Que hongo mi champiñón!!
Hey what up!! How’s it going? Welcome to March already what!? How was your last week of February, tell me all about it! How’s life been treating you?
Onceee again we had a great week in Montevideo. I love Mexcio City and all the people and the food and the music and the culture, it’s such a great place!!
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– I had my interview this week with President Brady and it went sooo well. Time flies by way too fast and I asked him for his best piece of advice for me about what lesson or principle I could take from the mission, and to make it happen now. He taught me about the importance of dedicated time to having “a spiritual experience with the Lord”, especially through consistent and purposeful study of the Book of Mormon. And he told me to make that a exciting habit starting now. I needed to hear that, but likewise I think that is some great advice for any of us out there.
– After interviews, the Bradys took us and the Secretaries out to eat at Toks!! It is so fun and such a blessing to be in their company, ask advice and learn from their life experience. I love them!
– Went out to work on Sunday and it was soooo good, we met some amazing people, enjoyed perfect weather and put a couple friends on baptismal date! Also, pray for the Gonzalez family! It was a complete miracle to find them (thanks to a random reference from some other Elders) and Teresa, who they met, introduced us to her whole family! She wants them all to get baptized but it’s a challenge for them to join us at Sacrament Meeting. Please pray for them, they are so cool!
– Cerro del Chiquihuite caught on fire, and I thought it was either crazy hill people or an accident on the antenas but people said it was because the grass was so dry and the UV got so high that day. Is that actually possible?
So that was about it for the week!! It was lots of fun. Today we played soccer and I am still terrible, and then we made some burgers! So I’d call it a good day and a great week!
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I’ll try and keep this quick! I was a little sad this week because I finished King Benjamin’s words and I really just didn’t want them to end. Luckily, not soon after Abinadi’s story comes in and he also brings some great lines!!
In Mosiah 13: 28 I love how Abinadi explains the not just the importance of obedience to the commandments, but also the why. I think the major theme that stuck out to me from last General Conference was the idea of loving obedience, not mechanical obedience. So, here’s the scripture:
“Salvation doth not come by the law alone; and were it not for the atonement, which God himself shall make for the sins and iniquities of his people, that they must unavoidably perish, notwithstanding the law of Moses.”
Our mechanical obedience will never get us ‘back to God’ alone. He doesn’t intend to make us robots. In Mosiah 15: 23, Abinadi reveals that something that brings us back to Him:
“They are raised to dwell with God who has redeemed them; thus they have eternal life through Christ, who has broken the bands of death.”
It’s only through the Savior that salvation comes. Now He doesn’t want a perfect someone, the guy that hit the best report card of overcoming tempation or serving selflessly. He wants a changed someone. Someone who loves Him, and for that reason obeys all of and whatever the ‘rules’ that He gives. He loves us, and wants to protect us. The sacrifices we make to keep His commandments are acts of love, not of debt (though we owe Him more than we are able to pay) or duty (though He is our master). This Church, Christ’s teachings, His plan is all based on love and how to have it.
So show your love to everyone around you this week, without exceptions. I love the Church’s video this year for Easter about the life of Christ and His greater love. We all can and should have greater love to Him through our obedience, and especially to everyone else around us, because we are commanded to love our neighbors, and because when we serve them (or I’d say, love them) we love God too.
I hope you know that, despite how consistently and exhaustingly imperfect I am, I love you so much. I think of you often and pray for you. You are the reason I write this email every week!
Go fill the world with love this week. There are people out there who need you! Specifically you. Go make good things happen out there!
And especially, make it a great week. Choose joy, find the Lord’s hand, and go make the world a better and brighter place.
I love you!
Elder Crockett ❤️
