A Lesson Learned!

Steve and I have prided ourselves on nothing bad happening while here in Argentina. We have become very comfortable going down town, riding the trolleys, taxi's etc. Almost everyone we know has had a robbery occur at some time down here. Most of the missionaries have been robbed more than once.
Well today, we headed down town. Feeling very confident and probably a bit over confident.
As we borded the trolley to head home after running our errands, Steve felt in his pocket, his wallet was gone. I looked in my purse and my camera was gone. We had been robbed. How slick they had been, we had felt nothing.
As we evaluated our trip, we had done almost everything wrong. We were an easy target. I had not turned my zippered compartment on my purse towards me, there it was an easy target. Steve had his wallet in his back pocket, not in his front pocket. He was carrying a large sum of money. He should have taken it out before leaving home. As we waited for the trolley, we were in a crowd of people. We should have moved away and waited from behind the crowd. Several times on our excursion we both had little thoughts telling us to do all the right things, we ignored them.
As I thought of what happened, I thought of what can happen spiritually.
We can grow very self-confident, become sloppy about observing the commandments, and not listen to the "still small voice". We can become a victim through our own doing. We need to stay ever vigilent, and realize that Satan is always there, just as the pickpockets were there, waiting for us to let our guard down. Ready to take advantage of our weak moments.
We are sadder but wiser from this experience. We are both glad it was just things that can not be replaced and not our souls. We share this hoping our lesson can bring safety both physically and spiritually to those we love.

How Big is Jesus Christ?

It is Easter time. A time to think of our Savior, Jesus Christ. We took a drive to a beautiful valley of Valley De Uco with the snow capped Andes mountain range in the background. There on the top of a hill overlooking the valley was a magnificent statue of Christ with His arms outstretched blessing and protecting the valley. As we approached, I could not help but think, "How big is Christ?" "How big is Christ in my life?"

The statue is about 50 feet or more high. Here He stands in comparison with the Elders who were on our trip. I could not but think, "I am very little and small in the sight of God, He has many, many people to love and care about."

But even though my picture is sideways, I looked up at those big arms and thought,"They are big enough to surround and hold me in His love. I have so felt those big arms around me here on our mission. At those times when I so pleaded for His help, He was there, and will always be there.

The marks of the nails were in His hands as a reminder of all that He gave for me. And here He stands as a reminder of the resurrected Lord .

I am so blessed to be here this Easter in a country that is not ashamed to display the Christ for all to see. He is special, and no one worries about Him offending others. He is worshipped.

How big is Christ? I don't know , but I do know His love is big enough to atone for all of us.

I love Jesus Christ.