Hey Mom and Family,
Things are quite a bit better with my new companion, Elder Chavez. He has 6 months in the mission and is a lot more willing to work than my last companion. He´s from El Salvador and as a result, a couple of members have bought pupusas just for us. Apparently that´s all they eat there.
I had a few interesting experiences during my studies this week.
During one session I started reading chapter 9 on how to find people to teach. I reached the section "talk with everyone". As I did, I read in one of the scriptures where the Lord is speaking to some of the missionaries and mentions that he was angry with them because they did not open their mouths. It hit me hard because it has always been something I´ve struggled with, to talk with everyone I pass by or even a few people I pass by. I have had a hard time talking to random people I don´t know and offer what I know to them. I always knew it was something that I needed to do, but when the moment came to act, it became very difficult. When that specific scripture described the anger the Lord had towards them, I could feel it.
After reading that, I went to the bedroom to pray and ask for forgiveness and help and strength to be able to overcome this struggle I have. Then I went back to study and felt I should open the Liahona. I opened it to a random talk. I was even more amazed when I read the title of the talk I decided to read; “As Many as I Love, I Rebuke and Chasten”.
Yesterday, I also decided to look through a list of printed off talks that a friend gave me and found another one that helped me: “Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence”. As I read this talk, I remembered the plans I had at the beginning of this last change and how it all just kind of fell apart. I also was reminded of my own words; don´t confuse the failure to carry out a plan as the failure of the plan itself. Just because you didn´t manage to follow through, doesn´t mean it wouldn´t have worked if you had followed through.
"I wish to encourage every one of us regarding the opposition that so often comes after enlightened decisions have been made, after moments of revelation and conviction have given us a peace and an assurance we thought we would never lose."
" The reminder is that we cannot sign on for a battle of such eternal significance and everlasting consequence without knowing it will be a fight—a good fight and a winning fight, but a fight nevertheless."
“Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.
“For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. …
“… If any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
“… We are not of them who draw back unto perdition.”
"I acknowledge the reality of opposition and adversity, but I bear witness of the God of glory, of the redeeming Son of God, of light and hope and a bright future. I promise you that God lives and loves you, each one of you, and that He has set bounds and limits to the opposing powers of darkness. I testify that Jesus is the Christ, the victor over death and hell and the fallen one who schemes there. The gospel of Jesus Christ is true, and it has been restored."
"Fear ye not.” And when the second and third and fourth blows come, “fear ye not. … The Lord shall fight for you.” Cast not away therefore your confidence.
I thank you for all of your support and hope that you can pray for me to be able to be strong and carry out the will of the Lord.
Love,
Elder Landon James Crapo
BIG PS. I broke my tooth the other week eating an extremely hard nut a member gave me. I went to the dentist so that he could fix it but he found a cavity that went almost to the root and so I´m going to be having a root canal tomorrow morning. I still don´t know what I´m going to have to pay for, and what not, but maybe it´d be a good idea to add a couple hundred dollars to my account just in case. I´ve tried to figure out the whole insurance thing but all I have is the little card. Maybe, if there is any kind of coverage for me out here in Guatemala, and you know what to do, maybe you can call president and tell him what my insurance can pay for. It´s going to be a root canal, and then something they called a Muñón? and then a crown. That´s all I know, and that it will cost somewhere between 200 and 300 dollars.
Things are quite a bit better with my new companion, Elder Chavez. He has 6 months in the mission and is a lot more willing to work than my last companion. He´s from El Salvador and as a result, a couple of members have bought pupusas just for us. Apparently that´s all they eat there.
I had a few interesting experiences during my studies this week.
During one session I started reading chapter 9 on how to find people to teach. I reached the section "talk with everyone". As I did, I read in one of the scriptures where the Lord is speaking to some of the missionaries and mentions that he was angry with them because they did not open their mouths. It hit me hard because it has always been something I´ve struggled with, to talk with everyone I pass by or even a few people I pass by. I have had a hard time talking to random people I don´t know and offer what I know to them. I always knew it was something that I needed to do, but when the moment came to act, it became very difficult. When that specific scripture described the anger the Lord had towards them, I could feel it.
After reading that, I went to the bedroom to pray and ask for forgiveness and help and strength to be able to overcome this struggle I have. Then I went back to study and felt I should open the Liahona. I opened it to a random talk. I was even more amazed when I read the title of the talk I decided to read; “As Many as I Love, I Rebuke and Chasten”.
Yesterday, I also decided to look through a list of printed off talks that a friend gave me and found another one that helped me: “Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence”. As I read this talk, I remembered the plans I had at the beginning of this last change and how it all just kind of fell apart. I also was reminded of my own words; don´t confuse the failure to carry out a plan as the failure of the plan itself. Just because you didn´t manage to follow through, doesn´t mean it wouldn´t have worked if you had followed through.
"I wish to encourage every one of us regarding the opposition that so often comes after enlightened decisions have been made, after moments of revelation and conviction have given us a peace and an assurance we thought we would never lose."
" The reminder is that we cannot sign on for a battle of such eternal significance and everlasting consequence without knowing it will be a fight—a good fight and a winning fight, but a fight nevertheless."
“Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.
“For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. …
“… If any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
“… We are not of them who draw back unto perdition.”
"I acknowledge the reality of opposition and adversity, but I bear witness of the God of glory, of the redeeming Son of God, of light and hope and a bright future. I promise you that God lives and loves you, each one of you, and that He has set bounds and limits to the opposing powers of darkness. I testify that Jesus is the Christ, the victor over death and hell and the fallen one who schemes there. The gospel of Jesus Christ is true, and it has been restored."
"Fear ye not.” And when the second and third and fourth blows come, “fear ye not. … The Lord shall fight for you.” Cast not away therefore your confidence.
I thank you for all of your support and hope that you can pray for me to be able to be strong and carry out the will of the Lord.
Love,
Elder Landon James Crapo
BIG PS. I broke my tooth the other week eating an extremely hard nut a member gave me. I went to the dentist so that he could fix it but he found a cavity that went almost to the root and so I´m going to be having a root canal tomorrow morning. I still don´t know what I´m going to have to pay for, and what not, but maybe it´d be a good idea to add a couple hundred dollars to my account just in case. I´ve tried to figure out the whole insurance thing but all I have is the little card. Maybe, if there is any kind of coverage for me out here in Guatemala, and you know what to do, maybe you can call president and tell him what my insurance can pay for. It´s going to be a root canal, and then something they called a Muñón? and then a crown. That´s all I know, and that it will cost somewhere between 200 and 300 dollars.
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