A beloved friend and mentor once shared with me that the journey of life is like a slow, difficult path through a dense forest. You move forward, trusting the map or compass, or whatever instrument it might be that is guiding you. You trust that you are actually heading towards your goal. And occasionally, the trees part and the forest opens into a beautiful meadow or a soaring mountain view, and you know, because you can see clearly, that you are on the right track. But, as he taught me, FAITH--the source and power behind all that we can do in this life--is in the forest. I´m realizing that the longer and more dense the forest, the more beautiful and awe-inspiring those occasional, brief glimpses.
This week I had the priviledge of talking with my family by telephone. It left me grateful, and excited, maybe a LITTLE homesick, but most of all, rejuvinated with an understanding of WHY we do what we do as missionaries. I was able to learn about their lives and about the blessing brought to them by the gospel in their families and jobs and relationship. I was able to feel those deep, unbreakable bonds of love and happiness that continue in spite of difficulty or sorrow, or 2 years of being a world apart. A loving family, arms latched in cooperation toward a common goal, and heads bowed in respect toward a mutually loving and infinitely blessing God, has blessed my life and my mission and certainly, my eternity. So, I want to thank you, my family and friends, and hope that you can all continue doing those little things that add REAL depth to any relationship: Family Home Evening, family prayer, family scripture study. Or, if the family situation isn´t perfect (I know mine wasn´t), do the best you can in whatever situation with which God has blessed you.
That is the message we take to between 100 and 135 Paraguayans that we contact every week. Right now, we are teaching 5 of them that have a Baptismal date and many others that are working towards that goal. Cynthia is 14 years old, and very sweet and humble. Her father is strict, though loving, and as a result she is disciplined, studious, and considerate. Every morning, everyone in their family rises at 6:30 to study or do chores, a pretty stark contrast from the majority of Paraguayan´s that sleep until 9 or 10 and then again during the Siesta after lunch. Anyhow, we found her father sitting out in the front yard drinking Tedede (like Mate but cold...I think that´s how you spell it) about 3 weeks ago and talked to him about the gospel and how it blesses families. Convinced that it was too late for him (one of Satan´s greatest and most effective lies), he told us that perhaps we could teach his daughter, since it was about time for her to start forming her own concepts and beliefs. We excitedly told him that we thought it was a great idea, and explained the youth groups and programs of the church, among other blessings. Now she has come to church with us twice and has a goal to baptized the 10th of December.We were clapping houses during another hot summer afternoon (yeah, you don´t knock here, you clap), and met Gabriela. She introduced us to her Mother and Sister and we have been teaching the 3 of them for about 4 weeks now. Gabriela has lost interest, and her sister and mother are progressing rapidly. They also have come to church with us twice. This last week, after Sacrament meeting, Blasida, Gabriela´s mother told us that she suddenly remembered a dream she had the night before as she reached out her hand to partake of the bread. In the dream, she was in that very room, and was taking the sacrement, although she didn´t understand why, or what it meant. It is so amazing to me how God gives us these tender mercies: both to Blasida as a sincere investigator of His true church, and to us missionaries, who have the privilidge to see miracles like this on a regular basis.
Another contact, Rosio, seemed promising, since she was searching for the true church, and for some very specific blessings regarding her health and well being. After 2 or 3 weeks of teaching her, we met her husband who forbade her from going to church. All the while, her sweet, quiet daughter Alejandra had been listening to our lessons, and apparantly felt the spirit, since she expressed her sincere desire to come to church with us, even though her mother couldn´t. She did, and loved it. She too has set a goal to be baptized and cleansed of her sins.
It seems the theme of this week has been that God will work in unexpected ways. The unlikely, stubborn man, introduced us to his willing, well-prepared daughter. The teenage girl who quickly lost interest, led us to her mother and sister, clearly prepared and chosen by God. And the restricted mother gave permission to a daughter close enough to the spirit to know truth when it was taught to her. I am so thankful for all of these blessing and know that they are from God. I´ll keep you updated on these and other people that are learning about and seeking the Truth. Pray for them.
I also had the opportunity to give a talk in Sacrament meeting. The bishop called us in the morning as we were furiously running about our area to gather our investigators, so we had literally no time to prepare. I chose the subject of families, and shared a few scriptures, even told a joke that made everybody laugh (referring to how the congregation should listen more to the spirit and less to me, because not only does it know EXACTLY what they need, but it also has much better Spanish than me...hahaha, I crack me up). I talked about my family and how much I love you all, and miss the snow that you have up to your knees (true or not, it always impresses the Paraguayans when I say it, lol). But most of all, I felt the Spirit as I testified of the Savior and His influence in EVERY part of our life. Isn´t that just so simple andamazing? We can say so many wise things and in the most brilliant of ways but at the end of the day, a simple, heartfelt testimony of He who gave His life that we might live, is what invites the Spirit. I know that He lives and that He loves me. I feel it powerfully and it penetrates me to my very soul. A feeling hard to forget in the deepest, darkest forests of life, and joyous to remember in those occasional and beautiful glimpses of eternity. I pray that you feel it, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Elder McCarty
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