Written by Elder Jacob Avery, serving in the Peru Lima West Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, speaking Spanish.
This week an Area Seventy presided at our Stake Conference. We brought our investigators and new converts to the meeting and prepared them to be spiritually edified by a representative of the Lord. Well, we were surely edified spiritually, but I'd really say that Elder Calderon of the Seventy unleashed a taste of the wrath of the Lord.
First of all, he spoke very directly, clearly and even loudly. In our sacrament meetings, the speakers are normally ''tranquillo,'' while other Peruvian churches have ministers or preachers who yell, throw things, and cry as they give their sermons. The peace that is felt in our meetings has always been one of the things that attracts people to the church.
Elder Calderon didn't yell, cry, or throw anything, but he sure wasn't here to pat us on the head and send us off to pick marigolds. He spoke very clearly and directly about paying tithing, fasting, gossip, and really whatever the Spirit told him he should say. He reminded parents that they have a duty to instruct their children by example, openly pointing out in the Sunday session that almost none of the parents had brought their children to the Saturday session. He said, ''Maybe someone has a really good excuse like they had to work. If there's something like 4 people in the Saturday session and a thousand in the Sunday session, do you really mean to tell me that ALL 996 of you were working Saturday night?! It's the job of the parents to bring their children to conference!''
Moral of the story: Go to Conference. I'm thankful that my investigators and converts were able to learn that.
We have two baptisms planned for this Saturday. We're working really hard to make sure they are really ready so that they will receive the Holy Ghost the moment of their Confirmation.
Okay, I love you all. Thanks for your prayers, help and service. I'm happier than a clam right now, and I recommend to anyone if they want to be happy, just keep the commandments. It's fairly simple. John tells us, ''God is love.'' If we keep the commandments of this All Knowing, All Loving Being, we're bound to be happy. We won't be able to help but to be happy. It really works and it's proven! With that said, have a good week!!
Love,
Elder Avery
Speechless (September 15, 2014)
Dos Companeros! Dos Bautismos! (September 29, 2014)
