Week 22 In the Field: This week we were fortunate enough to hear from Elder Neil L. Andersen.

This week we were fortunate enough to hear from Elder Neil L Andersen in a conference with the Guatemala City East, North, and South missions. I had the opportunity to see a lot of old buddies and the conference was great. Elder Andersen talked about the importance of the atonement in our lives and in the lives of our investigators. He also discussed that as missionaries in Guatemala we have a distinct responsibility. In many countries people struggle with really believing that the historical person of Jesus of Nazareth is really Jesus the Christ. In many countries if you can get people to really and actually have a testimony of Jesus Christ then the steps towards His restored gospel are much easier.

In Guatemala however, people already believe in Jesus Christ and want to follow Him. Our challenge is not necessarily baptism but retention and reactivation. In our branch in Gualan we have an attendence of around 70 people but we have records for 650 people who have been baptized here. Unfortunately many people slip into inactivity after a short amount of time.

Elder Andersen´s solution to the problem is through a testimony of the atonment of Jesus Christ through the Book of Mormon. As people more fully understand who Jesus Christ was and what he did through the Book of Mormon these people will become truly converted.

This week we placed four baptism dates with Hector and Alex (two sons of a part member recent convert family) and with Prudencio and Dailin (a father and daughter from a reactivating part member family). We are really excited for the work in Gualan and we are striving to follow Elder Andersen´s counsel here.

I love this quote by Brad Wilcox:

"The miracle of the Atonement is not just that we can live after we die but that we can live more abundantly. The miracle of the Atonement is not just that we can be cleansed and consoled but that we can be transformed. Scriptures make it clear that no unclean thing can dwell with God, but, brothers and sisters, no unchanged thing will even want to. The miracle of the Atonement is not just that we can go home but that—miraculously—we can feel at home there."

I testify of the power of the atonement and of the opportunity we all have to change, grow, improve, and progress towards salvation and eternal life. That we all will understand, use, and appreciate the atonement and its significance in our lives is my supplication and prayer.

Talk to you next week!

Elder Dawson