La PLAY

 Hi everyone, I hope you're all doing fantabulous!

Big Busy Week! Just had 16 new missionaries arrive yesterday, that's group #5. It's always something special to experience new missionaries getting here with the mixed emotions of being so disoriented/confused and excited. And yet in all that, they are going to do amazing work. Through their spirit, smile, and their testimonies, even if imperfectly spoken, (the Lord makes up for that, He surely has and does with me) they will touch countless lives.

Our friend Giuliano is progressing a lot, he is making changes to his life (even dropping "La PLAY"/Playstation, to wake up for church and to spend time with his family on Sundays). That's a big step. And he's seen the blessings. He is taking the initiative, which as we see a lot is something that God often asks of us. He knows how to bless us and to help us, but oftentimes as we use our freedom to make decisions and try to do what He would want us to do, is when we learn and grow the most. That's why the answers to all our prayers aren't just things falling from the sky. Giuliano has seen this. He has taken steps of faith to share his testimony with his family and especially his father, and his testimony has grown through doing so.

This is something that the story of an-example-so-humble-that-they-didn't-even-put-his-name-in-the-Book-of-Mormon (the brother of Jared) has taught me. Something I always need to work on improving, asking the Lord not just for what we want or the path that sounds the nicest... but ¿Qué quieres que yo haga...?. Lord, what is it that you would have me do? 

It's not always easy.
Sometimes I'm the worst at it.
Sometimes we don't want to ask it, because we're not the most excited about the answer we will receive.
But as we learn to do so, we will see His Will.
His Love for us.
His Plan.

I've been here in the office now for more time than I've been in the field. And I know there are many changes coming my way. I know there are many responsibilities the Lord has now and has yet in store for me. And I'm not nervous, I'm just not the most confident. (ahhh, that's a little reference). But I am confident in the Lord and what he has in store, that it will be for the good of His children here in Argentina. We'll see what happens. 

Love you All,
Elder Shepherd

here's some family photos for the scrapbook