Well, what a
fantastic week. First off, if anyone has never heard or read these 2 talks,
please read them. So good.
Anyway, that
just kind of describes my week. I've just felt so spiritually edified this week
and i really feel like I'm growing in so many ways. I've grown to like having
to drive the truck around a lot and make huge long trips, because i've grown to
have such a strong appreciation for having modern prophets and apostles. Every
church, Catholic, Protestant, Baptist, Methodist, Jehovah´s Witness, Mormons,
we all believe in prophets. We all believe in the Bible, that it was written by
prophets. But the difference between our church is we believe that God still calls
them. I can't count the number of times i have taught people that and thought,
"Its obvious! They HAVE to be there! If God loves all of his children
equally, why would he NOT call a prophet today and talk to his children? is it
because he cared more about the children in Jerusalem or that we suddenly are
so perfect today that we no longer need God?" and i've always had a strong
testimony that they existed. But i get it now. I get why that matters to me. I
feel like a lot of my life has been based on logical assumptions and analytical
looking at the gospel. It makes sense - if i do what God says, he blesses me.
If i want more blessings, I just do what he says! But it's so much more. Having
a modern prophet and apostles means that when I have questions (as I have had
almost my entire mission) I can listen to a talk or a speech, and receive the
simple answers that God would have me listen to. The words they say might not
be the exact thing that I need - but my act of opening my heart to the
appointed representative of the Savior allows Him to send to me the Spirit,
which will give me the exact thing I need. I have been praying for so long to
know how I can be good enough, how I can be worthy enough, how I can be better.
I have been praying for so long to know how to be happier and to have a truly
good life. And now I get it and have the desire to constantly surround myself
with positive influences like talks and music because it has changed me so
much. Incredible stuff!
Another thing
this week too was my interview with President. Elder White and i FINALLY got
our interviews! When he did interviews with the whole mission, he never got
around to the two of us, so we were praying that he would talk to us soon. It
was so needed. I just wish I had the ability he does to make people feel
comfortable in opening up and sharing their desires. He helped me out a ton -
gave me some great ideas to finish strong, to keep my mind 100% here and not
let it wander back to BYU or home or whatever else might call it, and to just
give it everything. He also shared with me an email that a missionary wrote to
him in which the missionary had said "Thanks for sending Elder Tengberg to
my sector on Tuesday. It helped me so much and gave me so much more desire to
be better and work harder." It was something I needed so much. Anyway, I'm
just beyond happy. I have less than three months left now, and I'm just happy.
I'm content, but not satisfied. I want to finish like I did every race,
sprinting. I know that the Lord is happy with me, that he wants me to get
better, and that he is going to help me do it. Like "His grace is sufficient"
says, he isn't waiting at the finish line to receive us in - he is there with
us every step of the way. I especially liked that one! But for real, listen to
those talks if you can. So powerful hearing how they describe them.
On that same
note, i had an interesting idea this past couple months. Elder Dominguez, my
old companion, had inspired me to look for "my biggest weakness". We
have a lot. All of us do. but what is the root? What is it that we REALLY lack?
What do we need to do? And I found mine. After about 2 weeks of praying and
studying, I found it! That doesn't mean I've fixed mine yet,
but I'm so happy to know that I have the ability to change it. After seeing my
pride, my egoism, my need for approval, and so many other problems over the
past however many months I have left, I'm peaceful to see there is a root
problem I can pray about, work on, and change. The gospel is a pretty amazing
thing. Thanks mom and dad for having the courage to live it and help me live it
too.
Les quiero
mucho! El evangelio es verdadero. Dios vive, nos ama, y nos ayudará cuando
hacemos nuestro mejor esfuerzo. Que tengan una linda semana y que estén muy
bien!
Elder Tengberg
also, chileans
use their hazard lights so much. It's honestly hilarious. We don't use them in
the states, do we? They use them for everything. Stop light and you are going
to brake? HAZARD! Elder white and i make so much fun of them. WHOA THERE IS A
STOP SIGN! NO ONE FREAK OUT, iTS JUST A HAZARD! Good thing I have these handy
LIGHTS here so that everyone else can see what I'M seeing!
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