The 21st we went to the temple in order to prepare ourselves for our meeting with Elder Holland the 22nd and both were AMAZING! The session was in Spanish (my second time through in Spanish) but I could actually understand it which was definitely a HUGE blessing. I always feel at home in the temple and it was really nice to have that comfort and peace there. Plus there were two people going through for their first times and that was just super cool to be apart of and look back on my first time through.
Having Elder Holland come and speak to us was so amazing. Especially to actually see his personality and let me tell you he's real funny in real life: "Sister Holland te amo.... Gosh Dang!" - Elder Holland, is definitely one of my favorite quotes from that meeting. He told us he was really proud and impressed with our mission and how obedient we are and taught us very clearly the doctrine of obedience: that through our obedience we receive spiritual power.
Also a SUPER cool thing he taught - one of the very first principles of all things is obedience. In the creation, Jesus Christ acting with the power and authority of Heavenly Father *PROVED* all things as He organized them, watching them until they obeyed. Meaning: through the process of the creation, they tested - proved - the obedience of ALL things.
Before there were changes, I had the opportunity to have interchanges with one of the zone leaders and LEAD MY SECTOR which was terrifying but I ACTUALLY SUCCESSFULLY LEAD MY SECTOR FOR THE DAY WHEW, it was definitely a miracle.
Oh boy if I was stressed that day for interchanges I had something else coming, little did I know that I would be receiving a new trainer who only speaks Spanish, AND that I'll be leading the sector 24/7. That first day trying to plan the day out and figure out who to visit and everything was pretty dang stressful, but it gave me a great opportunity to rely on the Lord's help and guidance and to see all the miracles that happen every day so clearly. Now I am actually really comfortable and confident leading the sector and have learned how important it is to depend on the Lord and that we can truly depend on Him to support us.
My new companion's name is Elder Mamani! He's from Bolivia - La Paz, just turned 19 on SATURDAY WOAH, has a ton of church parodies of popular pop songs on his phone (as well as trap remixes of primary songs which.. I'll let slide given he also has Disney songs he's allowed to have for medical reasons). Also his favorite phrases of all time are "Que Vaina" "Que Trunkaso" "ANIMOS ELDER" and more.
I've been doing really really well, especially the past few days. I realized on Sunday that I could actually almost completely understand all the conversations we were having with the families and I could actually socialize and have a REAL conversation with each of them. One time in particular a member family was really concerned for their missionary out in the field, and I was able to testify about how real the blessings and safeties we have as missionaries are, and I felt the spirit so strongly as I spoke. We then gave a lesson about how in life there are two perspectives you can have: the perspective of Nephi, or of Laman and Lemuel. In the history found in the Book of Mormon about their journey to the promised land, it is clearly illustrated that these men are experiencing the exact same things, the same miracles, the same hardships, and that the only difference between them is their perspectives. Where Nephi recounts the miracles and marvelous things they have experienced and received from the Lord along their journey in the wilderness, Laman and Lemuel are bitter and wound up in the fact they have these afflictions in the first place, and forget the marvelous things the Lord has done and shown them. In this life, we are ALWAYS going to face hardship and affliction. It doesn't matter where you live, who you are, if you're righteous or malicious. Yet we can choose to have a good life or a "bad" life. We can choose to have the perspective of Nephi, rejoicing and depending on the things of the Lord. Or the perspective of Laman and Lemuel, dwelling upon our afflictions and looking past the miracles in every day, forgetting that in every moment, we can depend on Heavenly Father, His justice and mercy - justice in that all that we are wronged is made just through the atonement of Jesus Christ, and mercy that we can be forgiven of all our wrongs through that same atoning power.
I hope you are all having an AMAZING life, please always remember that you don't have to be alone through ANY struggle. Jesus Christ knows you personally, and has suffered your same pains, your sadnesses, your all. He took it all upon himself. Let me know if there is absolutely anything y'all need!
Elder Pollock
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