It’s finally 2003, I can’t believe it – time flys. I can’t even remember a hundredth part of what happened in 2002 but I give an overview.
About 1 year ago I was transferred to San Mariano. That place at first became a great challenge that I had to overcome. My first companion was Draper – one of the nicest kids ever. I loved Draper, he taught me so many great things. The thing that I was the most impressed with him was his love and dedication to the work. Draper had a hard life right before he came on his mission. His father died of cancer. The thing that impressed me most with him was that at that time his brother had the same kind of cancer but it didn’t faze him he just kept on working. I saw a living example of a man that Jesus described when he said that any man that turns back is not worthy of his work and that great phrase came “let the dead bury the dead.” Some preach it Draper lived it.
Soon after that fast Sunday came, and I still remember what I fasted for, I fasted that I would understand the language better. A week later Draper was transferred and Granada came into my life. Granada is the hardest person to understand. His Tagalog is horrible and it is almost impossible to understand. At first I found it most difficult to communicate; and I thought Granada to be very rude. I came to a point that I hated Granada with all fiber of my being and didn't mind if he was to die. My first reaction was that something must be wrong. I felt that I was in the wrong area and I remembered that zone conference was coming soon. As the days came closer to zone conference my hatred for Granada grew and I wanted to be transferred. So I came to the conclusion that I was not suppose to be in San Mariano. I decided to tell President that I needed to be transferred. On the way to Ilagan for zone conference, I asked the Lord to help me with my problem. The Lord answered my prayer half way through the meeting President stopped his talk and told all of us that he prays long and hard to know where we are suppose to go. I knew that after President had said that that was my answer to my prayer but the logical question that followed was – why?
I took this picture at the place where I felt my heart changed. I do not remember the boys name who is in the picture. He was our guide. Behind the boy is the corn field and to his left is the river.
Why was I there? Why was I supposed to go through that hell? I went home and dropped on my knees and asked the Lord for help. I prayed so long and hard I drew tears; I couldn’t take it. After the prayer, I stood on my feet and picked up the Liahona and read the article about how in all trials we need to grow. I can’t remember what it was about but I remember a man named Wirthlin wrote the article. All I remember is that it changed my heart to realize that even though Granada was wrong in some of the things he was doing, I was wrong for not loving him for who he was. I felt a great relief after I read that but I still hated him. The next day I prayed and as we walked down over the market place up to the Catholic Church. As we walked across the river, I asked God to change my heart. By the time we got out of the city and into the corn fields I felt a love come over me that changed my soul. This feeling grew stronger as we walked through this corn field and this love eventually took over my body. I stopped there by that river and thanked God and looked at Granada and thought of how much I loved him.
I was happy for the rest of the day. I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. When we arrived home that night a note was pinned to my door. It said that something had happened in another area and that I would be transferred at the next transfer meeting. I'm grateful that God let me suffer so I could see the good in Granada. Granada is a great man. It was too bad I let my hate get in the way of us become good friends.
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