Go Astonish Someone (8/4/14)

Dear Family and Friends,

This has been a crazy, awesome week. We just had MLC yesterday and it was another 6 hours of revelation and spiritual goodness. The focus for the month is on quality teaching. President Barrientos and the APs have done a really good job in getting us all ready to present our trainings on Thursday. President really wants us to instill in the missionaries a desire to baptize. There is so much that is required of us as leaders, missionaries and as members of the church in general. Some times we may feel overwhelmed with all that we have to do, but our Heavenly Father has provided the way for us to be relieved from any and all stress that we may go through. That way is the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I know that the burdens that we are called to bear in this life will not be lifted completely from us, for that would defeat the purpose of this life. But because of the Atonement those burdens will serve to refine us and will not crush us. It we will yoke ourselves unto Christ and live His gospel, he will help us through all that we go through. President Barrientos' first training was helping us understand why as missionaries it is so important to understand and access the Atonement. When we understand and have access to the atonement, we will be able to help others do so to, which will lead them to baptism and fulfill the plan of salvation. I cannot describe here all  that I learned but the things that I learned have help me see what things I need to change in my life to have better access to the Atonement. I know that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is the way that we can return to live with our Heavenly Father again. Our Savior Jesus Christ went through unspeakable pain and suffering so that all who will come unto him may have the gift of eternal life.

Pinili is still doing well. Sher has gone almost 2 weeks now living the word of wisdom. He had a slight relapse and smoked 1/4 of a cigarette, so we are really focusing all of our lessons on the Atonement and repentance. I know that all of the progress that he has made is because of the Atonement. There is no other way that any of us could change our lives for the better. The whole situation of the Aqu family has gotten so much better and I love to see them close again as a family. That is the power of the Atonement in action. 

We found some new less actives this week. Actually, we taught them for the first time this week, but we have known where they are for a while. They live really far away, have been less active for over 10 years and almost all of them say that they are part of different religions now. But when we taught to Jul and his sister, Gem, Juli was very attentive and we could tell that he could feel that Spirit testifying to him again that the Gospel was restored through the prophet Joseph Smith. We hope to get out to them again in the coming weeks so we can keep helping them on the path back to all of the blessings that come from full activity in the church. 

Just to close out, the title of this email was the commitment of President Barrientos to all of the Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders. We are to go out and teach by the Spirit in a way that the people who we teach will recognize that the authority by which we teach is from God, just as Jesus Christ taught. We have a great responsibility and privilege to take the gospel to all the world and the Lord is counting on all of us. Our Savior has set the example and we are to become like him. I know that He lives and He loves us all. Of all the things I have learned on my mission, the Atonement is the one I have learned the most and experienced the most. I know that it is the power of God unto the salvation of his children and we all have a part in it. Let us cheerfully do all that we can and then stand still with confidence that we will see the hand of the Lord in all things. Thanks for all of your love and support! 

Love,

Elder R Wood