So, I had a near death experience this week. It´s kind of funny. Mostly because, in the moment, I didn´t know I had a near death experience. Maybe I´m being dramatic.
Anyway, I was peacefully taking a shower after I got home, and when I was about to turn off the water, I felt something slithering up my ankle. I looked down and to my surprise, it wasn´t a snake that was slithering up my ankle, but it was a black centipede. It had crawled up from the drain in the floor that I was standing on (I´m really greatful for my current habit, since the beginning of the mission, of wearing sandals in the shower). It wasn´t too big, it was maybe the length of my palm, but nevertheless it was creeping up my ankle. I quickly shook it off and trapped it under the giant squeegy that all bathrooms here have. I grabbed my towel and then yelled to my companion to ask him if he knew what it was. He told me it was called "lacraia" and that they are really poisonous. He then preceded to ask if it had bitten me, (fortunately no), but told me that I need to be careful because they are really poisonous. He said that people who get bitten by one end up in the hospital and some people die. After that, he said that it´s okay to kill the lacraia and that I should, so I did. After that, I threw some bleach down the drain and all over the shower and went to sit down, because it hit me that I could have been in the hospital... WOOHOO!!!! That night and the next I slept in my hammock to stay as far away from the ground as possible. Since then, I take my shower keeping my eyes fixed on the drain. So, good news friends and family! You´re prayers are keeping me safe! I love you SOOO much! Yeah.... only in Brasil... hopefully...
I´m liking this topic of prayer, so I´m going to elaborate some more.
Prayer is how we communicate with God, our loving Father in Heaven. Prayer is literally a conversation with Heavenly Father. The Savior taught us how we should pray. He gave us an example to follow, but right before he gave the example of prayer, he said not to pray using vain repetitions. So, when we pray, we should pray from the heart and express what we tuly want to express. You don't need to speak very beautifully, but humbly from the heart. Be simple, sincere, but also respectful. Also, when we pray we need to have faith in what we ask of God. Like in Matthew 21:22
Remember to take some time to listen. Like when you call someone on the phone. It´s not just you talking, you also have to take time to listen to what the other has to say. It´s the same thing when we pray. It´s something I need to work on. It seems that we are often in a hurry when we do anything, but we need to take time to pray. Slow down a little. Prayer is very important. In the book of 2 Nephi chapter 32 verses 8 and 9 talk about the importance of prayer.
"8 And now, my beloved brethren, I perceive that ye ponder still in your hearts; and it grieveth me that I must speak concerning this thing. For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray ye would know that ye must pray; for the evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray.
9 But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul."
I know that prayer is essential for our growth. We need to learn to rely on the Lord a little more each day. Prayer will increase your faith, and if you pray sincerely and listen, you will be guided to what you need to do. I know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true, and for this reason, I am here serving a mission to which the Lord has called me. I love you my dear ones. May the Lord bless you until we meet again.
-Elder Samuel H. Chiba
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