This week was an interesting one. We worked a whole bunch this week.
We are still working with Samuel and Gabriel to be baptized this week. Samuel is the coolest guy ever. He is also the quickest guy I've ever seen. Let's just say when we played soccer with him I fell and ripped my pants trying to guard him. The entire block came over to laugh at the blonde gringo. Wish I had the video to show how dumb I looked haha. Gabriel is improving a little every day, he's having a little trouble comitting to what God is asking of him. To comit himself to Christ and not do any of the other stuff he's done, but he's getting better each day.
Funny story: We were in a lesson talking about the Book of Mormon, and Elder Eiras started talking about how the Book of Mormon tells the story of when Christ came to the American continent after he was ressurrected, and the Bible talks about Christ's life on Earth on another continent. He said, "Samuel there are 5 continents." And I was like, "Woah, hold up there, there are 7 continents." We debated for a min or so and then continued the lesson haha. Later that day, our house (which has 2 americans and 2 Brazilians) had a one hour debate about this haha. Brazil is taught that America is one continent and that Antarctica doesn't count as a continent as well. I would like your guys' opinion as well on this ever-important subject.
One thing that I learned from my study is about how hard our journey back to our Heavenly Father will be:
13 ¶ Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (Matthew 7:13-14)
Christ talks of 2 gates. The big, huge, enticing, and the easy gate to pass through. And the tight, straight, difficult to pass through gate.
The "big huge gate" represents the gate of sin. This gate leads to destruction and sin. It's so easy nowadays to sin and to "fall in the crowd" and make the easier wrong. It's normal today to do what everyone else is doing and let yourself be dragged along by bad examples and by what may appear as "harmless". That's why the gate that leads to destruction is so dang big.
The tight, narrow, straight gate is the gate that leads to eternal exaltation. "Few there be find [this gate]" because it isn't normal. It doesn't change with trends or seasons. It is and will always be against the norm to "seek ye first the Kingdom of God" but the reward is so much better. Being a disciple of Christ means to stand out. Stand out for what's right and to Stand up against the wrong.
As a missionary, I have the duty and opportunity to be a defender of the truth, to stand up for Christ in every place, every moment, and in every situation. I can testify that there is only person where you can find full hope, faith, and happiness: in Jesus, the Christ. I testify that he lives and that he loves all of us in such a way that he gave up his life so we could have the opportunity to live with him again.
LOVE YOU ALL!!!
Abraço Forte,
Elder Eliason
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