An Eye Opening Week

Hello everyone!

This week has absolutely flown by. I'm pretty sure that yesterday was P-day, but it was not. Yesterday was Sunday. This week has been good though, because it's been an eye-opening week. First off, during our district meeting we really realized that we don't really have anyone who is close to being baptized. We only have one person that has a baptismal date, and that really struck home with us when we were in the meeting. That caused us to start searching for more people even more fervently, and we're still searching. We found one man that wants to learn, but he's paralyzed in the right side of his body, so it's hard for him to get around. That does mean that we get to teach him just about whenever we have time though, which is very good. Unfortunately, when we went to pick him up to go to church yesterday, his house was all locked up, meaning he had left to go somewhere, probably to a doctor's appointment. That was a bit disappointing, but we'll keep working with him.

Another eye-opener happened to me a couple of nights ago. I was reading in the Liahona [a church magazine distributed worldwide], and I was reading Elder Holland's talk from this past General Conference. I had a revelation stronger than I've ever had one, and it was about our prophet and the apostles. I have know for a long time that we have a prophet and apostles, but I had never had this knowledge go to my soul before. Saturday night I received that testimony that there are in fact prophets and apostles in these latter days. President Thomas S. Monson has been called by God to be our prophet here on the earth. He has all of the power and authority as all of the prophets of old had, and he guides us through revelations. We also have apostles, who are special witnesses of Christ, and who spread the Gospel throughout the whole world. These things are as true as the fact that the sun, the earth, and the planets exist. I know these things to be true because God has spoken the truth to me through the Holy Ghost.

I was meditating on this fact a bit directly after I received this revelation, and I thought about the title that I hold: Elder. There are two types of people in this world who hold the title of Elder; those who are called to serve as missionaries, and those who hold the apostleship. I hold the same title as those of the Quorum of the Twelve and the Seventy. I have the same duty as those who hold the apostleship do, more or less. I am to share my testimony of the Living God and His Son to the world, and I am to help bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of men. This is my sacred purpose as a missionary of the Lord. I also realized something more, something again that I have known, but that really sunk in this time. I am a representative of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am to do and say what He would do and say. I am to act in place of the one Man who lived a perfect life, who sacrificed Himself and suffered so that everyone else could receive all that the Father has for us, and who was resurected so that we might be able to put on immortality and be judged before the Father and the Lord Himself. I am a representative of this Man. I am a representative of Jesus Christ. How great is my charge! How grand is my duty! I am so thankful that Heavenly Father gave me this testimony and the knowledge that I need to be a better servant. I know that God speaks to us if we will but humble ourselves and ask of Him. God lives, His Son lives, and the Holy Ghost will bear testimony of them as you strive to know the truth. I know this to be true with all of my being.

Okay, and now to tell a bit more about my week and respond to mi madre's letter (Spanglish!). Today we went bowling as a zone, and that was pretty cool. The bowling alley was rather old, and we had to keep score by hand, which meant that we had to learn how to do that, but now we know! Aaaaand...I am still the reigning champion of Zona Calderón. I didn't do as well today, but I did well enough to secure a victory in the championship game. That was pretty fun.

Oh! And I bought a Book of Mormon...in German! The distribution center here in Quito just so happened to have exactly 1 copy left, and the receptionist told me that it was the last one in the country, so that was pretty cool. I'm pretty sure it's been sitting on the shelf for a bit, but that's okay. I'm just excited to have found one here in Ecuador. I've been reading a little of it today (out loud), and after reading it for a bit my tongue was tired. German uses a part of your tongue that you don't even know existed. Blah. But it's still really cool.

I do not have a new companion yet, but it's possible that by the end of the month I will. Elder Maridueña has been here for almost 7 months, and that's a ridiculously long time to be in one sector.

Teaching the Law of Chastity hasn't really been too big of an issue for me yet. Generally we teach it and the people accept it. If we get to the Law of Chastity, it generally means that the investigator really has a very strong desire to be baptized, and they are generally accepting of it. It's most difficult to teach to teenage girls, and least difficult to teach to adults.

I honestly can't think of anything else that I want or need right now, other than contacts. I'm really doing pretty good. If anyone wanted to send Reese's, I would not stop them. That's about the one candy that I haven't found yet. Maybe I just haven't looked hard enough. Anyway, I'm doing just fine, thank you. :) I'll probably be buying some socks soon. My socks haven't liked Ecuador so much.

Well, I must be going now. I still have to get a haircut and have lunch, so I have to run. I love you all very very much. Oh, the picture of the pancakes is what my breakfast looks like about every day. Today was special because I made a Mickey Mouse one.

Also, the picture of me with all of the letters is evidence that people love me. Those are all of the letters which I have received since I entered the Provo MTC. There are several, as you can see. Keep loving me! I love receiving mail of any kind, so if you're willing to send it, I'm willing to receive it. I love you! Have a fantastic week!

Love,
Elder Schomburg