I'll get the sports stuff out of the way at the beginning. This past Tuesday, Perú was playing Colombia for a spot in the World Cup. They haven't been since 1982, so 35 years!! It'll be 36 when the World Cup happens next year. We played Argentina two weeks ago at Argentina and tied against the odds, which set up this match up with Colombia. If they won, they were in; if they tied, they could possibly get in but lots of other things needed to happen. The environment was crazy that day! Everyone was walking around in their jerseys, getting excited for the game at 6:00 that night. Me and Elder Stroud were having a fun time remembering sporting events and talking about possible outcomes. Obviously we didn't watch the game, but the streets were EMPTY that night! Not a single taxi! We were listening intently for any shouts signaling a change in the score. As we knocked a door, we heard shouts of "GOAL" in a nearby restaurant and rushed over excitedly to see what was causing the ruckus. However, they deceived us: there were a bunch of Colombians there! Down 1-0. We continued searching for people, but slightly more dejectedly now that we likely weren't going to the World Cup. As we passed another restaurants (there are lots of restaurants here and every single TV had the game on) we saw Perú's best player, Paolo Guerrero, lining up for a free kick. And what do you know, he snuck it right in! The streets exploded!!! There was some serious sports adrenaline rushing just hearing all the Peruvians shout in happiness haha! A lady on the second floor opened her window, leaned out, and started yelling "Goooooooooool" which was quite funny. There were no other sings of life the rest of the night, which gave us the idea that they ended in a tie, which they did. We were disappointed, thinking that all hope was lost. Nevertheless, we were informed that they were indeed going, thanks to Brazil beating Chile and Paraguay losing to Venezuela! Anyway, it's been fun jumping on the Perú bandwagon and feeling the World Cup hype!
As far as all the much more important stuff goes, all is well! We've had interviews this week with 5 of our 8 zones, and we've gone pretty much 100% practices! Lots of missionaries don't like practicing but it's been a really good opportunity to be with everyone and all improve teaching together! Everyone, especially the missionaries, keep asking me, "How do you feel?? Does it feel weird that you're going home soon?" I honestly feel exactly the same as I've always felt! It seems that I'll be here for another year at least! It's almost the same as when I left: in my mind I know it's happening, but the rest of me doesn't really believe it.
Love Alma 33! It's so unbelievable to me how you can read a chapter so many times and miss something seemingly so obvious! The question of the Zoramites at the beginning: How should we begin to exercise our faith? Maybe as part of that question, in what should we begin to exercise our faith? Alma turns to the scriptures and shows how they testify of the Son of God in three different passages!
1) Zenos: "for thou hast turned thy judgments away from me, because of thy Son"
--Alma's comment: "Do ye believe those scriptures which have been written by them of old? Behold, if ye do, ye must believe what Zenos said....I would ask if ye have read the scriptures? If ye have, how can ye disbelieve on the Son of God?"
2) Zenock: "Thou art angry, O Lord, with this people, because they will not understand thy mercies which thou hast bestowed upon them because of thy Son"
--Alma's comment: "And now, my brethren, ye see that a second prophet of old has testified of the Son of God"
3) Alma comments, "These are not the only ones who have spoken concerning the Son of God. Behold, he was spoken of by Moses; yea, and behold a type was raised up in the wilderness, that whosoever would look upon it might live."
Just to make it clear in whom and how we should exercise our faith, he closes, "Cast about your eyes and begin to believe in the Son of God, that he will come to redeem his people, and that he shall suffer and die to atone for their sins; and that he shall rise again from the dead, which shall bring to pass the resurrection, that all men shall stand before him, to be judged at the last and judgment day, according to their works.
And now, my brethren, I desire that ye shall plant this word in your hearts, and as it beginneth to swell even so nourish it by your faith."
The scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon, really testify of Christ! I know that He lives and directs His church. I hope you all can appreciate the copy and paste job from lds.org haha!
Love,
Elder Hart
Vamos, Perú!!
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