Week 75

In order to qualify become a stake, a district must have 5 unities or

branches (we have 6 currently), and must have a reach a minimum

membership.  Also, there must be a ratio of 1 worthy Melchizedek

Priesthood holder for each 20 members.  For our district

to qualify to become a stake, there must be 1,900 members and 99 worthy Melchizedek Priesthood holders.  We already have 107 Melchizedek Priesthood holders and about 3,400 members, which qualifies us in all aspects except for the ratio of Melchizedek Priesthood holders to members.  To qualify, we must 'depurar' or clean up the 'sime' or membership list (which is in some serious need of 'actualización'-it's a long story) and reactivate Melchizedek Priesthood holders in all the district within the time frame of December.  We've been planning with the district and branch presidency as well as with the zone to work with all the members in the district to work together in this great assignment we've been given.  We've started to 'execute' the plans, and so far, everything is going well.  However, the task is not going to be easy, and we will have to be very diligent to have success.  I feel that this assignment will help us in much more than qualifying us to become a stake (which is a huge blessing) because it requires us to unite our minds and efforts to work.  For this month, we'll be shepherds looking for the lost sheep, but more united in our cause.  It's interesting to see how a little motivation, necessity, and organization can make a big difference.

Something that I've been learning in the mission, and especially from my companion is that we don't need to worry about what

others tell us or think about us.  We only need to worry about what

our Heavenly Father and those that truly love us think about us.

It's a waste of time and can diminish our potential if we pay too much attention to the negative (and sometimes positive) commentaries others make about us.  We see so many people that abandon their eternal progress and salvation because someone told them something one time one day.  They'd put more attention to one negative commentary than to the things that really matter.  It destroys their potential.  It's just not worth our time to pay attention to them.  We need to have faith and not worry about them.  We need to be confident in ourselves and base our self worth on something better than what others think of us.