A little bit of numbers for you people back home about my stake I serve in. There are 5,044 members. Yeah I know woot woot. BUT like most of Mexico the problem is less active members. People get baptized and then just jump into the ocean or something. Of the members we have a whopping 803 active members. Yeah. The math the leaders did was like 16% or so. But idk because I have 2 years of no math so I'm gonna live it up as much as i can. (; but yeah that was a shocker to me and so in the stake conference they talked a lot about missionary work. Not just with full time ones but as members as well. They talked about how for a ward to have success in the mission field, it starts with a mission plan for the ward. Goals and plans to complete regarding less actives or new people. That's the bishop and ward mission leaders' jobs (; and then its up to us. The members and the full time missionaries to complete these goals and ultimately bring people back to the "fold" so to speak. They also talked a lot about leaders and how they can be success in their callings. I really loved one part of this. "Hay 4 principios de liderazgo." Catch all that? (;
Anyway they go 1) prepare spiritually. This is like the sunday school answers. pray, read the scriptures, ponder them. Fast, keep the commandments. 2) "participar en consejos." Basically talk with other leaders in your area about the needs of the people you are serving. Or that need help. I'm going to put 3 and 4 together as they sometimes go together but I love the way they pulled them a part to show the importance of these parts. 3) Serve others and 4) Teach the gospel. This is the part I love. It's easy, especially as a missionary to think that as I teach the gospel I'm serving others. Boom check off both the boxes. Let's go get some tacos al pastor and maybe some chicharones.
Although its kind of true in a sense. It shouldn't be the primary goal for serving others. In the field, having a companion, teaching people and helping them find a testimony of their own. It brings a new aspect to learning how to serve someone. It means my time doesn't exist anymore. My "relax time after a hard day" or my "lunch time" doesn't matter because we have investigators that need help or don't understand some part of the gospel or there's a member who needs a priesthood blessing or some member that just needs someone to talk because she's like 103 and nobody lives at her house. and honestly it sounds a little sad, that I don't have me time, but in all reality I haven't been more happy and filled with love like I am serving these wonderful people of Mexico.
Matthew 16:25 I love this place and the spirit I feel because of this marvelous work. I love you all and hope everything is well. I didn't get killed by the hurricane as its not even close to me. This week show your love to someone new by serving them beyond what you want to do. It'll be worth it I promise!
Love,
Elder Babcock
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| Found my favorite snack! |
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