Olá todos!!! Man what a week!! I hope everyone is doing well!!
Well this week was good!! We grinded so that was good!! We were able to have some really good lessons. And one of my favorites was actually a member dinner lesson! Elder Russo and I have been focusing on our teaching unity and we taught the Restoration to them!! We focused on keeping it simple and the spirit was so strong there!! As I recited the first vision, the power of Joseph Smith’s words just hit me hard!! Oh man I love teaching and testifying about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!!! That was one of my highlights for sure this week!!
So, we were OYMing in Brownsville and let’s just say it’s not the most missionary friendly neighborhood. But we knocked on this one door and no one answered so we were biking off and this big man comes up to us and yells “What are you guys doing here?!” I said we are just visiting a friend! He goes “Your kind is not welcome here! You preach to other people! Jesus isn’t here for us!” I just said we are here for all!! He proceeds to curse and yell and threaten us and one insult that made me laugh was “Get yo tight pants outta here!!!” I lost it haha it was too funny!! I just told him have a great day with a smile and he didn’t like that haha!! But what can I say!!
But my spiritual thought today is from the Come Follow Me last week!! We were talking about faith and how it was demonstrated in the story of the widow!! And this scripture stood out to me!! It’s James 1:2-4
“2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing”
This stood out to me because for me I know when I pray I ask for more faith and I ask that God can help me build my faith!! And this scripture hit me because we have to be put in difficult situations to build our faith!! Just like anything in life!! If we want to get better at something whether that be sports, working out, or any hobby really!! We have to be put in situations that help us sharpen a weaker skill. It’s not fun but it is worth it!! I have a testimony of that!! This week my patience really was tried!! But I know that Heavenly Father needs me to learn and improve my weaknesses!! Count it a joy when you have hard days, because that just means you’re growing and sharpening those weaker skills!!! I love you all!! And Happy 4th of July!!!
Tchau tchau!!
Elder Castillo