October 6, 2014 -- WEEK FIVE -- CONFERENCE, REVELATIONS AND SUCH!

WEEK FIVE. 

One month down in Bolivia.  

Where did that month go?  It went into the past, because right now I'm blasting through Bolivia.

Elder Jonathan Thomas Tracy serving in Santa Cruz, Bolivia

General Conference as a missionary is like Christmas, Birthdays, Any Party, and maybe even Arbor Day in terms of celebration.  I have six solid pages of notes from five sessions of General Conference. 

My favorite quote was from Jefferey R. Holland who said, '' I may not be my brothers keeper, but I am my brothers brother.''  That was an inspiring quote.  It reminded me of the Parable of the Good Samaritan and the question,  ''Who is my neighbor?'' Our neighbors, brothers, and sisters are the people we choose to serve, and the people we love unconditionally.   As we love, we gain the qualities of Christ and we become as Him.

Elder Jonathan Tracy and Elder Fruehan

I struggled this week with being Christlike.  I was getting over my cold, and I didn't feel good.  And I still had to walk, talk, and act normal.  I had to use the Atonement of Christ to get over my feelings of inadequacy this week.

Jonathan's Companion Elder Guiterrez from Bolivia and another gentlemen.  

And that is where this week's favorite Scripture plays into all of this.

The Scripture today is found in the Book of Mormon.


Mosiah 14: 3-5.

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

 

I know that Jesus knows who you are.  He knows everything you were, are, and will be.  He is the Divine Potter. Let Him shape us into what we need to be.

Elder Tracy

Here are a few random pictures of Santa Cruz, Bolivia where I am serving my mission.

Random stray dogs

Random Horse