Saturday, March 29, 2014

Agua Verde Semana 23

Last night was one of those nights that I will never forget.

Ubiratan and I were walking from one appointment to another, but we didn´t make it very far before a young man shouted to us "Hey do you know Odair?"... I responded that we had been visiting him a few months ago and that he was a friend of ours. The young man ran up to us and told us about how Odair´s wife had been having a relationship with another man, that a few hours ago she told him and took their two daughters, leaving for good. The young man was rather frantic and it took me a little while to understand that he was concerned that Odair would take his own life, and that none of the local preachers were willing to visit him. I looked at Ubiratan and he signaled that we should go there immediately. When we arrived, Odair was collapsed on his front stairs sobbing and whispering softly to himself "Lord, I lost everything". The rug was damp with his tears and he didn´t even look up when we entered. We knelt at his side and wrapped him up in a hug for several minutes until he was able to stop the tears. Ubiratan (who was recently ordained Elder) told him that we were there to give him a priesthood blessing and we helped him into a chair. We pronounced the blessing and the Spirit filled the home. Under our hands we felt Odair gaining spiritual and physical strength. Afterwards we sat and listened to him as he explained what had happened. It was very sad to see a man who had a beautiful little family torn to pieces. But I know that the Lord was watching the whole event unfold and that he put us in the right place at the right time.

How I am grateful to be a missionary. 

This experience capped off a week of study about how each covenant we make with the Lord gives us more responsibility in the Work of Salvation. I don´t have time today to write all of my thoughts but Baptism, Priesthood, and Endowment have each brought more blessings and more responsibility to take care of others. And that´s what we must do if we are to become like our Father in Heaven. He spends ALL of His time caring for others. The temple sealing will bring an even more elevated commitment to take care of my wife and children.



Love,

Elder House

1 comment:

  1. I love this entry! Thanks for sharing, and thanks for serving.

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