Los Jardines

Estimados,

So it is actually going to happen, I am being transfered! After 7 changes here, I will be heading north to the Los Jardines branch in Buin with Elder Llavilla as a zone leader, most likely to finish the mission there. I was actually already companions with Elder Llavilla before in Las Cabras, so it is a bit surprising that we will be together again. He is a great missionary. I am excited to be a zone leader too. The zone leaders help train the missionaries and direct their efforts in order to have success. The Buin zone is the biggest zone of the mission with 24 missionaries, so hopefully it is not too overwhelming. And strangely enough I started my mission in the southernmost part (Talca) and kept heading north (Curicó, San Fernando, Rancagua) until the northernmost part (Buin). But that probably doesnt mean much if you dont know the geography of the sixth and seventh region of Chile (and surely none of you do). But anyway, I am excited for the change and I hope to serve well.

It was a nice last week in the office. Not so much traveling this week. But on Monday we will be going to Santiago to drop off the missionaries who are going home (I will be in my new sector on Tuesday). 

In all of my time in the office, I have thought that it is a great preparation for the real world. Surely the skills of how to do office work (in two different languages) will be able to help me in study and work opportunities, but more than that this has been an opportunity to develop important habits. As a normal missionary it is really not that hard to follow the schedule and do all the things we need to do, because everything is focused directly on inviting others to come unto Christ. In the office, it is not so straightforward. There are lots of other temporal things to do that seem to get in the way of the spiritual things that we need to do as missionaries (study, obedience, etc). It has definitely been hard to find a balance between the temporal and spiritual responsibilities, and I was far from perfect in doing so.

But for God, all things are spiritual:

Wherefore, verily I say unto you that all things unto me are spiritual, and not at any time have I given unto you a law which was temporal; neither any man, nor the children of men; neither Adam, your father, whom I created.

 

Behold, I gave unto him that he should be an agent unto himself; and I gave unto him commandment, but no temporal commandment gave I unto him, for my commandments are spiritual; they are not natural nor temporal, neither carnal nor sensual. (D&C 29:34-35)

If we can see the spiritual importance of everything we do, we can come closer to our Heavenly Father. Managing visas of 200 missionaries, buying flights, making doctors appointments, and doing all the many other things we had to do were the things that needed to be done to help all of the missionaries that the Lord has called here be able to invite others to come unto Christ. I am glad I had the opportunity to serve my fellow missionaries and learn from this assignment. When we start to realize how we can balance our temporal and spiritual roles as one, we will be more effective in both. I have learned a little bit about that, and hope to continue learning.

Have a great week!

Elder Richards