WEEK 22 - Houston Is Hotter Than Hell

In other words, I have forgotten what it feels like to not be drenched with sweat. There were moments this week where I was at my very limit, and pushed past it, wavering on the edge of consciousness more than once, both spiritually and physically. I am exhausted, dehydrated, and heat stricken. And yet, I have never been happier.

In theology, this dichotomy is utilized a lot (if you are curious, just take a look at the three verses I quoted last week), almost to the extent where one might be impressed to desire the experience of affliction–to lust for infirmity. Although I find immense joy in these difficult circumstances, I don’t find joy in the circumstance itself but in the aid I have received from my Heavenly Father and His son, Jesus Christ. Yes, without this heat, I may not have had to rely on the strength of my faith as much as I would have, but it isn’t the heat that brings this joy, but my faith. In the face of adversity, much like any blockbuster major motion picture in the early 2000’s, it isn’t the point of failure our characters experience in the final climax of the film that we rejoice over, but the deus ex machina who saves the day. 

Jesus Christ is our deus ex machina. 

Houston is hotter than hell. At times this week I wondered why I had been sent here given my medical history with heat. Rather quickly, those times were resolved because I put my trust in the Lord with my entire heart, and soon enough I could bike “and not be weary,” and “walk and not faint.” (D&C 89:20) 

I have yet to find joy in my infirmities, but I have always found joy in my Savior and my Heavenly Father. They have blessed me so much this week. We had an incredible lesson with Sonia, a member who speaks ASL, and two ASL missionaries from Houston. We have three 9(ish) year olds who are so ready to be baptized. We watched William, a member who was baptized when he was 8 in Venezuela receive the priesthood, pass the sacrament, for the first time in his thirty something years of life, to his family of three little ones, and be ordained to the office of Priest. He is now preparing to bless the sacrament next week and go with us as a family to the temple the following week, and I could not be happier for him. We have continued to reactivate inactive members, helping to bond friendships between our Spanish speakers and showing them the light that activity blesses them with. We have continued to love our friends and make new ones, inviting a friend named Yorgenis to be baptized as well as having a lengthy conversation with him about how we can help him make these sacred covenants with God and the blessings that will come to not only him, but also his family even if they are in Venezuela at the moment. And we continue to be blessed with the ability to find things to do and people to teach in the “boonies”, a goal that I set from the second I got the transfer news I was getting shipped off to Sealy, and at this rate, we have so many things to do that we are becoming too busy for our friends. Records have been broken and will continue to be broken as we make this “dead area” more alive than areas in the city. 

These are the things I find joy in. None of these would be possible without my Savior and my Heavenly Father. Don’t find joy in the heat itself, but have faith that you won’t be in the fiery furnace for long because there will always–and I mean always–be a deus ex machina coming in to save the day, but only if you continue to believe. Looks like I’m going to have to continue to believe because I just got a notice that the heat could get up to 117 degrees today so let’s see how strong my faith is this next week.