Oh no. It's already Monday again! The time honestly flies so fast out here!

This week, I´ve been trying really hard to push myself out of my comfort zone. I´ve been talking to more people on the street, being a little more bold with my questions and just trying to be the missionary the Lord wants me to be. I still have a long way to go haha!

On Tuesday (or at least I think it was Tuesday) we had a lesson with Marcos, an old investigator that the hermanas had prior to Elder Lizarraga and I showing up. It honestly is incredible to see how the Lord prepares people to receive the gospel and I mean prepares. We were talking about the plan of salvation with him as his father had recently passed away.  Suddenly, I decided to change the course and read 2 Nephi 31 and I challenged him to baptism. He declined, saying that he has to do a little more of his own searching but his beliefs are so close to ours, that I have no doubt that he´ll take the leap of faith. I can´t even express my joy to you guys after I invited him. I felt completely overpowered with this happiness and energy that I haven´t felt anywhere else. I honestly felt on top of the world haha!

Then we have Ninoska. She passed through a really scary time on Thursday. She almost died because of her low sugar levels. To give you an idea, the normal sugar level is 120. She was at 20. She told us of how in almost a dream she heard her son Vicente yelling "Eat! Eat! Eat!" as he stuffed crackers in her mouth. We were so shocked when we found out, but the weirdest thing is that later that day when we passed by, she seemed the happiest and healthiest I've ever seen her. We talked a little more and we asked her to send us off with the prayer. In the prayer, she PROMISED the Lord that she would make the necessary steps to make it to baptism because she knew it was what He wanted. The Lord works miracles, I promise.

One of our less actives that we visit is named Marcos (different from the one above) and as he is getting married to his girlfriend in November, we stopped by to talk about the Temple and Temple Marriage. Elder Lizarraga has the sweetest magazine with pictures of a ton of temples around the world, so we brought it to share with him. As Marcos flipped through the pages and as we talked about the blessings of attending the Temple, the spirit was palpable. Talking about being married for the Eternities, about our life after we die and the absolutely breathtaking potential we have, it was just amazing. Oh and if you were wondering, no, I was not trunky during the lesson haha! ;) The Spirit just keeps manifesting itself in ways stronger and stronger, it´s unreal. I´ve never ever felt the spirit so much in my life as I do now.

We were contacting on the street later that day without having any luck. Then as we pass this teenager, I decide "why not?" and started talking to him. This kid is golden. His name is Julio, and we talked for quite a while about the nature of God, who he is to us and why He plays such a vital role in our lives. And you know we got his info!!!! Unfortunately, he lives in the other sector so I won´t be able to teach him :´( But I´m just glad to get him started on the path.

Ok, now this Sunday. It was really interesting, because on paper, Sunday should´ve been a disaster. One of our really strong investigators came to Relief Society and Sunday School, but had to go home before sacrament meeting (which is the most important part!!!! oh, and by the way the schedule is flipped here in our ward), and later sent us a text saying that she can´t meet with us anymore because of some family complications. Ninoska wanted to come but couldn’t because there was no one to accompany her from her family to help load her into the car from her wheelchair. After church, every single plan fell through and we had only a handful of contacts throughout the day. It was a little rough. But you know what? A miracle happened. As we were walking at the end of the day, I contacted a couple of guys on the street on a whim and asked them about their belief in God. One of them quickly slipped away (which no one would if they knew why we´re talking to them in the first place!!! Agh, missionary probs) and left us with a middle aged man named Andres. At first he was very reserved, telling us he was an atheist but as we talked he began to pour out all the pain and trials he´s been experiencing in the past few years. The man is separated, has been kicked out of his house and has a drug addict son who was recently hospitalized. He´s lost all hope and says that he just doesn´t know what to do and he doesn´t understand why life won´t let him have happiness. I looked him in the eye and recited 2 Nephi 27:23 which says 

"For behold, I am God; and I am a God of miracles; and I will show unto the world that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and I work not among the children of men save it be according to their faith" 

With all the power I could muster I looked at this man, feeling a complete love and compassion that I can never understand and said, "I know that God is a God of miracles. Every challenge, EVERY challenge you are facing, whether it be with your ex wife or with your beloved son will be resolved as you turn to him." He thanked us with true gratitude for our words and we got his info to continue teaching him. He doesn't live in our area, so we´re going to pass him off to the other Elders again (gosh darn it!!). That moment made everything worth it. He needs the message that I have and when I have the chance to share it with the power and authority that I´ve been given, it’s unreal. I´ve come to learn that really, charity is everything. As it says in 1 Corinthians 13:

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

Learn now to develop this love. It is the key to absolutely everything in life. I know that Christ is my savior, that he lived, suffered, and died for me. The least we can do is try to show him our love by following his commandment: Love thy neighbor as thyself.

God Bless you all and catch you next week!

From the ¨land of my inheritance¨ (and with love),

Elder Pomar