Why?

I studied 2 different parables this week: the good Samaritan and the laborers of the vineyard. And honestly they are similar. 

While I studied about the Good Samaritan I thought about how it is truly Jesus that finds us where we are and helps us to a place where we can be taken care of. Each of us is that poor lost man. But we are also host of the inn. Jesus left for a little, and gave us the Holy Ghost to take care of those around us. He trusts us to share this good news and share our light with others. I love Luke 10:35. "And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee." We know blessings we will receive as we do his work, and when he comes again to save us, if we have been loyal to our stewardship, we will be rewarded with mansions and with eternal life! 

As for the laborers of the vineyard, I thought about how it doesn't matter how last minute or hopeless we feel, Jesus still stands with his arms wide, beckoning for us to come and work with him, to feel peace. There was a talk titled "The laborers in the vineyard" from April 2012 and I loved how it talked about how we should feel lucky to be the laborers chosen first, because we don't need to worry if our family will eat that night (if we will be saved) we have the time to work and learn and become the worker we need to be. I'm so grateful to have received the Gospel early in my life, and even though it's taking me a while to be converted, I know that I'm working in the vineyard and my family can be saved.

I love this because it makes me think of my friend Jonathan, he was baptized a couple of weeks ago. I remember a couple days before his baptism when we were in a lesson with him and he told us about how he wondered why He couldn't have received the gospel sooner, why he couldn't have avoided all the bad things he's done. And I think that's always the question: why.

This week I have been trying really hard to open my mouth and give people the opportunity to learn about Jesus Christ. And usually what happens is we are sitting in a mcdonalds or maybe el cerrito (a Spanish grocery store) and if we think about someone we will go and talk with them. Sometimes we start off with a church invite, or sometimes we share a scripture. But one time I was waiting to use the bathroom, and someone said hi, and when I replied back in Spanish, they got excited and surprised (which happened a lot). Some people are really curious about what we do and why we know Spanish, those are some of my favorite times when it's just a normal conversation because they want to understand why I'm here. It's scary, but every missionary can say that they get easier!

My question of the week is: why were you chosen to receive the gospel when you did?