The Infinite Power of the Atonement........week 83

Well family another week passed and I can hardly believe that I am writing you again. It was one crazy week.

We have been running around like crazy to find things and prepare things for the Christmas Devotional and Celebration. It will be on Tuesday and Wednesday so we have very little time left now. I think I have felt more like an Elf in Santa’s workshop this week than a missionary, but in the end it is fulfilling. I will be happy to see the missionaries’ faces when they get to experience the conference. It will make all of the work we did worthwhile. I am beginning to understand how the parents feel when they wake up Christmas morning after having spent the whole night wrapping Christmas gifts. The season after all is about giving and I feel like I am beginning to understand the true meaning of Christmas.

But how is the family doing? I bet everyone is getting ready for Christmas day now with only a week left before the bells chime on that Sacred, special day. Where is everyone going to have Christmas anyway? I ask because we are going to have to have everything ready for the phone call. I will get only 40 minutes to talk so I hope that everyone can plan out their questions and such. It will be the shortest 40 minutes ever. I will call Christmas day but I will have a one minute phone call soon to say at what time exactly. But plan out a time when it would be best for everyone. Don’t worry about phone cards or any of that. It is really cheap to call the states from Nicaragua. Plus I will probably just call from the office and not pay anything. Great huh?

Despite the little time we had in the field, there were several experiences that I have had that have strengthened my testimony. Last Sunday we went to visit Danilo and his wife after church. He has been progressing miraculously with his goal to stop smoking and I couldn’t help marvel at what the atonement is doing for him. Three weeks ago we met the man in church and we gave him a Priesthood blessing to stop smoking. At that time he smoked two or more packets a day. When we asked him how he was doing with his smoking he said that he had only smoked one cigarette. He said that he didn’t really want to smoke anymore because he didn’t have a desire. He actually ended up giving cigarettes away and he denied to smoke to a neighbor. After teaching the first lesson, we testified that what had made his recovery from addiction possible was the power of the priesthood. As we drove away, tears came to my eyes and I realized that God really has given me His power to help His children here on Earth. I felt so grateful to have been able to exercise my Priesthood. I know that it is the power of God delegated to man to help God’s children come back into His presence.

It is truly amazing to see a person repent of their sins and come unto Jesus Christ. I know that He forgives us when we truly repent.

“I shall lengthen out mine arm unto them from day to day, they will deny me; nevertheless, I will be merciful unto them, saith the Lord God, if they will repent and come unto me; for mine arm is lengthened out all the day long, saith the Lord God of Hosts.” (2 Nephi 28:32)

I know that Christ is my Redeemer. I know He lives and that He works among the children of men. His Atonement is infinite in power and reach. It reaches the people here in Nicaragua. It has reached me in my own personal life. It will continue to bless all who earnestly seek its divine power. I am thankful for my Savior Jesus Christ. I love him. I serve Him as best I can. May we take advantage fully of the Atonement of Christ in our lives.

Elder Grant Russell

What Child is This?........week 82

Hello family!

We are another week closer to Christmas and the excitement is setting in. It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas here in Nicaragua. We have the normal Christmas stuff: lights on tin houses (half don't work and most strands are up all year long), roundabouts with large Christmas trees (instead of a large star you find Sandanista political party propaganda), people selling Nacatamales and coca cola (the Christmas jam of Nicaragua), and Spanish Christmas music in the streets. Ha ha, it is different but it feels like home. Kind of strange how it all seems so normal now.

The Christmas season brings many scenes from Christ’s life to my mind. Perhaps the most common image that I longer on is that of the Savior wrapped in Swaddling clothes and laid in a manger. I think of how peaceful he would have been in that small cradle. How very different was His life in that moment than only a little time before. Several lines from a famous Christmas song capture my thoughts and reflections today:

What Child is this, who, laid to rest?

Do we remember adequately the importance of that singular day when Jesus Christ was born? Who was this small baby boy resting in the arms of Mary?

Why lies He in such mean estate
Where ox and ass are feeding?

What made the God of this world give up mansions and thrones and glory to be wrapped up in something so unfitting of his eternal majesty?

On Mary's lap, is sleeping?

Nails, spear, shall pierce Him through,
The Cross be borne, for me, for you.

Maybe this of all nights would be the most restful. He would spend his life serving others, taking upon himself much suffering and heartache. His cross and ours He would bear willingly.

So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh;
Come peasant, king, to own Him.

What gift can we really give the king who had it all but gave it all up?

Joy, joy, for Christ is born,
The Babe, the Son of Mary!

What joy comes into our hearts as we think that through His sacrifice we can be clean from sin! We can live with God again because Christ came to this Earth. If we can but have faith in His name, repent, and keep His commandments and endure to the end, the importance of the birth of Jesus Christ and his life take on their full effect.

Serving as a missionary for the Lord in this holiday season is priceless. I wouldn’t want to do anything else. This week I read a wonderful verse in Doctrine and Covenants that I would like to share.

“Hearken, O ye who have given your names to go forth to proclaim my gospel, and to prune my vineyard. UAdd a Note

Behold, I say unto you that it is my will that you should go forth and not tarry, neither be idle but labor with your might—

Lifting up your voices as with the sound of a trump, proclaiming the truth according to the revelations and commandments which I have given you.

And thus, if ye are faithful ye shall be laden with many sheaves and crowned with honor, and glory, and immortality, and eternal life.”

It is a pleasure to serve the King of Kings. I am thankful that He chose to come. I know that He was born of Mary, a virgin, and that He is literally the son of God. Were it not so I could not have received the remission of my sins in his name nor would I have seen so many others experience the same. I know that He live and died for me and that He was resurrected the third day. He loves us and just wants us to obey him. May we do so is my prayer.

Elder Grant Russell

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Service........week 81

Well family, it was nice to hear from you last week. I really enjoyed the photos that you sent of the family and the grandkids. Hey…but what a way to find out Joy is pregnant!? Sheesh. I was a little surprised about it but at the same time I thought that it might happen before I got home. Congratulations to her and Josh. It will be nice to have one more little sobrinito to hug when I get home. When will the baby be born by the way? I assume about when I get home right? I will be teaching him or her Spanish words before he or she learns to speak in English ha ha.

So the week was really busy again. 19 new missionaries came and 4 left, including Elder Miller who was in the office as a special retention assignment elder. It was interesting to see the wide range of emotions that come with missionaries leaving and coming. All come and go with a great excitement but the missionary leaves differently than when he came. He leaves knowing much more and being much more like Jesus Christ. There is a special spirit with the missionary that has honorably served our Savior and King for the full time required.

We spent a lot of late nights and early mornings getting things ready this week because of the changes. It gave me a lot more time to think about the service that I have been giving as financer. I have been doing my best so that everything goes well with Housing, payments, new areas, etc but at times it is overwhelming. I ask myself at times if all of this service is worthwhile in God’s kingdom. Haven’t we all felt like that at times…a busy mother who slaves away doing laundry and house work or perhaps a father who works late hours to provide for his children. Perhaps a Bishop passes precious night hours in interviews with troubled ward members, a nursery leader tries to round up the little ones for organized play time or a home teacher goes the extra mile to help an inactive come back into the fold…does this matter to God? He sees it all. Certainly, everything that we do in service to our fellow beings is of service of God. I know that He is happy when we make our best efforts to serve Him, in whatever it might be.

I have learned in my mission that if we just trust in God, He will always help us to overcome. I thought a lot about how service really just helps us. I feel that in my life the more I serve, the happier I am. Before the mission, I think I worried a lot about where I served, but now I am just worried about serving with all of my heart might mind and strength.

This week we had an awesome activity in our area that helped animate a lot of members. We had a short message and then we played the Christmas version of Simon Says...”Santa Says.” It was great! We challenged each one of the members and recent converts there to give a gift to Jesus Christ this Christmas by sharing the gospel with others. We handed out a bunch of Christmas videos and everyone was writing down their families and friends’ names to give them the materials. The happiest part of the whole experience for me was that we had the activity in the house of David Berrios. He is someone I baptized over a year ago in Monserrat the first time I was in the area and after the meeting we talked with his wife and him and they have a goal to go to the temple next June. He was really excited.

I love serving my fellow men. I have come up with a saying that helps me to remember that in serving others we are blessed as well: One can’t easily hug another without receiving a hug in return. Every time we help another, we leave just as blessed if not more. That is why I thank the Lord for the opportunity that I have to serve a mission. I love being a missionary. It is the best time of my life. I feel so close to the Savior and I know He hears my prayers. I have never felt such quick answers to my prayers until the mission. Truly, as we serve our fellow beings we are only serving our God.

Elder Grant Russell

Tis the Season........week 80

A Thanksgiving Feast

I have felt particularly thankful this week and for good reason. Tis the season to be jolly…and thankful and happy and joyful…I love the holidays. I love the Christmas lights on the roundabouts all over the city. I love that Latin jingle as you walk into the super markets and the classic Christmas music in the mall. There is a special spirit about the holidays.

It was a pretty nice week. We had a simple, normal meal for Thanksgiving but we had a member invite us over for Turkey and it was great! We are also cooking a Turkey dinner for President and his family today. Hopefully it turns out okay. I thought I had more experience in this but it turns out I have only seen Turkeys made for all of these years ha ha. I would be a better taste tester than cook I think ha ha.

I got my package and the sweets are going fast. I love those brownies mom. They taste just like home…at least from what I can remember. The stockings are great, so great in fact that we have them hanging in the office and President put his up in his house. He is very thankful for that mom. He really feels special when people remember to do things like that for his family. I didn’t know how to take the thanks for something I hadn’t done but I told him that I would relay the message.

I am thankful for all of you. I am thankful for your prayers and thoughts on my behalf. My thoughts were turned home for a moment or two here and there this week. I care for you all and miss you but I am super excited to be here for this time of year. I feel that this is the best time of year to teach people about Jesus Christ. Their hearts are open because the season.

I continue to marvel at the change that can come into our lives when we let Jesus in. I have seen serious progress in the lives of many this week that has caused me to think about the infinite power of the atonement. Last Sunday I witnessed the division and official formation of the Borgona Branch in the University Stake. I saw many converts that I had either helped teach in their early months or had seen them get baptized too. It was wonderful to see their excitement as they smiled to me and said that they had now completed a year as members of the church, and still active and strong. I remember the first Sunday when they began to see if La Borgona would be able to be self sufficient. There were only 25 people the first Sunday but now there is a large Branch. It is amazing to see how much people and areas can change.

As of Saturday evening last week we were starting to be a little discouraged because after having worked with so hard with so many families, we still only had a few investigators in church…none of which we considered possibilities for baptism. We had gone three weeks without baptizing and our possibility of going without a baptism was looking like fate. We prayed Saturday night for a miracle. I guess it was a long shot. I don’t really know what we were asking for but God did. We said something like this, “Heavenly Father, we want to baptize and we have been working hard both in the office and in the field. After visiting the investigators tonight we don’t think anyone will come tomorrow to church. We need a family to come tomorrow so we can prepare more for baptism. Please let a family come, even if it means having a member bring their husband or wife whom isn’t a member. Please help us to find these people to teach.”

When we arrived at church, the man was there. Jose Danilo came with his wife that day. He came to see his step sons participate in the Primary program and ended up staying the whole time. He loved it all. He came again today. We gave him a priesthood blessing so that he can stop smoking and be baptized the 18^th of December. God really does answer prayers.

On top of that tender mercy of the Lord, I thank Him for letting us find Pilar and her two kids. They had been going to church for some time but for some reason we had misunderstood her. She wasn’t living with her partner anymore and was completely willing to keep the Law of Chastity. She was baptized this week. Thanks to our Heavenly Father in this wonderful time of year that He continues to change people’s lives.

I bear witness of the divine mission of our Savior Jesus Christ. I know that He lives and that He answers our prayers. I am thankful that He permits me to bear His name daily and I strive to be worthy to bear it. I try to have it upon my chest and within my heart at all times. Tis the season to be jolly, thankful, loving, and trusting in our Father in Heaven. We believe in a living Christ who continues to bless our lives. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Elder Grant Russell

Patience brings fruit........week 79

Patience brings fruit

Thank you for your prayers across the miles. I have definitely felt them this week. I am sad to hear about David Whitney. My prayers are with them in this difficult time. I know that the hands of the Lord are in all things. It is in the trial that we make needed corrections and become more like the Master.

President Monestel and his wife went to a Mission President’s seminar in Guatemala this week and so we ended up taking care of his kids and running a lot of errands. I spent a lot of time in the car to say the least. AS a result, I had a lot of time to reflect on the mission, on my life, on the blessings the Lord gives me daily. The time continues to fly by and I am beginning to realize that I need to take advantage of every minute.

We were teaching Francisco and his sons this week when I received more light. As the scriptures say, precept upon precept, line upon line. I find myself learning new things every day. That is the most amazing thing! Francisco is a recent convert of about 2 months. Like most senior men in Nicaragua, he has been without work, in his case for over a year. When we taught him about the gospel we promised him that if he only put God first, that he would have food and everything else he needed. The amazing thing is that God blesses us immediately after we have been obedient to a given principle. But that can also be a challenge for some. Just after being baptized, he began to find work. The problem is that most times the jobs that come at first are only on Sunday. Many of the recent converts have trouble turning down a job when they have gone without for months or years. They have opportunities to show their faith. Unfortunately, many fall into Satan’s little trap and stop going to church.

Honestly I have seen this problem in many recent converts and less actives. It is almost as if the very blessing which God gives them becomes their vice. I pondered on and thought about how to teach these people. It was in the moment of teaching these three jobless men this week that the Lord gave me clarity. We used a parable like this one in the very moment that we were in the lesson to answer their question. I was taught myself.

A hungry man prays to God one morning, “Please give me food to feed my family. My wife is weak and my children small.” Upon arising from the prayer, the man exercises his faith and goes to the market to look for his answer. As he searches the small stands for something he might eat, his eyes rest upon a small fruit tree. The woman selling the tree throws out an offer, “20 pesos.” He humbly bargains away all that he has and he receives the tree rejoicing. Upon arriving home, he shares his good fortune with his wife and children, telling them of the marvelous fruit which the Lord will give them in years to come. He plants. He waits. He prays.

The days pass. Rain and sunshine couldn't keep this humble man from waiting for the tree to grow. Days turned to weeks and his excitement grew to be greater than his hunger. When the tree reached his height he thought, “Surely, soon the fruit will come.”

He saw the flowers come but the fruit was nowhere in sight. Would God answer his prayer? Where was the food he had asked for so long ago? As the month mark approached, the hunger became too much and his excitement turned into disappointment. His visits became less frequent and his trips to find quick food more common.

It was after such a trip that he took one final look at the tree upon arriving and he quickly decided to cut the tall, robust trunk. “Surely the Lord has proved true,” he thought. “With this tree I can sell wood in the market and buy food for my family!” He removed his axe from the shed and he made his first swings. Several minutes later the tree fell and he began to cut the branches. He collected them neatly and reviewed their lengths to make them uniform. When he grabbed one particular branch he was surprised to see his hand stained red. There was no pain, no cut, no rash. He realized it was something much smaller. There in his hand were the squishy beginnings of the first small tree fruit. The man looked at the fruit and then he looked at the freshly cut branches. He looked upwards slowly and then he fell to his knees and began to cry. If only he had waited.

How many of us give up God’s greatest blessings for partaking when they aren’t fully ripe. Surely God has answered our prayers and provided the ways, but He tries our patience too. Although all obedience has its answer immediately, the fruits require time to grow. These recent converts in impatience have cut the very tree that will give them future spiritual fruit for a simple monetary recompense. How many years would this family have eaten fresh fruit under the branches of a shady tree? Would healthy young children have swung from the branches or happily climbed its long limbs?

Really, much of the disobedience to the commandments (Sunday worship, Law of Chastity, Word of Wisdom, etc) takes root in not being able to see the future fruit behind the trunk of the tree. We put our own time table on God’s blessings and we lose the blessing all together.

I am so grateful for the blessings which our Father in Heaven bestows upon us. Let us not take them wrongly and create our own vice. Let us be patient in the difficult times for there is always something better waiting if we can out wait the natural man.

Elder Grant Russell

Am I better today than Yesterday?........week 78

Trials are Gold

Another week has passed. It has been filled with new trials and hardship and with greater joy and happiness. I find the two go hand in hand surprisingly. Peter said simply,

“The trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:7

We always teach the investigators that their trials are so that they can learn and improve but many times when we have problems, we lose the faith that we always teach about. Every once in a while the Lord lets us know how well we are living the principles we teach and learn about in church. These are precious experiences. I look back on my mission and I see that the most praiseworthy times were when I was passing the through hard times. Little by little, these experiences have changed me like a fire. I felt the heat at times but I wouldn’t change them for all of the gold in the world.

This week we were teaching Mauricio, a recent convert family’s son about trials. It was our second lesson with him and he had not come to church the past week. When we listened to his doubts and worries about falling into past temptations, the spirit came unto us and we were able to let him know that these trials were opportunities to choose between what is right and wrong. We encouraged him to choose the right and gave him confidence so that he would know that he could make good decisions. He came to Church today and will be blessed for exercising his agency correctly.

With opposition comes the ability to choose and with choice comes the consequences of obedience. Thank goodness we have opposition which principle allows us to be blessed in our lives. Alma 41: 7-8, 14 teaches,

“These are they that are redeemed of the Lord; yea, these are they that are taken out, that are delivered from that endless night of darkness; and thus they stand or fall; for behold, they are their own judges, whether to do good or do evil.

Now, the decrees of God are unatlerable; therefore, the way is prepared that whosoever will may walk therein and be saved.

And now behold, my son, do not risk one more offense against your God upon those points of doctrine, which ye have hitherto risked to commit sin.

Therefore, my son, see that you are merciful unto your brethren; deal justly, judge righteously, and do good continually; and if ye do all these things then shall ye receive your reward; yea, ye shall have mercy restored unto you again; ye shall have justice restored unto you again; ye shall have a righteous judgment restored unto you again; and ye shall have good rewarded unto you again.”

Our Heavenly Father wants to bless us so much! If we are obedient to His commandments, we will receive His promised blessings. We are our own judges, passing our own judgement and we are always taught with justly of the Lord. If we do what is right, we receive what is right.

The day after this lesson with Mauricio I was tried too. Suddenly, my role was changed. I became Mauricio and I was the one who needed to see why trials happen. It was tough. I realized that it wasn’t so easy. I asked for a Priesthood blessing and I was comforted in amazing ways. I continue to work and the Lord has blessed me for continuing to trust in Him. My trials this week have helped me to be a little better every day.

One of President Monestel’s mottos is: Am I better today than Yesterday? I can honestly say that through trials I become better. I appreciate them. I thank my Heavenly Father for the opportunity to be better and to realize my weaknesses. I join with Peter in saying that I praise and honor and glory them and that they will help me to be better prepared for when Christ comes. I put them at a value higher than Gold.

Elder Russell