Vessels of the Lord

It seems as though the days blend together here. Not because they're boring, but because they are all the same. Because of that, I hope you'll forgive me for not giving too many details about what I did this week. I want to focus this week on what I learned.

But first, one story. We were teaching one of our "investigators" named America, who is really close to baptism. She had some questions about church (she went last Sunday!!) and I was struggling to answer her question, but she didn't seem to understand. My poor companion
wasn´t feeling all the way good, and so he couldn't quite understand the Spanish. I thought for a second that the lesson was going to be a failure. But me and a companion had said a lot of prayers that day, and I had asked God to help us teach with his power and authority, so I couldn´t give up. Finally, I turned to the scriptures. I mean, duh. Why did I try to answer her questions by myself when God always gives the best answers. One of the scriptures I had studied that very morning came into my mind. And as soon as she read it she understood. It reminded me who was really in charge. Sometimes, the best thing to say is nothing, and let God do the talking. That was a great lesson I learned this week.

I figured it out. I figured out what my job is out here. I mean. MY job. Specifically me as a missionary. It happened on Sunday when President Cox was giving us a devotional.
Do you remember the talk from General Conference about hearing the music? If not, look it up right now. It talks about how sometimes we do all of the right dance steps in the
church, but we fail to hear the music of God´s Spirit and Love. If we want to become truly converted, we need to hear the music. Well, President's wife was talking about that talk for a while, and I felt a very strong impression from the Spirit of the Lord.

I am out here to channel the music.

Literally and Spiritually, God needs me as an INSTRUMENT in his hands. He needs me, not to play my own music out here, but to play HIS. He needs me to find his lost, struggling sheep, and pick them up. To raise them up so high that they can bask in the sunlight of his perfect love. To act as a pure vessel to bring His Spirit to the people of El Salvador and Belize.

Once I understood that, I knew I could do anything. ANYTHING that God needed me to. I've been studying and praying trying to, literally and spiritually, become IN TUNE with the Spirit. The references to God's love as music are many, but subtle in the church. I want to serve him
with ALL my heart, might, mind,and strength. Well, a huge part of me is music. It just is. It's been my greatest struggle and my greatest blessing out here. But I know that I can put aside my own music for AT LEAST 2 years so that I can learn how to play God´s. I´m kinda a beginner at that. But I've learned to play enough instruments that I know you have to start somewhere. Do re mi, 1 2 3, "Vi una columna de
luz." God put us here to learn, so why don't we DO it already.

I sang Be Still My Soul, as a solo by request of Hermana Cox, for a devotional on Sunday. It was the first, hopefully of many, time that I got to act as a literal instrument of the Lord. My district sang a musical number too during sacrament meeting. I also have to organize a musical number for a devotional for a 70 tonight. I think God's trying very blatantly to tell me that he has a work for me here. I pray that I will be enough. I know that God's grace will sustain me when I´m not.

Hymn number... dang I can't remember them in English anymore, its been like 3 weeks... 113?... I feel my Savior´s love: Tal como el Sol, es el amor del Salvador. Su Luz penetra nubes de dolor.

This is my testimony this week. That we can, and that we WILL be warmed, nourished, supplied, fed, helped, healed, forgiven, sanctified, consoled, guided, pled for, lead, taught, and SAVED by the Savior and his Infinite Sacrifice.

yo sé que soy un hijo de Dios. sé que mediante Su amor, puedo hacer
cualquier cosa que necesito. sé que esta iglesia es verdadera.

I know that My Redeemer lives.

I know that He loves me.

I know that He loves YOU.

Nos Vemos

Elder David Oscar McFarland