"Did he say that he saw 11 people get stabbed with a machete!?" exclaimed Elder Hansen, Elder Shepherd's greenie of only 2 weeks. Elder Shepherd couldn't help but chuckle at his innocent companion who was only trying so hard to understand what this strange Dominican man was saying. "No, elder, but he did use the number 11 in that sentence.", replied Elder Shepherd. "Argh! He talks so fast..." complained Elder Hansen. "Don't stress it, elder. NOBODY, including other Dominicans, can understand that man when he talks. I'm pretty sure that without the 'Gift of Interpretation of Tongues' I wouldn't be able to understand him either." As they entered their next visit that evening, a friendly and familiar woman answered the door. (Speaking in Spanish) "Elder Shepherd, how's it going? How's Elder Hansen, can he understand me yet?". "No." Elder Shepherd replied, "but he sure is trying hard. Why don't you ask him some simple questions that he can answer?". She turned to Elder Hansen and asked, "Where are you from?". "I'm from Mesa, Arizona!" Elder Hansen confidently admitted. "Arizona!? Don't they hate Hispanics in Arizona?". She was obviously joking, but the joke wasn't understood by Elder Hansen. It bothered him for the rest of the lesson, and after the fact Elder Shepherd could see the obvious consternation behind his companions smile and thought it would be funny to joke with him. "I don't think you should tell people that you're from Arizona. They instantly hate us when they know.". "Really!? Ah man, I have a lot to learn.". Elder Shepherd laughed and lovingly put his arm around his new companion, and he consoled his companion on the walk home.
True story.I just thought that it would be fun to write in third person for a change.
Elder Hansen is doing really well, and I'm actually very impressed by his Spanish ability. He doesn't let it get him down, and he knows that he's still learning. I remember when I was in his shoes exactly 1 year ago. I thought that I would never be able to understand Dominican or Puerto Rican Spanish, nonetheless be able to communicate back. I can speak with several different accents now, and I understand a wide array of Spanish from different countries. The Lord is definitely utilizing me and teaching me what I need to know to be able to effectively preach His gospel in Spanish.
We are teaching a lot of people, and the ward has really rallied their missionary efforts in order to help us to cover our entire area effectively. Members are finding people for us to teach, and we spend all of our time teaching. It's such a blessing to be serving here right now. It's never dull, we always have something to do and someone to teach. It's truly the promised land.
I've been so impressed this week as I did a really in depth study on how to learn by faith. Faith, being the first principle of the gospel, is so vitally important to our spiritual development, but I think it's often overlooked or misunderstood. Every single person we teach is catholic and born with a belief in God, but they don't differentiate the difference between 'belief' and 'faith'. You can believe whatever you want, and it may or may not be true, but faith is a principle of ACTION, requiring the constant application of true and correct principles in our lives. The most common definition of faith I hear from the people I teach is that 'Faith is to believe in something...". While part of faith does indeed require belief that is only a mere fraction of what it really means to have faith. We often use the phrase 'exercise faith' in conjunction with this principle, and for good reason. Faith requires exercise, physical, mental, and spiritual exertion. It requires you to be believing, which spawns from a desire to know truth and the confirming witness of the spirit that something is indeed true. Then you commit yourself and do your part to apply truth in your life and live in accordance with true principles. Faith is the assurance and hope for things to come, evidence of things not seen which are true, and the principle of action. Thus, three components of faith can be placed as assurance (future), evidence (past), and action (present). These three components are simultaneously applied, and we press forward, with the assurance gained because of the evidence of God's truths. I don't have time to write down or explain my entire train of thought about faith in this email, but it sufficeth me to say that I'm refocusing on the first principle of the Gospel, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and that everything else flows naturally after someone has truly mastered faith.
I love you all, and I pray for you every day.
With much love from your favorite elder,
-Elder Shepherd
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