SATAN IS SWEATING PEOPLE. WE GOT THAT GUY STRESSED OUT.
What a week full of blessings, miracles, tender mercies, and PUSHBACK.
So, the last few weeks have been stressful. We have been frustrated with how little our teaching has seemed to leave impressions on people and how little people seem to focus up when we talk about crazy things like living prophets, a true church, etc. But, it finally clicked during a lesson. We had a lesson with this older, less active couple who were like, "I like the church! I want to go to church because I like to pray." To which I enthusiastically replied, "And why do you like to pray?" ....confused look... "Is it because you like to talk to God?" "YEAH!" "If you go to church with us to pray and take the sacrament, God will be happy. Do you want to go to church?" "YEAH!"
Afterward, we walked away and Elder P was like, "Wow, man that was awesome. You totally talked to them like they were in Primary and they totally got it." Pause. Turn to one another...... direct revelation. What do you do with a group of people where only half can read (no higher than a third grade level), no one speaks Spanish (their second language) with anyone but foreigners like us. And who have a hard time understanding complex concepts?..........You teach Primary.
So for the remainder of the week, we taught primary. AND IT TOTALLY WORKED. Growing up, I saw the mission as a battle of going out and fighting evil with truth and testifying and convincing some of the biggest and brightest minds--having to be so sharp because those I would teach would be so sharp. But what I have learned is that even more difficult than that, is teaching the gospel in such a simplified manner that those who can barely understand you, and may be confused by the doctrines of the gospel, can still understand and feel the truth of it through the Holy Ghost.
I'm not getting trained out here to be a future church leader, I'm getting trained out here to be a future Primary teacher, and I'm going to be DANG good at it.
Elder P and I talked and we feel really good about this way of teaching, and how we worked. It felt confirmed how good we're working because this Sunday we could see and feel weird things happen. Satan was working really hard, and trying to frustrate us and get us to give up, but it ain't happening. We are going to keep moving and the miracles are going to come.
The goal here is to better these peoples lives in any way possible. Not just in the gospel, but in life. If they can't read the Book of Mormon, or anything else for that matter? Fine, we´ll teach them. We have a reading class. If they can't understand Spanish, but want to? Fine, we´ll teach them. We have a Spanish class (taught by two gringos). The kids in the ward don't have a seminary teacher? Fine, Elder P and I will teach Old Testament in Guarani/Spanish. Oh, you want to learn music? We have piano classes on Fridays. Come one, come all. You want to better yourself and your life? The LDS missionaries are here, and how are we going to better your life? We will point to Jesus Christ in all things. It's awesome!
This work will move forward. If there's a mountain in the way figuratively or literally, that's fine. We will move it. And how will we move forward? Through FAITH in Jesus Christ.
Who gon stop that? NDIPORI (NO WAY)
Signing out till the next beautiful Monday here in Paso Yobai.
Ya boi,
SHOUT OUT TO MY BOY JY FOR COMPLETING ANOTHER YEAR OF LIFE. LOVE YA BRO!!
P.S.- A group of niños take the cake as the first group of people to make me bawl while bearing my testimony during my mission!! More on that next week as I can actually send pictures!!
TACO TUESDAY THIS TUESDAY, BABY
What a week full of blessings, miracles, tender mercies, and PUSHBACK.
So, the last few weeks have been stressful. We have been frustrated with how little our teaching has seemed to leave impressions on people and how little people seem to focus up when we talk about crazy things like living prophets, a true church, etc. But, it finally clicked during a lesson. We had a lesson with this older, less active couple who were like, "I like the church! I want to go to church because I like to pray." To which I enthusiastically replied, "And why do you like to pray?" ....confused look... "Is it because you like to talk to God?" "YEAH!" "If you go to church with us to pray and take the sacrament, God will be happy. Do you want to go to church?" "YEAH!"
Afterward, we walked away and Elder P was like, "Wow, man that was awesome. You totally talked to them like they were in Primary and they totally got it." Pause. Turn to one another...... direct revelation. What do you do with a group of people where only half can read (no higher than a third grade level), no one speaks Spanish (their second language) with anyone but foreigners like us. And who have a hard time understanding complex concepts?..........You teach Primary.
So for the remainder of the week, we taught primary. AND IT TOTALLY WORKED. Growing up, I saw the mission as a battle of going out and fighting evil with truth and testifying and convincing some of the biggest and brightest minds--having to be so sharp because those I would teach would be so sharp. But what I have learned is that even more difficult than that, is teaching the gospel in such a simplified manner that those who can barely understand you, and may be confused by the doctrines of the gospel, can still understand and feel the truth of it through the Holy Ghost.
I'm not getting trained out here to be a future church leader, I'm getting trained out here to be a future Primary teacher, and I'm going to be DANG good at it.
Elder P and I talked and we feel really good about this way of teaching, and how we worked. It felt confirmed how good we're working because this Sunday we could see and feel weird things happen. Satan was working really hard, and trying to frustrate us and get us to give up, but it ain't happening. We are going to keep moving and the miracles are going to come.
The goal here is to better these peoples lives in any way possible. Not just in the gospel, but in life. If they can't read the Book of Mormon, or anything else for that matter? Fine, we´ll teach them. We have a reading class. If they can't understand Spanish, but want to? Fine, we´ll teach them. We have a Spanish class (taught by two gringos). The kids in the ward don't have a seminary teacher? Fine, Elder P and I will teach Old Testament in Guarani/Spanish. Oh, you want to learn music? We have piano classes on Fridays. Come one, come all. You want to better yourself and your life? The LDS missionaries are here, and how are we going to better your life? We will point to Jesus Christ in all things. It's awesome!
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| Piano lessons |
Can ya'll feel the fire in me?
This work will move forward. If there's a mountain in the way figuratively or literally, that's fine. We will move it. And how will we move forward? Through FAITH in Jesus Christ.
Who gon stop that? NDIPORI (NO WAY)
Signing out till the next beautiful Monday here in Paso Yobai.
Ya boi,
Elder Yocum
SHOUT OUT TO MY BOY JY FOR COMPLETING ANOTHER YEAR OF LIFE. LOVE YA BRO!!
P.S.- A group of niños take the cake as the first group of people to make me bawl while bearing my testimony during my mission!! More on that next week as I can actually send pictures!!
TACO TUESDAY THIS TUESDAY, BABY
CHOOOOUUUUUUUUUUU
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| Branch President's home |
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| Helping to build a tataqua--an outdoor oven made of mud and bricks. Where they cook a ton of stuff like chipa, sopa, tortilla, cows head--all the normal Paraguayan stuff. |
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| Outdoor kitchen |
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| Getting it done! |
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