Alma 38:5 (….I would that ye should remember, that as much as ye shall put your trust in God even so much ye shall be delivered out of your trials, and your troubles, and your afflictions, and ye shall be lifted up at the last day.)
Here is a fun experience I just recently had.
This week a few members of the church were starting up a personal fundraiser so they could raise money to rent a bus in order to afford a trip to the Panama Temple in the city. (WHOOO! 13 hours sitting on a bus.) One day all our appointments were falling through one after another. We finally got to a point in the day where we were going to go visit a reference we had for a family. This was a father that had seen a member family of eight and had heard a little message and thought that he was interested in learning more. This man asked a member to contact the missionaries to see if we could come over. We just didn't know where he lived and so we went over to the member’s house to get directions. When we got there the dad exclaimed, ITS A MIRACLE! -Wait what? He then went on to explain that God sent us here just in time to help. Then we said, “Can you wait for about twenty minutes, we have time, we just need to teach this Dad who wanted to learn more.” The man was not home and so una vez we left and so the work began.
The ward member started explaining that for this activity we would help him bring wood to make a fire so they could prepare tamales. We thought, yeah, this will be no problem. He went on to explain that there were a few dead trees behind the church so let’s get going. In reality, we start walking to the church and then he flagged down a taxi. We get into the taxi and head into the middle of nowhere. (Nuevo Paradiso- where you would see a house every three minutes of walking.) We get out of the car and look on one side of the street where we see that it is a straight wall of tropical trees. On the other side, there is a small dirt cut out and a burnt down house. (Apparently, it was his old property.) As we got out of the taxi, another father met us who happened to be a burly man with a huge gut and who was just lugging a chainsaw over his shoulder. He was by his three sons, the two younger were 11 and 13-year old sons, Angel and Nefi, who look like twins, and happen to both wearing similar outfits, and carrying two machetes and the oldest son was carrying two gas tanks with him. We then headed out back down behind the burnt house, down a hill and over a ditch about 5 feet deep where a tree fell over and slid down into the river. We follow this ditch by cutting and hacking with machetes a pathway in which we can cross to get there. The foliage, vines and poison ivy making it a tough path to create.
At one point, their dad climbs up on one of the three trees that fell down. My companion and I are at the bottom of a hill, with walls of trees on both sides with the only path you can see is the one we cut through and the river. The river is running fast because of all the rain (oh, did I mention that it was raining), and the father is straddling two different trees with a chainsaw cutting another tree all above this river. We just hauled up what he cut to the hill in the rain and mud and in our white missionary shirts which are now brown dress shirts. Another member helped by taking the wood to the church. All I can say is, that I think that Panamanians are the offspring of Rambo himself.
Apart from that story, we had a baptism this week of a young man named Reynaldo. He lived on the streets almost all his life. He was eventually adopted by his aunt, but never really got along with her. He has had many hard experiences throughout his life. After teaching him, we have seen a huge change in this young man. He really carries the light of Christ in his eyes. He has made huge sacrifices to be where he is now. He has even gotten a job to support the family. I am really impressed with him.
I had my birthday this last week and as a treat for the money sent from my family, I decided to buy myself, Captain Crunch! Cereal here is a little expensive, and milk is even more so. All the milk is a little sour and to get good milk it costs a bit. So I splurged and had a good birthday.
Now every week we take a bus to go to Changuinola Centro for a small conference and along the way I heard a few bands that I haven’t heard in a while. We hard Earth Fire and Wind (By the way you can never be sad listening to them), we heard One Republic, and from the Backstreet Boys. "I want it that way". And that is what I think I want to talk about today.
As I explained to an investigator this week, "life is filled with getting more responsibility and more responsibility." You learn as it goes. You get thrown into a situation: sometimes weird, sometimes sad, but almost always a little uncomfortable. And you learn to cope with it. You adjust. You become good at the task or situation. You get comfortable and then you get thrown something different. Every time with a curveball. And that’s how God works. A lot of times we think to ourselves how or more commonly why. I have learned a few things on the mission that help me.
1) 1 Nephi 3:7 He will never give us a trial too big that we can't overcome. It's doctrine. He can't be a loving Heavenly Father and ask us to do something crazy, like build an Arc without providing a way or the means to do so. As it says in Luke 18:27, And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.
2) Isaiah 55:8-9 The Lord has a plan for every single one of us and the choices that God makes are his to make. I can't change the will of God no matter how much I want or how much I try. Neither can I change the past. However, I do have the agency to decide how I want to act and react to every situation.
3) 2 Nephi 26:23-24 God will not put anything stupid in our way. Every little trial has a purpose to it. Ether12:27 says we are given trials to help us learn and grow, but most importantly to be humble. Just like Job of ancient times we too are given trials that make us stop and ponder, Why me? If I'm doing everything right, Why Me? What am I supposed to get out of this?
4) Alma 38:5 The Lord gives us trials so that we can learn and grow our faith. So that we can turn to him. Eter12:6 We can't gain a testimony until we really have a trial of faith.
Just like Christ our Savior was faced with many trials, we are as well but to a lesser degree, but we are asked to 2 Nephi 9:18 bear the crosses of the world. We bear our personal small token of a sacrifice he bore. I know that God loves us and has a plan for every single one of us. He wants to help us and wants the best for us. That’s why he sent his son. Alma 7:11-12 to help us get back to him, but also so through his sacrifice that he gave, we can feel peace during the worst of times. Please turn to him in prayer. I promise he is there with open arms.
I pray for you and love you,
Elder Irizarry
