked with them I have never had such a humble lesson in my life. I’m learning to understand that humility brings a powerful spirit. To hear my comp speak with such humility was a very powerful experience especially for me, the hot shot who just loves to end the lesson with the home run testimony or something like that but now I don’t even care about that, all I try and do is to speak form the heart. And that is what happened during this lesson. As we taught from our hearts the family members who said I will never ever change from my church said yes we will pray and ask God to see if these things are true. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to teach and testify of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.