Unspotted from the World

This week was the crappiest and most miraculous week ever. Elder Frausto and I have been doing something called the ¨Purification¨ and basically it is a 40 day fast like the one Jesus did. Just as Christ fasted for 40 days from food and water, we fasted from all things worldly or things that could distract us from the work. The promise of this activity is that it will be the most difficult and most rewarding thing in your mission.

We started this Purification a little over a month ago and right off the bat it was hard. All of our investigators found excuses to not listen to us, dogs were meaner, people said and threw things more and more often, girls were more flirtatious, the members were always busy and never wanted to work with us, and it was ALWAYS freaking raining. This last week 16 straight appointments failed and every time we left with a member to teach, we couldn’t teach anybody.

I had just about had it and Elder Nogales (one of the assistants) and I were walking in silence down a huge flight of stairs when we saw a teenage girl sit down towards the bottom and start to cry. As we got closer this purification kicked right in. I not only knew what to say to her, I knew her name, age, what had happened to make her cry, I knew her parents were divorced, and all the hurt she had inside. It was absolutely amazing to experience this feeling. As I got closer I said, “Javiera, everything will be okay, I promise.” She looked at me absolutely dumbfounded and after a short conversation where I explained to her all her problems and the solutions to all of them, without her giving me any sort of information beforehand, she gladly accepted the discussions and we have an appointment with her in about an hour.

This wasn’t the only time. With my other companions, I found three other teenage girls and one man about 30 years old who were obviously sad. I knew their names, situations, and what I needed to say to them. They all cried, and one girl, Daniela, even fell to here knees and cried into my hands after I said everything the Lord needed me to say.

I testify that God is a real being who loves and knows you PERFECTLY. You matter to Him. Bad things are going to happen in this life, as it is part of the plan and the promise you accepted as a Spirit child of God. However, just as in Mathew chapter 14, the greater promise is that the hand of Christ is always extended to save us from disaster and darkness. May we strive to confide less and less in ourselves and others around us, but more and more in the hand and timing of God.

Lovingly,

Elder Aidan Rich