April 27: The Robles Family

Dear everyone!

One morning before we left the house, we prayed that when we got back home at night, we would have found three people who accepted a baptismal date.  Accepting a baptismal doesn’t mean you’re GOING to get baptized that day. It means you’re going to search to find out if the church is true. And if you feel, before that date, that God has responded to your prayers and your search, then you will decide to get baptized that day.

We got home that night with three baptismal dates. With a little family. The dad, the mom, and their youngest daughter, who’s 13. The rest of their kids are already married. The Robles family have become our best friends in Zamora. As missionaries, we always make our plans and back-up plans. But we laugh when we come to the part where we have to make back-up plans for the Robles, because they always receive us. They haven’t missed a week of church. One night when we were getting ready to leave, the mom, Luci, said, “It’s gonna be terrible when one of you gets transferred. I’m gonna feel like one of my own daughters is leaving!” One day it was raining so hard, and the dad, Manuel, wouldn’t let us leave until he paid a taxi!! Their 13-year-old, Estefani, used to come out with us every day after working in the “freezer” cutting the tops off strawberries.

We’ve been through everything with them. A few weeks ago, Estefani, got back together with her boyfriend BUT she didn’t tell anyone. She just didn’t come home that night. They called us at midnight to see if we knew anything, but we didn’t, and we could hardly sleep that night, not knowing where Estefani was and if she was okay. The next day they called us to saythat she had come by the house, and we went over right away to see her. We hate seeing her choose momentary happiness over permanent happiness. It has taught me to always have an eternal perspective in my life, so that I don’t choose temporary over what lasts.

The day we found out that Manuel and Luci aren’t married was the worst! But we left them with the pamphlet of The Family: A Proclamation to the World, and when we went to the next lesson and asked, “Were you able to read the assignment we left?” they said, “We understand what you were trying to tell us. We need to get married.” And one of the their adult daughters goes, “Yeah, y’all are living in sin!” Hahahaha. But they don’t have much money, so they really weren’t sure what to do. One day we sat down with them and set a goal. We thought we were going to need the help of the ward to accomplish that goal, but a week later they told us everything was taken care of, and they have an appointment for MAY 12!

It’s inspiring to see people MAKE DECISIONS. To see people appreciate the gift God has given us to CHOOSE what we want to do. When we use our AGENCY to improve our lives, when we make the sacrifices necessary to live God’s beautiful and perfect plan, we will reach our divine potential. If you think about any goal you have reached, there will also come to mind the many sacrifices you had to make to achieve it. #Howbaddoyouwantit?

I will always remember one time when we were trying to convince a group of people to come on a hike with us, and they were like, “I’m tired.” Or “It’s really steep.” And stuff like that. And my friend said, “Do y’all know about Type A Fun and Type B Fun?” I turned to look at him cause I didn’t. He said, “Type A Fun is good in the moment but bad afterward. Like eating a ton of ice cream. Type B Fun is bad in the moment but good afterwards. Like a really hard workout.” I’ve never forgotten about Type A and Type B Fun, and when I’m doing something I think I can’t do, but I’m doing it for a good purpose, I tell myself, This is Type B Fun, that’s all.

We often have so many things to do we don’t know where to start. But it’s not as complicated as we think it is. We complicate things, not God. I like this scripture because it reminds me how simple life is. 

27 Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil;for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.

 28 And now, my sons, I would that ye should look to the great Mediator, and hearken unto his great commandments; and be faithful unto his words, and choose eternal life, according to the will of his Holy Spirit;

 29 And not choose eternal death, according to the will of the flesh and the evil which is therein, which giveth thespirit of the devil power to captivate, to bring you down to hell, that he may reign over you in his own kingdom.

I know this scripture is true. We can choose—life or death. Put that way, it’s sooooooooooooo easy. Put into real life, it’s hard. Choosing life is simple, but its not easy. Know the difference?

I know that our decisions have an eternal echo. I promise that in the end, the spiritual is all that matters. I invite you to think about what the Lord is asking you to SACRIFICE at this time in your life in order to advance spiritually. And DO IT. And I love each and every one of you. Think about each and every one of you. Pray for each and every one of you.