Dear Family,
This week passed by so quickly. This month passed by so quickly too. This year went by so fast. Can you believe that we are almost in December? I really can't.
I am not really sure what to even say right now. This week has been really hard in a couple of ways. Our progressing investigators have disappeared. Literally. We were planning for the baptisms and everything was really going well. This week they don't answer their phones and they fell off the face of the earth. Sometimes you really feel sad because when you are teaching people, you really love them. You see the whole picture that they can't see all of the way just yet. You see that just overcoming a small thing like coffee, will allow them to have more blessings than they could ever imagine. Or when you are contacting and people won't talk to you, or finding less-actives and they will look at you and not let you into their house, and most times not even talk to you, it is so devastating. They are shutting the door on happiness and salvation. They are shutting Christ out of their lives. We literally need to stand as witnesses of Christ at all times. He speaks to the world through His servants. When they accept us, they are slowly accepting Christ into their lives. When they shut the door, they deny an opportunity to receive light. Sometimes you just want to be an angel and just announce the message of the restored gospel to all of the world - just to have their attention for just 5 minutes! We are all family. We are living the plan presented to us before this life. There are many hard times in the mission. Yet when you find that one person, that one family that accepts, everything that we have bitterly experienced out here was totally worth it. The joy that comes from a soul who accepts this message isn't comparable. To see someone change their life through Christ is worth anything.
Even though we have had many failings with the work, we have also received many references and are planning on teaching them this week and I am so excited! :) I love speaking Spanish and teaching about the scriptures and the gospel. It is seriously the funnest and most satisfying thing. I love it out here! :) It is so hard at times, but it is all worth it.
I had an interview with President Carmack yesterday when we had Stake Conference for the stake of San Miguelito. I saw Dxxxx. :) She was there for the conference. I love being so close to my first area. I see so many members that knew me when I didn't know anything and now I can talk to them and it is so great. :) It was a really good interview. I loved it. :) I love President. He's a really great guy. There are some struggles in the mission, but we are all working on them. I think that I will be in this area for a long time. Maybe for at least 4 months more and have 6 months here like my other areas. I am so excited. :) The area is well. We are finding more people because there are so many less-actives. We look through the records and find the names of members and their addresses and just go and contact their houses. There are many members who have moved or died or who are even in prison... So we are slowly updating the records little by little. Some receive us really well, others not so much. I think that some just tell us that the members moved, but sometimes I think that they are the person in reality. But, oh well. Sometimes all you can do is just invite!
That is one thing I have really learned out here; agency - that principle - with missionaries and with investigators. Missionaries can choose to obey or disobey and lose the privileges and blessings that they would have received had they obeyed. Some missionaries will challenge investigators to do things that they don't do themselves, then they get frustrated with their investigators when they don't see the beam that is in their own eye. How can we challenge someone to obey a commandment if we don't do it ourselves? We have no testimony and no power because we are not acting and obeying, so we can't testify of the blessing that they will receive. If we don't obey we don't have the Spirit, and if we don't have the Spirit we won't have success and we won't effectively teach. When one looks at the big picture, the importance of this aspect comes clearly into view.
Here in the area, we get fed so well. I think that I am going to gain even more weight over this next month. Many are planning on giving us food - blessed members. I love this Panamanian food. It is sooo good. Here they eat a bunch of rice with every meal - soup, chicken, meat, and everything. I'll have to show you guys sometime.
Hope everyone is well. My health is well. My face is getting better I think. I hope everyone is happy. Little Levi is soooo cute. Man, we have the cutest babies in the family. I am so happy for you Johnsons! What a privilege God gives us to have families and to experience the same things that He does in a small measure. I know that God loves us and blesses us. I am able to see things in such clarity here in the mission field. I know the importance of having the Spirit with us. Strive to have it with you always and it will guide you and help you learn. I love you all so much, and have a great week! Love you Mom.
Love, Elder Bitter
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