Please don´t lose hope in this Gospel (Sent December 2, 2013)

Familia,

I hope that the subject line doesn´t bum you out too much. Sometimes I get a little discourgaged at how slowly the work moves. When we finally get an investigator that seems to really be catching on to the Gospel, something tragic happens. Whether it´s that their kids don´t support their baptism, and they´ve lost interest, or something more private that I can´t even mention, it´s always tragic when someone who has begun to see and feel the blessings of the Gospel turns their back on it.

And it´s happening a lot. Investigators that accept invitations and make commitments, and sometimes even tear up, because they are feeling the Spirit so strongly, don´t show up to Church, start ignoring us on the streets, or just disappear completely. Despite making plans to pass by nearly every single person that we could find an excuse to call ¨an investigator¨, and utilizing a split with the Ward Mission Leader and his brother to invite all of them, we had zero investigators once again at Church. That also means zero progressing investigators, zero investigators with a baptisimal date, and more and more zeros.

Please don´t understand me. I don´t care about that round symbol. I´m don´t care about the numbers. I care about the people. That fat, taunting oval in the key indicators box at the end of the week signifies that the people that I´ve grown so much love for have forgotten the importance of their commitments. It means that they´ve used their agency, even if only for one decision for a limited time, to reject the very Gospel of Jesus Christ that they had so recently come to know.

What a small, but eye-opening insight on how Heavenly Father feels when we act similarly. When we make a decision to bypass our commitment to at all times be worthy of the name of Jesus Christ. Please, don´t ever do that to Him. I know for a fact that it hurts, and I´m just a nineteen year old kid that barely knows anything in comparison about the salvation of mankind. He understands perfectly how much this matters. His pain by such a rejection is infinitely more powerful.

Just as an assurance, I´m still doing fine. I´m not depressed- on the contrary, I´ve never been happier than I am with this love for my investigators. The San Ignacio ward loves the missionaries so much that it´s hard to feel lonely. I still see plenty of smaller miracles everyday, and what´s more, I have faith that larger things are to come. Thanks for your prayers. The Lord is still in the work just as plainly as ever. Please use your agency to make our Heavenly Father happy by living the Gospel of Happiness.

I love you all. Happy birthday, Mom! I wrote you a hand-written letter for your birthday, and I´m praying that it will reach you safely as soon as possible.

¡Feliz Diciembre!