Chapter 40 - Eating Words and Watching Bull Fights

I sent an email a little while ago about the power of words. Well, I discovered in the last three weeks, that they are even more powerful than I thought. Sometimes, you say things, not thinking that the Universe is listening, and then it decideds that you should eat those words. For example, three weeks ago in church, I told a story during sunday school about how on the last day in the MTC, my throat was hurting like crazy (it felt like strep) and I couldn´t swallow. So I asked for a blessing from two other Elders, and "I haven´t had a sore throat since that day." The last three weeks, my throat has been sore every single day and I can not stop coughing. We finally came to the conclusion that it was because of all the flowers that opened up on the island. They´re beautiful, but there is no end to the pollen in the air. Then, last week, our investigator Fátima heard me coughing and asked if I was sick. I told her that it was just in my throat, and for some reason I went into detail and explained that I didn´t have a head ache, I didn´t feel super weak in my whole body, and I didn´t feel feverish. Can anyone guess what happened the next day? That´s right! I woke up so sick that we spent the next three days at home! It was awful. But, God loves us a blessed us with a Tourada (basically a bull fight in the street) on our street! So we stuck our heads out and watched. It was kind of funny. They don´t have professional Matadores in these touradas. Any random person that wants to play around with an angry bull can just go in the street and do it. Turns out, bulls run a lot faster than people (unless you turn. They can´t corner very well).

Being sick at home, I had a lot of time to read the scriptures, but I can´t remember anything that I read. However, I read 1 Nephi 1 this morning, and found a verse that I really like.

12 And it came to pass that as he read, he was filled with the Spirit of the Lord. 

What better way to start the most spiritually uplifting book in all of human history. Even though Lehi was reading a different book, the promise is the same. For those that study the Book of Mormon, the companionship of the Spirit will be stronger and sweeter. I´ve probably already ranted about this, but everyone needs to study the scriptures, on their own, every day. And I´m sorry for preaching against what many of you have heard, but a verse a day is not enough! That´s like saying eating a baby carrot enough for the day. If that´s all you eat, you are going to starve and die. If one verse is all you read (unless you take more time afterwards to ponder and pray about one verse. That´s okay) your spirit is going to starve and die. Maybe you feel tempted to complain that you don´t have time to read. Once, when Elder Leal and I were planning a baptism for our friend Sofia, she told us that it couldn´t happen because she was going to the mall that day. We asked her how long, and she told us about three hours, to which Elder Leal replied, "There are 24 hours in a day. When are you going to get baptized?" I now say this to all of you. There are 24 hours in a day. When will you read the scriptures? When I was in high school, my parents woke me and my siblings up at 5:30 every morning to read the scriptures together. Sometimes that´s what it takes. But reading the scriptures is more important that sleep, and food, and expecially more important than Netfilx, sports, video games, social media, any other worldy entertainment.

I´m not sure why I feel so fired up to write this to you all this week, but if there is anyone reading this that need to improve their scripture study habits, I promise that it´s worth it. As we read in the 1 Nephi 8, when Lehi tasted the fruit of the tree of life, it was the sweetest thing he had ever tasted. If anyone needs ideas on how to study, I´ll share what I know, but I really just want everyone to have time alone with the Lord and His words eveyday, because He is the only way to get back to Heaven. Nothing else can. No degree, diploma, promotion, acheivement, or anything we can do will get us to Heaven. We have to be in a convenent relationship with the Savior, and keep that relationship strong. That is the only way to be saved.

I love you all so much!

Oh, and Mr. Stolworthy, the Cabral family does remeber you! They say hi.

Até próxima!

Elder Lofthouse