Abbey Road at the MTC? Abbey Road al CSM?
Elder Read says they are fine there. They've had a week of miracles!! Not too exciting but a week of miracles nevertheless.
The other day they went to visit a less-active who lives in the same road as the bishop. She is NEVER at home, but this time they found her in. She said the elders could go in, but only for a little while as her niece was ill and she was looking after her, so they went in to see the niece, whose name was Cassandra. She is 12 years old, is a redhead and Elder Read describes her as very special. She has a strong faith in God, is an evangelist and asked the elders who they were; so Elder Read said they were missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ.
Cassandra said she had a bad stomach which was very painful. She then asked whether they prayed for children so they said yes, so she asked whether they could pray for her. She is a very special girl who radiates the light of Christ and they could feel the love that god has for her.
This last week really has been one in which Elder Read has felt the love that God has for His children - whether they accept his Gospel or not. On Sunday he had an experience that made him feel very humble. They were tracting. Elder Orr rang the bell. Nobody came. Normally they have to ring the bell at least twice because people don't always hear it the first time. So they rang it again and a man came out shouting at them.
"What's going on? Why did you ring twice?"
Elder Read replied that they wanted to introduce themselves, to which the man replied:
"I didn't open the door because I didn't want to. Now go away and don't bother me any more." Elder Read doesn't remember much more, but he does recall that the man wasn't very friendly and that it bothered him, so he said "You have been very kind. Have a pleasant afternoon," and they left. We need to remember that God loves all his children - without exception.
However, his neighbour was completely different. He told them they could return another day and that he would read the Book of Mormon. So it was worth it!
There is a Romanian family they teach from time to time. They don't speak much Spanish and the Elders don't speak Romanian, but they saw the wife in the road with her daughter, so they asked her if there was anything they could do for her and her family. She obviously understood, because she asked them to enter the house and, in answer to their question, said that her husband was home, so they helped carry her shopping into the house. The truth was that Elder Read didn't really want to teach them as it was generally rather inconvenient for the family. For instance, the woman usually has to breastfeed her baby while they are teaching the lesson, and they also don't understand each other. But they went in anyway.
Elder Read said to Elder Orr: "Let's just share a scripture about faith and then leave." That was his first mistake!! He offered a prayer in his head asking forgiveness and the guidance of the Spirit and, just as he finished praying, one of the daughters - who was ill - started to spit and cry, so the father took her out. Then the mother and another woman in the house both started to cry. Elder Read then had a strong impression that they should give the girl a blessing. He looked at Elder Orr, who confirmed that he felt the same, so they then explained to the family as well as they could what it was that they were going to do. The father held the child in his arms while Elder Orr did the anointing and Elder Read blessed her. The blessing said that she would live a normal life and would be healed through the faith of her parents and obedience to God and to the medical advice she would receive.
The Lord loves each one of his children. Elder Read said that as he was typing his e-mail to us there was a child beside him, who was looking at him, and he could feel the love that God has for this little boy, who was with his mother and was 2 or 3 years old.
"We must never forget that God loves us and cares for us. He also relies on us. He protects us, especially his missionaries. I have been in difficult situations and never felt afraid. Or at least, the Spirit has prompted us to get out of there immediately. I know that I'm safe here."
Elder Read finishes by making this invitation:
"I invite you to pray for and seek opportunities to serve others daily. I know you'll find them, even if you're busy. The Lord is always busy; he even knows when a bird dies. He is concerned about everyone."
Elder Read hasn't sent photos this week as he thinks the computer he was using has a virus. So to make up for that I am putting up some photos of his time at the MTC in Madrid.
Elder Read dice:
Hola familia! ¿Como están? Espero que estén bien :) Nosotros estamos bien por aca. Hemos tenido una semana llena de milagros. No demasiado éxito pero muchos milagros.
El otro día fuimos a visitar a una menos activa que vive en la calle del obispo. Ella NUNCA está en casa. PERO esta vez sí estaba adentro
:) Nos dejó pasar por un momento. dijo que tenía su sobrina enferma y estaba cuidandola en la casa. Nos invitó a entrar para ver la. la sobrina se llama Cazandra. Tiene 12 años y es peliroja jaja, es una niña muy lina y especial. Ella cree mucho en Dios y es evangelista. Me preguntó ¿Quienes sois? La expliqué que somos misioneros de la iglesia de Jesucristo. Nos explicó que estaba mal del estomago y que le dolía mucho. Me preguntó. ¿Oras por los niños? la dije que sí. Luego ella dijo ¿Puedes orar por mi? Entonces la dije que sí :) En serio, es una niña MUY especial. Radiaba la luz de Cristo y pude sentir el amor que Dios tiene para ella.
Esta semana ha sido una semana en que he sentido el amor de Dios para sus hijos. Ya que acceptan el evangelio o no. Ayer tuvimos una experiencia que me humilló. Estábamos tocando puertas. Mi compañero
tocó el timbre. Nadie vino. Normalmente tocamos por lo menos dos veces, porque hay veces en que la gente no escucha el timbre la primera vez. Entonces tocamos otra vez. La puerta abrió y un hombre salió gritándonos. Dijo "¿Que te pasa? ¿Porque tocastéis otra vez?" Le dije que queríamos presentarnos. "¿No abría la puerta porque no tenía ganas?" Nos dijo "¡Vete y no molestéis mas!" No recuerdo mucho pero
recuerdo que no era muy amable jaja :P Recuerdo que me enfadé; la verdad es que me estaba enfadando mucho. Le dije lo mas tranquilo que pude "Bueno, usted a sido muy amable; que tenga una buena tarde; hasta
luego"
Tenemos que recordarnos que Dios ama a TODOS sus hijos y nos hace excepción de personas. NUNCA. El próximo vecino nos dijo que podríamos pasar otro día y que leerá el libro de mormón. Entonces vale
la pena.
Hay una familia Rumana que enseñamos de vez en cuando. NO hablan mucho español y nosotros no hablamos Rumano. Pero vimos a la esposa en la calle con su niña, y la preguntamos si hubo algo que pudimos hacer por
ella y su familia y nos preguntó si queríamos subir. La preguntamos si su esposo estaba en casa y nos dijo que sí. La ayudamos a subir sus compras y empezamos a enseñarles. La verdad es que no quise porque las
lecciones siempre son muy incomodas. Una mujer casi siempre da pecho a su niño en la casa mientras estamos enseñando y nunca nos entendimos el uno al otro. Pero subimos, y dije a mi compañero, una escritura
sobre fe y nos vamos. Eso fué mi primer error.
Me di cuenta durante la lección que no debería sentirme así. Hice una oración en mi cabeza pediendo perdón y la guia del espíritu. justo cuando terminé la oración una de las niñas que está enferma empezó a escupir y llorar. El padre la llevó fuera. La madre y otra mujer en la casa empezaron a llorar. Estaban llorando por causa que la niña estaba en dolor. Sentía la fuerte impresión de darla una bendición. Miré a élder Orr y le pregunté y él también sentión igual. Explicamos o mejor que pudimos a la familia lo que íbamos a hacer. El padre la tenía en sus brazos mientras mi compañero la unjó y yo la bendecía. La dejemos que iba a tener una vida normal y que se sanará mediante la fe de sus padres y la obediencia a dios y a los médicos.
El señor ama a cada una de sus hijos. Hay un niño alado mío ahora mismo que me está mirando. Puedo sentir el amor que Dios tiene por él. Parece que tiene 2 o 3 años. Está con su madre :)
Nunca olviden que Dios les ama y les cuida, Siempre está pendiente de nosotros. Él nos protege, especialmente a sus misioneros. He caminado por sitios peligrosos y nunca me he sentido inseguro. Al menos que el
espíritu nos indica que debemos salir de allí de inmediato. Sé que estoy seguro aquí.
Les invito que oren por y buscan oportunidades para servir a los demás al diario. Sé que lo encontrarán. No importa siestán ocupados. El señor siempre está ocupado, pero sabe aún cuando un pajarito muere. Y se preocupa por él.
No voy a mandar fotos porque no confío en este
ordenador, creo que tiene un virus.... :) (Para compensar pongo unas fotos de su tiempo al CSM de Madrid.
Élder Read
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