Soliciting? I think not.

Hello everybody! This was good, it has been really busy. We have been finding and teaching a lot. We almost had the cops called on us but we worked it out. We were tracting in a neighborhood and the manager of the property found us and told us we can’t solicit here. We politely told him we aren’t soliciting and that we are sharing a message about Jesus Christ. He then whipped out his phone and looked up the definition for soliciting. It was something along the lines of selling something for your own gain. There are other definitions but that’s the one he chose. In my head my thought was last time I checked helping, serving, and sharing with others a message about Jesus Christ and how they can receive eternal happiness wasn’t soliciting. But we politely said we are not selling anything and that we would leave the area for now. I’ve come to realize that most people dont know a lot about our church other than what the internet tells them and many don’t know what missionaries do, but that’s why I’m out here, to help people learn more.
The Atonement of Jesus Christ has been on my mind alot lately. I’ve been learning a lot more about it and have come to some new realizations about it this week. These are a few of the things I learned and that came to my mind. The Atonement to me is the greatest act of love in the history of the world. Love is an agent of transfer to allow us to vicariously feel what others feel. It is the power to strengthen others by knowing that someone who loves them understands. It is also the most powerful, unyielding, and unflinching motivation. Obedience is the behavior that shows how we feel about the savior. It opens the door for the enabling power and love of the Savior to come Into our life. Love is how the Atonement is offered, Obedience is how it is received. Diligence is the consistency of our obedience in how we live the commandments. When these three come together that is what Discipleship is. The greater the overlap, the greater the Discipleship. Jesus Christ loved us perfectly, and when we do our best to be faithful Disciples of Him, that is when we will have the most Joy and happiness in this life. Thanks for the support, I miss you all and take the time this week to think of what the Savior and His Atonement means to you, hope you have a good week! Love, Elder Souza