A Marvelous Work and a Wonder

Good evening, everyone! I hope you all had a great week! I am short on time today, so I apologize if this is a little rushed. But everything is going so well here.

This week was not very out of the ordinary, but I loved every second of it. Elder Wallace and I have been working hard and have seen many tender mercies as we are privileged to meet more children of God.

A couple of highlights:
- There was a ward baptism this week, and we invited all of our friends! No one came, but that's ok. The Spirit was so strong I'm sure they could feel it from home. 
- After a long day, we sat down to call a reference, and after talking for a little bit, he asked when and where the church was, and where he could buy a Book of Mormon! We told him and helped him download the book on his phone.
- We ate some awesome pupusas (as always), and now we have a meal calendar, so we hope to get closer to all the members.
- Everyone here is so kind, and I love the culture of saying hello to everyone you see on the streets; sometimes it's more than a hello (lots of catcalling), but people are so sociable!

I remember a moment this week: At night, I was sitting on a curb under a street lamp with my companion, eating pupusas a member gave us. It had been a long day with little success, and we had an appointment shortly after. It was quiet, and hot, and we were dripping with sweat. It was dark, but we could still see the silhouette of a volcano and stars in the sky above us. I remember marveling at the love and beauty God has given us. "Even in moments like these, there is peace."

We really do see little miracles every day; we often just have to take the time to ponder their majesty. This week I have thought a lot about the marvelous gospel truths that we are privileged to know, that often get taken for granted. But I find that when I take time to ponder and search for the hand of the Lord in my life, I cannot deny He is always there. Elder Caussé talks about taking the time to marvel in his talk, Is it Still Wonderful to You? He said, "To marvel at the wonders of the gospel is a sign of faith. It is to recognize the hand of the Lord in our lives and in everything around us" (Caussé April 2015). When we stop and humble ourselves to see His hand, we exercise faith.

I draw strength when I marvel at the mercy of the Lord. When I pray to express gratitude for the blessings I've been given, I am more filled with His Spirit and His love.

I feel the blessings of "marrow to the bone, joy to the heart, light to the eyes, music to the ears, and life to the whole being" (Parley P. Pratt, 1855). When we struggle to find the motivation to continue on in the stress of daily life, we are empowered as we remind ourselves of the grace of our God, who loves us and gave this life to us. The prophet Alma, in his own marveling, taught, "...All things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator" (Alma 30:44).

Don't forget to take a moment this week to ponder, marvel, and thank our Heavenly Father for the quiet moments we have to catch our breath, as well as the busy trials that help us to become more like Him.

I love you all, and I always love to hear from you! Feel free to reach out!

- Elder South








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