March 21, 2016 ~ Week 90

I think somethings in the water over here because I was sick twice this week.  On Friday we went to Arequipa to hear Elder Hugo Montoya speak at a mission conference.  He is a member of the Seventy and is now a part of the Area Presidency in Peru.  I remember when Elder Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve talked when he visited our mission and I didn’t understand anything; grammatically or spiritually, as I had just entered the mission field.  But this time it was different. every time he talked I could feel what he was saying including every gospel doctrinal reference and it was definitely special and just something I hadn’t felt before.  After the conference as he was walking I asked him to expand a little more on a story he told us about a missionary who had his right arm amputated in order to serve a mission after the doctors detected cancer.  The missionaries all looked at me when Elder Montoya was telling that story during the conference and I got some fistbumps and some nub bumps as well.  Elder Montoya told me that that missionary in the story he told was amazing and today is now a General Authority.

My life is different; my life is special. You receive blessings through sacrifices (it sounds better in Spanish)…por sacrificios se dan bendiciones.

I like how that phrase sounds in Spanish.

Elder McCook