This week was a crazy one...

Are you my mother?

So good to hear from you. Thanks for all the love :)

This week was a crazy one but next week will be even crazier.  To start we visited a cactus farm.  It was so sick ha-ha I wanted someone to like give us a tour and teach us about cacti but turns out it was like some guy’s back yard and we were trespassing.  Ha-ha we were just following the lead of a missionary that had been there before...goofed on that one.  BUT still it was awesome.  There was a lot of rustic wielding and old western type things everywhere.  I really dug it.  It's hard finding cool things to do around here.

Next big thing… Bigger thing really was the temple.  We had are bi-annual mission trip so all the Spanish speaking missionaries came.  Oh mom, it was so great.  So needed.  I had a really beautiful personal revelation that I am never going to forget.  I loved it.  A lot.  There is something infinitely powerful about seeing a chapel full of missionaries all dressed in white.  President say's it's his favorite thing to do as a mission president.  I can see why.

 

Getting ready for the temple...personal hygiene is important.

We met with the Valencia stake committee to talk about the work Sunday morning.  It was an hour long meeting at 7 in the morning all the way in Santa Clarita which is like a 30 minute drive with LA traffic.  Long story short, I loved it so much.  It wasn't a "meeting" it was a counsel of faithful men discussing the Lord’s work.  I felt so lucky I got to sit with them and just enjoy the spirit and drive that they have.  It was for the English stake so that was a little different but in every side of this work there are very powerful, faith driven men.  I hope one day that my testimony and my faith can serve others the way they serves their respective stewardship.

A really great blessing we saw this week was that every companionship in San Fernando district got the chance to talk with at least 140 people, which is the number prescribed specifically to our mission from Elder Ballard in order to double our baptisms.  One week won't do it but it was great to see the progress.

Small miracle we saw this week…Fransisco is staying here for the summer and not going to Mexico.  I am so happy about it but I feel bad about praying for his passport to get messed up.  Ha-ha we were praying and praying he could stay and the Lord saw it fit :)  Can't be mad about that.  I asked him why he thought God didn't give his dad money for his passport and he said "Well, I probably think it's because God wants me to stay with you guys a little longer."  Right you are Fransisco!

This week we have been seeing a huge increase in resistance to our work.  A lot of abuse that comes from people who care very little about our work.  A few examples include: people throwing things at our car, blowing smoke into our faces, telling us to worship Satan, and the usually sling of curse words.  It's hard Mom.  It's hard not just tearing them to shreds, rebuking them, hating them, or calling them to repentance.  I've been struggling with that.  We are teaching a group of teenagers in the Projects and I love them so much.  They are so tender and willing to learn.  What really gets me is that my testimony will be fine.  My faith will not be broken by evil people who wish to fight against us.  But in one particular moment as I was walking away from an angry contact I felt nothing but rage in my heart.  I'll be fine but what happens when we baptize these teenagers and they become the receiving end of what I experience.  How will their new, gentle testimonies hold up to that?

It's a hard thing being a faithful missionary, because if you are going to be faithful that means you are going to be tested.  I love what Elder Holland spoke about in this past conference when he said "you will one day find yourself called upon to defend your faith or perhaps even endure some personal abuse simply because you are a member of The Church of Jesus Christ‍ of Latter-day Saints."  His talk has given me a lot of insight and I am grateful for living day prophets.

I have received the most strength by coupling Elder Holland’s talk with Pres. Monson’s, “Between discipleship and love”.  I really feel I can learn to love this people that hate us so bad.  I do not understand their lives.  I don't understand their reasons for rage and anger but maybe I can understand how to help them.  How to love them.

Thank you mom for the fire you have given my testimony.  For the constant example and love you poured into my life.  I love sharing what you have given me to others.

This next week is going to be a crazy one.  Transfers (no changes with our companionship)  :) on Tuesday, MLC on Wednesday, and ZTM on Friday.  Oh the beautiful life of a Pacoima Zone Leader.

I love you

Elder Bagley