Through Him

 Alright, it's been awhile and I'm not sure where to start here.

Over these past few weeks, I have come to see so many testimonies of the Savior grow including my own. I have learned of the humility, the observation, and faith by which these testimonies grow. As we humble ourselves before the Lord, recognize his hand in our lives, and have the faith to continue to follow him, trusting that he will provide the way for us, our testimony of him will grow. But these are easy words to say or write, but to apply these things in our lives ... that is something more.

This is Lizbeth and Gustavo, and their kids Christian and Bairon. 

They are a family that has taught me so many things about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They have experienced so much in their lives, but have found strength in Christ. Their son Christian is about 11 years old, and spen up too about a year ago running and jumping as kids do, but as of year has been in what essentially is an awake coma. As you could only imagine, this has only brought a huge series of challenges for this young family, far from their Columbian home. One of these challenges was about their faith, and how a loving God could let something like this happen to them in their lives. And they found themselves far from him, until the missionaries started coming by. At some point they thought about telling us not to come by, because it wouldn't change their circumstances and it was a sacrifice of time. But with the impression of the Spirit, again and again, they decided that they would always welcome the word of God into the house, because they had felt that it was really from Him (D&C18:33-36). In these few months, their perspective has changed, they have found peace, and happiness, even in the midst of their circumstances. And have come to feel and know the Love of their Savior. And in words that have shaken me to the core, they are following His path, not because they are waiting for a miracle from Him or expecting something in return, but because they have felt His love and because they love Him. Their Savior, who knows them each perfectly by name.

This is the familia Gomez.

This family too, was in the midst of the waves and winds of this world, not sure where to turn or go. When the mom and grandma of the family, in the middle there, Guadalupe saw a post from the Church, that touched her. And from there, through a few miracles, and the work of the spirit, she and her family got in touch with the missionaries. We have had the privilege and the joy to grow closer to Christ with this family. One night after their baptism, we were asking how they felt and they started to share some of their testimonies. And my companion and I had the impression to share our testimonies too. I shared about how I remembered doing my interview with Ryan Roskelley and how I didn't know everything, but I remember feeling the peace of the spirit and knowing that this was the path of Christ. That it was a good choice. And Guadlupe was like, woah, I really felt that too. And she shared her testimony of the path she took to get to this point, and the spirit she felt in the interview, but then the opposition and doubt that she had in between this and her baptism. But how she followed the spirit, what she had felt, and how all these doubts, troubles of the past went away as she was baptized. She has seen the influence of Christ in her life to a marvelous degree, and her family too. Even those who have not yet chosen this path, one of them prayed (who has only been in one or two lessons with us) to close our lesson that night, and prayed diligently that they would continue to follow this path  because of the mighty change he has seen in his family. A mighty change through Christ.

These two families have taught me so much about our Savior and the effect that He can make in our lives. Because of what they have experienced, the steps of faith they have taken to let Him into their lives, the humility they have to apply his teachings and to listen to a couple kids trying to teach them the best they can (really listening to the spirit), and the trust they have in his will, their lives have been changed. They have experienced mighty changes that only the Savior can bring. In their individual lives and in their families. 

Nothing has made me so happy than to see these two families experience the atoning power of the Savior in their lives and families, and to have gained testimonies that He Lives. That He is The Christ. And that He is the same Yesterday, Today, and Forever. That He is still a God of Miracles, and can make these miracles in our lives. The change in the lives of these individuals and families, is not the work of me or my companions, (in fact I can assure you I have learned so much more from them) but the work of the one who has descended below all, so that He could lift us up. He has worked Miracles that I can never forget. 

6 He that ascended up on high, as also he descended below all things, in that he comprehended all things, that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth;

7 Which truth shineth. This is the light of Christ. As also he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made. 

8 As also he is in the moon, and is the light of the moon, and the power thereof by which it was made; 

9 As also the light of the stars, and the power thereof by which they were made; 

10 And the earth also, and the power thereof, even the earth upon which you stand. 

11 And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings; 

12 Which alight proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space

The Savior has descended below all and has the power to work great miracles in our lives. And as we humbly let Him into our lives, he can and will work miracles.
Love you guys.

(it's so strange to write when your thinking in Spanish, trying to write in english, and someone is speaking portuguese right next to you)

D&C 122:7-8

D&C 88:6

“When we start with an inclination to believe, observation leads to faith. As faith grows, reason facilitates the transformation of faith into revelatory knowledge, and revelatory knowledge produces added faith,” Elder Renlund  (This talk is super good)