Week 83 - "Art thou greater than he?"

Hey there everyone, great week here in the dirty HON. Things have been wild but we ended the week with 4 baptisms of a family we got baptized!! So good things there.

The family that we baptized was a group of four youth. It was supposed to be 5 but ill tell the story. We found this HUGE family and they are awesome. We have been helping everyone to come to church and recently be baptized. The oldest of the bunch got nervous and scared last second and decided to not get baptized, even though beforehand he was super excited about it. I prayed and fasted a ton for it but in the end he had his own agency. WELL turns out the next day after church he came to us and said he prayed a lot about it and talked to his mother who lives in the U.S., and felt like he needed to do it. That Sunday the grandmother of all the youth (which is basically their mother because the parents of the kids have either passed away or are not present in their lives) and the uncle who is fighting alcoholism and trying to change his life as well went to church for the second Sunday in a row. The lord is sure working with us!

This past week I have learned a few things. Without going into detail, getting ready for school and stuff like that started to distract me because things aren't going my way, and to be honest I felt pretty sad for myself for a minute. I prayed and asked for my help to focus and that everything would turn out okay. And guess what, a week later and everything did. God answered my prayer, even though it wasn't anything super significant, He cared to help me when I needed it because he loved me.

The second thing was something that happened in the week. Had a big wake-up call. What I found out is that my problems in the grand scheme of things are small. Living in a 3rd World country can help to recognize that in some aspects. While walking in the street in a hurry to a meeting, I was called by a man sitting on a curb. I don't know why but instead of saying my normal "Buenas" which is a normal greeting here in central america, which means good day more or less but in polite terms, the words that left my mouth instead were "Hola, como le ha ido hermano", which translates to hello, how have you been lately. He responded to me "Not very good". I felt prompted to stop with my comp and talk to him. You could tell that he had probably been drinking early in the day, but slightly coming off of his drunkenness. He had just recently lost his job, his wife/girlfriend, and kicked out on the streets and had begun to drink. He just explained to me that he didn't want money, he didn't want to drink, he just wanted help. He had not eaten or drank any water in more than 2 days. I bought him some grilled liver off the street for a dollar, a big bag of bread and about 4 liters of water. I felt inspired in that moment to tell him that he had a father in heaven and to let him know how much he loves him. I felt prompted also to share a verse from the Book of Mormon in the book of Ether thats talks a lot about challenges and how we can overcome them through our faith.
Ether 12
27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

Through his sincere tears, I felt as if all my problems or worries seemed so small in the grand scheme of things. I know that my Heavenly father has a plan for me and will be guiding me through it all. Sometimes its hard to see why hard things happen, or why we have to go through difficult times or trials, why we have to hurt or feel broken. We pass for these things in life, whether they be big or small, so that we can learn to trust in our heavenly father. So we can learn that our source of comfort and strength can always come through the atonement of Jesus Christ.

Doctrine and Covenants 122
7 And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.

8 The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?

9 Therefore, hold on thy way, and the priesthood shall remain with thee; for their bounds are set, they cannot pass. Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever.

Love you all folks,

Elder Butler