On Tuesday, we found out about a woman who moved on to the property of a member with absolutely nothing. She has seven children and is pregnant with an eighth, and literally moved in to the house with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Suuuper sad situation, but what joy it has been to see the members of the Church visit and give what they can to her and her family. She knows that the Lord is there to help, and I excited to see how she progresses in the joy of Christ's Gospel.
This Sunday, we had a class focusing a lot around the things that we say to others (but also including what we read, hear and eventaully do). We read through chapter three of James, which is an incredible chapter with some incredible lessons about the mastery of the tongue. It made me think a lot. Some times we say a lot of things with out thinking about the potential effect they can have. James uses a lot of examples to teach his lesson: the massive ship is guided by but a small helm; a great forest can be burned to the ground by but a small flame. So too can our tongues, which seem so small in comparison to the rest of our body, condemn us. Talking is pretty easy, and thus it is important to guide your tongue. It's difficult, but important! And if we focus on the examples and teachings of Christ, the Spirit will help us.
Second thing I learned today! I was reading in the Book of Mormon in the Book of Jacob (the better of the books 
), and I came to the part of Zenos's alegory of the vineyard when the Lord finds his vineyard overrun by wild fruit. It says that he wept upon realising that his fruit was lost, and then asks what more he could have done to save the fruits he had loved so dearly and laboured over so arduously. That verse hit me when I read it. It made me think about how much care and love our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have for us. They have laboured and laboured with extreme diligence to provide us the means to stay on the path of happiness they've provided for us. Thus, as the Lord sees us become wild and lose our way, he truly does weep. He truly cares more than we can possibly understand about our well-being, and wants us to make the right choices. When we don't, he still loves us just the same, but he also is saddened. What loving Father wouldn't be? As such, it made me think of the responsibility I have and all members of Christ's church have to help others be tamed and guided to the correct path. We are the Lord's servants in his vineyard, and he has called us to labour to gather his precious fruit that he weeps for daily. He has given us a Plan of Happiness, and he has given us the way. And as we follow it and bring others to it, how great will be our joy! And how great will be our joy knowing that we have brought our Father in Heaven joy in seeing his children brought closer to him. I loved that verse, and I love the opportunity I have to work in an Argentine vineyard filled with wonderful (and many times a bit wild) fruit. And I love all of you! My time is gone, but I hope all are happy and all are well! LAUGH A LOT BUT DON'T LAUGH TOO MUCH.
Un Gran Abrazo,
Elder McDonald
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