This week went by way too fast. I can’t believe how fast
time has been going. This week we were mainly in the office, but on the weekend
we worked and found lots of new people to teach and we taught pretty much all
day. Yesterday we planned everything for the visit next week of Elder Teixeira,
(of the Seventy) he is the President of the South America South Area. He’s
coming to do two huge Zone Conferences, but it’s incredible the amount of
details that go into something like that. Also, yesterday we recreated the
board where president has a photo of every missionary because he wanted it to
be magnetic (it was hard to use before) and he couldn’t start changes until it
was done, so it was a late night.
I’m not sure if you’ve heard, but a Chilean missionary
serving in Guatemala passed away this past weekend. I’m not sure of the
details, but it looks like it was electrocution. She happens to be from the 2nd
closest ward to the office which is where the Harrisons (our mission
secretaries until Aug 18) attend church. In their almost 2 years in that ward,
they have developed a real bond with the family of the missionary. In fact,
Elder Harrison was the one who taught for 15 months and baptized her
grandfather a couple weeks ago. The family was absolutely devastated and even
angry when they first heard the news, but the sure promises of the Gospel and
the Holy Ghost have softened their hearts and comforted them a great deal. Just
days before passing away, the sister missionary went to the temple and while in
the temple was touched by the following verse in Mosiah 26:20, “Thou art my
servant; and I covenant with thee that thou shalt have eternal life; and thou
shalt serve me and go forth in my name, and shalt gather together my sheep” (She
shared this scripture with Sister Harrison 3 days before her passing). My eyes
tear up thinking about how little she comprehended the profound implications of
this scripture in her own life. This is why I love the Gospel so much. Even
times of horrible tragedies, we can receive comfort and peace to our souls in
knowing the perfect nature of God’s plan and the certainty of His promises and
covenants. Recent convert Alberto (her grandfather) found a lot of comfort in
knowing that her mission has been extended to the spirit world. We are praying
for the family and as a mission we are thinking of ways to reach out to the
family at this time.
On Thursday, we finished up the Zone conferences with the
zones in San Pablo and Renca. In the San Pablo zone there is a new sister from
the Philippines named Sister Mahilum. She is in her first change in the mission
field, she arrived on June 12th. I had personally never heard her
speak in Spanish, but the time came for the new missionaries to present
themselves. We generally ask the missionaries to answer 3 questions. What’s
your name? Where are you from? and What will you commit to do in order to
become an excellent missionary?
With great hesitation, she timidly answered the first two
questions. She then began to think for a little while which in normal since the
third question requires a lot more thought, but that “little while” quickly
turned into 5 minutes of complete uninterrupted silence, with everyone’s eyes
glued to her. Sister Meservy asked me to tell her she could talk in her native
language if she wanted, so I told her and then thought the silence would be
broken by a language that no one would understand. But the silence continued.
Then, all of a sudden, she took a deep breath in and what then came out of her
mouth can only be described as perfect Spanish. Wow, that was a special moment.
The spirit was so strong in those moments as we were all witnesses of the gift of
tongues in action.
I’m not sure at what age she was baptized, but I know that
at the time of her baptism Sister Mahilum was the only member on her island.
For being the only one she was persecuted and mocked for a time, but now she is
not alone, in fact there are now 300 members on her island.
 |
| Ines in her natural habitat- reading the Book of Mormon |
Speaking of converts, our convert Ines Gutierrez bore her
testimony for the first time in sacrament meeting. It was incredible the
testimony she shared. There really is a noticeable difference between those who
read and study the scriptures every day and those who don’t. Ines studies the
Book of Mormon for at least an hour a day and WOW, it is incredible the effect
it has had in her life. I think that effect has direct correlation with her
willingness and humility to actually do what she’s taught. She reads, prays,
fasts, pays tithing, goes to church, serves others, shares the gospel, visits
other converts and less actives, obeys the Word of Wisdom and Law of Chastity
and so much more. In other words, she is truly converted to the restored gospel
of Jesus Christ and is an example for everyone to follow. She is truly
converted.
Changes are this Monday, but I’m not going anywhere. Talk to
you next Tuesday.
Love,
Elder Birrell
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