Dear Everyone,
I have attached a picture because I think in some casses many still think I am Roughin´ it in Africa. That is the case in a few minor ways, but since I left my first area in Fogo that was roughing it a decenter bit, Life is pretty good.
I love being a missionary. It is so amazing. I hope that everyone can serve a mission. If you don´t believe me, start doing it with all come an addict too.
This last week we worked hard, and even though some days we felt like we were going to "grow a foot or two" before we found someone else that was home, we were really blessed with an eternal perspective. I want to share with you some of the stuff that President Mathews shared with me about that love, explained using the law of consecration.
President Hinckley described what happens to the heart of every missionary who commits his or her life and work to the Lord when he talked about his own missionary experiences. It was early in his mission, and he was discouraged. The work was hard, and the people were not receptive. However, there came a time when discouragement turned to commitment. For him, the beginning was a letter from his father in which he read: “Dear Gordon, I have your letter. … I have only one suggestion: Forget yourself and go to work.” In describing what happened next, he said: “I got on my knees in that little bedroom … and made a pledge that I would try to give myself unto the Lord.
“The whole world changed. The fog lifted. The sun began to shine in my life. I had a new interest. I saw the beauty of this land. I saw the greatness of the people. … Everything that has happened to me since that’s been good I can trace to that decision made in that little house” (in Mike Cannon, “Missionary Theme Was Pervasive during Visit of President Hinckley,” Church News, Sept. 9, 1995, 4).
Elder D Todd Christofferson
As the Savior demonstrated, the consecrated life is a pure life. While Jesus is the only one to have led a sinless life, those who come unto Him and take His yoke upon them have claim on His grace, which will make them as He is, guiltless and spotless. With deep love the Lord encourages us in these words: “Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day” (3 Nephi 27:20).
Consecration therefore means repentance. Stubbornness, rebellion, and rationalization must be abandoned, and in their place submission, a desire for correction, and acceptance of all that the Lord may require. This is what King Benjamin called putting off the natural man, yielding to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and becoming “a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord” (Mosiah 3:19). Such a one is promised the enduring presence of the Holy Spirit, a promise remembered and renewed each time a repentant soul partakes of the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper (see D&C 20:77, 79).
Right now we are teaching and trying to find many new people. The focus of this month is planning, finding, and church attendance. What blessings. We were blessed to get back in contact with two people this week who can very soon be strong members of the curch. The are both very smart and will have to learn to rely on faith better, but they are awesome. Their names are Felis and Djú. Dju was trying to get a competitive job in Praia, and didn´t get it but because of the spiritual growth that he made before we lost contact for 3 weeks, he was able to realize that the Lord has a different plan for him instead of being angry or frustrated. The other plan clearly is that he needs to be home and have time to get to know the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.
Felis also has been taught in the past, but we had a good restart visit with him, where we just skipped all the mish mosh and went straight to the baptismal invite. He has good questions like Why does God have a chosen people, and why did he tell people to destroy other people and all of their innocent animals too (2 Kings).
The problem now is that we have investigators committing to do things sincerely. The have a real desire to do it, and the spirit testifies, but that something always comes up. They need to keep being strong when we aren´t there, especially Sunday morning. Next week on the wedding day is a huge party in all of the north part of the island. I hate Catholic Saints. It is not okay to drink and break numerous other commandments and the say that it was done in the name of God. It will be a trial for many many people. Please pray for those whose faith is on the boarder, that they man make the right choice.
Another blessing this week was this morning. We played frisbee. It was soooooo good. I miss frisbee and running for hours and stuff. It was awesome. Elder Wallace is the best out of us at soccer, and you can tell, but when we play frisbee, there is someone else that knows what he is doing :) .
Well, it is really hard to type on this old crappy keyboard at this new cyber that we are at today in Praia, so I takes way longer and I have to type like a two year old pounds piano keys, but that doesn´t diminish my love for all of you.
Love,
Elder Sampson
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