Que transa cholos!
Happy Thanksgiving! Happy December! What!! It all came so fast, feels like just a couple weeks ago I was with Elder Rodriguez listening to him whine about not quite being home for Christmas.
Like they say in Chilangolandia, aveces la vida te pega como un tractór. Don’t let it pass you by! How was Thanksgiving? Who loved watching Ohio State roll all over Ann Arbor? Ooooh yeah!
Anyways, it was a great week in Montevideo again, and it was a little more eventful this week, heck yeah! I hope you had an amazing week too and that everything is going well! You are the best!!
✨️
– Well it was a great week for celebrating Thanksgiving!! At Zone Conferences at the mission home we got fed Costco smoked turkey, mashed potatoes, and even pumpkin anddd pecan pie. The Bradys went all in and it was so much fun! First time having Zone Conference in the mission home was also super fun and we split it up into four groups instead of two, so it felt extra individual and spiritually powerful. Plus, it was President Brady’s birthday on Friday and plentyyy of missionaries brought cakes or pies or cookies, so we ate extra heavy.
– On Saturday we went and cleaned the havoc from Zone Conference at the Brady home then helped set up Christmas decorations! We got the wreath, Christmas tree, lights, and the little pine needle thing that goes around a railing. Their house is looking exceptionally festive
– Today I got the most expensive (230 peso) haircut of my mission, but I think it was pretty worth it. I drank a ‘free’ (included is a better word) Coke while the lady faded me up, recommended me the best birria in Mexico City, played Red Hot Chilli Peppers, washed and shampooed my hair, styled me up with her own brand of pomade, hit me with the straight razor, sprayed me down with some cologne, and finished off using a massage gun on my neck and shoulders. Weird, but really great experience. How did that only cost like 12 bucks? Honestly, worth every peso. Is that why people go get like manicures and pedicures so much? Just a quality experience.
– There are a bunch of faith-promoting small videos that get passed around through probably most Spanish missions, and lots of missionaries post them on their WhatsApp stories. One of them has two videos from our CCM district and the other one has a video of the Bonneville Ward chapel from outside! What! I must be getting famous or something.
– Alright last one. We met a sweet abuelita named Sara who was pretty interested in our message and especially interested that her grandaughter, who had been asking her about what we did in our church, listened to us too. We never managed to meet her grandaughter but Sara promised that she’d come to church with us. Ivana texted us Sunday morning asking for the address to church, and showed up all by herself!! What!! She loved the meeting and is super interested in learning more, her two cousins are missionaries and she wants to know what its about! Miracles are so real!!
📖
Man how do I always run out of time for the most important thing??
Alright, the Book of Mormon is the best. I’m back at the beginning this week and I love the example of Nephi and the lessons to learn from him. He talks about the purpose of keeping a record on gold plates, but I think these couple of verses from chapter 9 are perfectly applicable to me!
“Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me to (__________) for a wise purpose in him, which purpose I know not.
But the Lord knoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children of men; for behold, he hath all power unto the fulfilling of all his words. And thus it is.”
Fill in the blank! The Lord asks us each to sacrafice for Him. What are the gold plates that He is asking you to write? Man!
Sometimes, maybe often, and perhaps even right now, the Lord asks you to do something (or not do something) that you don’t understand, in fact, maybe you disagree.
But you know what? That really doesn’t matter too much. We walk through life by tunnel vision. The Lord sees everything behind, in front of, around, underneath, and inside of us. He accomplishes His work. He has a plan. He knows all things and He knows you, and since He loves you more than you’ll ever understand, realize that He expects to make you something bigger.
Like a blacksmith can’t make a hunk of metal useful without grinding it, pounding it, and constantly putting it into the fire, we can’t reach our full potential without occasionally following God’s commands on pure trust and faith. Like Nephi, sometimes we won’t know the purpose. But, He does, and maybe He chooses to make you the tool to bring about something (like the Book of Mormon?) that changes millions of lives.
So, trust Him. Trust His prophets. Trust His counsel and His commandments, because He has reasons, and more importantly, He has blessings waiting for you. Let Him form you into the child He needs you to be.
And especially, have a great week! Go lift up some heavy hands and take the load off someone’s aching back. Remember how much Elder Crockett loves and prays for you. You all are the best, I sure do love ya!!
Talk soon mi gente,
Elder Crockett ❤️
