In that Gospel Principles class, several new converts,
like Andres, shared very nice experiences. The whole Insfrán family
finally came!! I´ll be happy to hear about their baptism in the coming
weeks. We have a lesson with them tonight, and like you said, I have a
lot of goodbyes to do. I didn´t cry during my last testimony, but I
almost did while playing the last hymn "God Be with you till We Meet
Again," which I requested.
Now everyone wants me to come by their house and say
goodbye. We´ll see what we have time for. I also have mostly planned
how I am going to pack things, so I´ll be fine there. There are 8
missionaries going home with me, but only two others will be with all
the way to Salt Lake.
Everyone keeps asking me how feel, and I honestly
don´t feel much differently yet. But, the best word to describe it would
be grateful. The experiences have been unforgettable, the Paraguayans
are more than welcoming, and Heavenly Father has always been with me to
help me learn and grow.
I think that´s something very important in order to
feel at peace at the end of the mission, being grateful. It has also
helped to be obedient--I don´t have any guilt nagging at me. Above all, I
have tried to give my all to the Lord and to his work. That´s the key.
You can´t be a successful missionary if one foot is still at home and one is
in the mission. And above all, I have stayed focus on the most amazing
miracle I have seen in these two years--Conversion.
Conversion means that someone makes their own
decision to follow Christ and change their life to be more like His. And
that´s why we´re here. That´s why they gave me a name-tag and flew me
all the way from Utah for two years, to help the process of
Conversion--giving people access to the Atonement.
That´s why it´s so important to stay focused on
baptism. There are a lot of misconceptions in the church about
missionary work, especially when it comes to baptism. Before the
mission, I thought I was coming out here to help people live better
lives, and if they didn´t get baptized, oh well. Now I understand that
if they don´t get baptized, the changes they have made will most likely
not have eternal significance. It´s like a hospital. The nurse that
brings food to the patients will make them feel better for a few
moments, but only the surgeon will help them make the permanent changes
that they need. We are instruments in that surgery, and sometimes it´s
tough. We need to work hard and be clear so that the people can
understand the importance of repenting now. Everyone needs to understand
in the first visit that our goal is to help them get baptized, because
waiting longer will probably create confusion.
And above all, baptizing is just a very happy thing.
The people I love and remember most are my converts, and I am so
grateful to have helped them. I recognize that many great missionaries
work hard and don´t bring many people into the waters of baptism.
Finding and teaching are noble efforts, and I know I have laid the
foundation for many people who were baptized after I left, which is
great. But our focus always needs to be on baptism and confirmation, and
it is urgent because it is of eternal importance! Salvation is so
important, and we need to do the work the way Christ would.
That´s another thing I have tried to do, always live
like Christ would. I know I need to continue doing that for these last
days, because I have to keep up the good reputation of the church. So,
once again, I am very grateful to all of you for your support, and I
will see you soon!
-Elder Morgan the much Older
P.S.
I do have two food requests: Krispy Kreme donuts and those layered
graham-cracker and caramel bars. I don´t know if you remember them, but
they are pretty similar to alfajors. I´ll explain more when I get back.
