A week full of rejection!

This week was intense not only because of the sun but it was a hard week! A week full of rejection! It all started the day me and my new companion started preaching to people. We had a great plan, set appointments, and most of all a heart full of joy, till everything started to go wrong! Our appointments failed, many got drunk, and others impossible to get in, for we had no members to help us with single mothers. After many rejections, we walked without direction, feeling sad for this. I thought to myself if I was doing things wrong, if I wasn't praying hard enough, and how I was disappointing not only God but my companion. It was hard knowing that I myself was lost and to think that I had to train this new missionary the next day.  I decided I needed to really give my heart to God and be faithful and something great happened in my studies! I read ALMA 8 verse 13 to 32 and my heart rejoiced! It was like God said, "OK. you learned that with me you are nothing, now here is your answer in this chapter." Alma teaches to this city but the people reject him and throw him out.  As he is grieved by this he walks away, but an angel tells him to turn back and teach to them repentance. When he did he found what he needed. I thought about this and my companion and I went back to all those that had rejected us and the Lord worked on them. I was a little hard on them but I saw the change they made. Even though not all came to church, one of them not only attended church, but went to a baptism! It was a precious gift for us!  So I know family that God has many opportunities awaiting and its only when we fall that we look up and when we do we see him telling us to get up and try again.  I can testify that every day we get to experience JESUS CHRIST"S ATONEMENT and its through him that we can get up over and over!

Elder Blanco