Week 53 - A Mexican Christmas Tree for $7

Elder Davies with a Young Man from a Family they were teaching

Hello my wonderful friends and family and other people!!

I sure do love you all so much! Thanks for the encouraging emails and letters! You guys are the best!

This week was SO great! We had our Zone Class on Tuesday and that was fantastic! We watched a talk called "Where do you Face?" by Elder Lynn G. Robbins which is EXCELLENT! Everyone go watch that! We also talked about the importance of humility and how pride is the lack of humility and pride is the source of many great sins and failures.

I hit my year mark this week!! HUMP DAAAAYYYYYYYY!!! Thanks everyone for reminding me that I´m half way...that just went to fast! Slow down, time. To celebrate, we made Root Beer Floats! Sorry no pictures, but it was good! Bought Root Beer at Sam´s Club!

The $7 Christmas Tree

So I went on divisions this week again with some Elders and one of them was my son, Elder Arenas, in my old Ward, the Azteca Ward! That was so great! While we were headed to buy the food (the sister gave us money so we bought giant chickens), I saw the most beautiful Mexican Christmas tree ever! It was white and kinda old but it was a CHRISTMAS tree! This guy was selling it outside the market with some lights and other random electronics (just imagine DI but on the street) and so I asked him how much the tree was! It was A HUNDRED PESOS!! So I bought the tree with a string of lights for $120 pesos (that´s $7 USD folks, SEVEN BUCKS!) At first I thought it was kinda expensive because I´m a poor missionary but I figure it´s my last Christmas so I´m gonna go all out and blow 7 Dollars. I´m quiete the spender. Best. Purchase. EVER. Working on finding some decorations for it, I´ll keep you updated on that!

Yesterday Moises, an investigator Elder Arenas and I were teaching, got baptized! He is so great! He was so excited to be baptized. He is so excited in fact, that he wants to make a musical about Nephi!! Haha, that would be great, right?!

I was really sad to hear what happened in France, the people who were affected by the bombing have been in my thoughts and prayers. It´s amazing how just a few minutes after the whole world knew what was happening. We live in amazing times!

On another news-related note, I´d like to talk a little about some of the policy changes our inspired leaders have made about the spiritual and physical well-being of children who have same gender parents. It´s so sad to see so many people fall away and complain and protest, not just for this matter, but for many matters including the Ordain Women movement. It´s incredible that even in the dispensation of the fullness of times so many are being tricked and falling into apostasy. This isn´t anything new, however. Prophets and even the Son of God have testified of the lies that would be spread and believed in these the latter days. As Nephi prophesied:

"20 And the Gentiles are lifted up in the pride of their eyes, and have stumbled, because of the greatness of their stumbling block, that they have built up many churches; nevertheless, they put down the power and miracles of God, and preach up unto themselves their own wisdom and their own learning, that they may get gain and grind upon the face of the poor.

23 For behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you that the Lord God worketh not in darkness.

24 He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation.”

(2 Nephi 26:20, 23-24)

God has always done things for "the benefit of the world" and he does it for LOVE! That doesn´t mean it will go with what the world says because there are many evil spirits that are loose deceiving the world into believing Satan´s lies (DC 50:2). We must be willing to take the Holy Spirit for our guide and we will not be deceived and cast out in the last day (DC 45:57)

Please remember that Satan, being a fallen angel, is set on destroying us and will do all that is possible to destroy the plan of God. Satan also knows perfectly well that the Plan that God has given us is perfect, so he attacks the integrants of that plan, which are you and me. Keep in mind that when Satan fell, "...he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice." (Moses 4:4)

Hungry Much?

To all of those who may doubt or be angry or who may be decieved by the cunning voices of the world that are turning ever farther from the doctrine of Christ, I share with you the words of Jesus Christ in the first section of Doctrine and Covenants verse 38:

"What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all befulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of myservants, it is the same."

When the living Prophet of the Living God, who is Thomas Spencer Monson, and the Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ speak, they speak for God. Those who go against their word are going against the God who gave them life. This is the Church of Jesus Christ and in a world of changes values and opinions, we must remind ourselves that God doesn´t change his nature and the laws of heaven based on our earthly opinions or desires. I so testify in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

-Elder Davies 

 

Zone Conference

 

Moving some Furniture