Week # 50 - Teaching the Gospel and Serving Go Together

We have been working hard!  I love walking in these shoes you sent me! It is so much better.  Thank you!  We had 3 baptisms on Saturday.  It was great.  Then we have to skip a week until we can mark any more for Baptism, but we have 8 more prepared in 2 more weeks.  

We have people here who think we are Chinese.  I think it is because the Chinese own a lot of land here and so when I look different they think I am part of that culture.  I can take it for only so long and then I have to tell them that I am an American!  I just want to carry a flag with me or something to help people out!  

When we talk and teach people we are finding ways to help them while we share the gospel with them.  The other day I helped a lady cut some lettuce while Elder Van Orden was talking with the family.  The only challenge is they don't think I know how to cut lettuce because I don't cut it in my hand.  I don't want to cut myself!  No one has an oven here so when we are teaching sometimes we help them stir or grind their food or even cook over the fire.  I always cook the food as long as possible hoping that they will cook their meat all the way through!! - we still do not eat with anyone here because of the sanitation and uncooked food!  

A woman in the church just had a wall collapse at her house so she talked to the Bishop and we are going to help fix that this week.  So we teach the gospel and we do little bits of service.  There is so much more to do, but we are hear to teach them the gospel.  This is the most important thing!  To know of Jesus Christ and The Plan of Salvation.  They are blessed in so many ways and then that helps them do better taking care of what they need.  

I am grateful for this opportunity to serve and teach.  All the missionaries that taught me so much are home now.  It feels so weird.  I am almost at my 1 year mark.  I just have to remember that this is a marathon and to keep at it every day.  

I love the new youth theme for next year!  That has always been my favorite scripture and it has helped me make important decisions in my life. "I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."

 - 1 Nephi 3:7

Each day I am doing what the Lord commands and it is hard and tiring, but I know that the Lord is blessing and helping me.  He is watching over the people here and they are learning and growing.  Little by little I am learning how to teach them in a way that they understand more clearly the gospel. There are so many miracles.  

Thanks for the prayers,

Com Amor, Elder Rees