Week 89

This week was incredible! We saw a lot of miracles and I really felt guided this week as we taught. We just seemed to be in the right place at the right time. I do not believe in coincidences anymore. Everything that happens is divinely caused! 

Yesterday we had the chance to learn from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. It was amazing! Everything I was hoping would happen, happened and more! Before he started speaking Elder Holland took the time to shake the hand and talk to each of the 350 missionaries! You can just feel his love for each of us as we shook his hand! The light in his eye was evidence of his apostolic calling.

Elder Holland was very passionate about the message he shared with us. He said that the mission needs to change us... FOREVER! (*pounds pulpit with his hand). As he spoke I really felt the full force of his words in my heart. I cannot be the same person after the mission as who I was before the mission. He said, "You will go home, but you can never go back!" So I have started a list of things that I will have to let go of or start doing better when I get home. On the mission I have learned that being more spiritual and doing things as God wants and not as I want is, in fact, the better way. Just as the mission has been a place for me to progress and better myself, life on this earth is for the progression and betterment of each of us. We as members of the church can never go back. As members of the church we have started on the "strait and narrow path" and can never go back to who we were last week. Who we were before renewing our covenants with the Sacrament.

As I prepared to learn from Elder Holland´s visit to Uruguay I studied several of his talks that he has given over the years. One talk really caught my attention because recently there have been less and less missionaries coming into our mission and we have heard that the amount of worldwide missionaries is dropping as well. In his talk he says,

"Friends, we need tens of thousands of more missionaries in the months and years that lie ahead... Surely that is why Jesus’s final charge to the Twelve was just that basic—to ´go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.´ Then, and only then, can the rest of the blessings of the gospel fully come—family solidarity, youth programs, priesthood promises, and ordinances flowing right up to the temple... With all that there is to do along the path to eternal life, we need a lot more missionaries opening that gate and helping people through it." 

I am glad that in my own little way I can be helping in this work! I have seen lives changed, families strengthened and an increase of love come by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I wish everyone could feel this way and have these experiences. I know everyone can! I try not to think about coming home too often, but I do realize that I will be home soon. I hope and pray that one of the changes I continue to make after the mission is that of sharing the Gospel. I know every missionary says that (haha) and I know it won´t be super easy, but I sincerely hope that I have made enough of a change in my life now, so I can continue making changes in my life into the future. 

Love you all! I know that this is the church of Jesus Christ! I know that Jeffrey R. Holland is an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ! They both love us! The Lord Jesus Christ is our Savior. He is our Redeemer. He is the head of this church. I have never been so sure of anything in my life! And I am privileged to share these things with the people of Melo at this time.

Love,

Elder Cole

Part of the family email:

This week not only did I get to meet and learn from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, but I also got to work with his grandson who is currently a missionary here in Uruguay! He is a great guy and super humble. It was awesome to work with Elder Holland, the grandson of THE Elder Holland. Love ya!