I've been trying to make the house more interesting. I think I might have ADHD or ADD or one of those that makes me not sit still because the past few days I've been doing a lot of weird stuff at the house. Do you know that scene from Tangled where Rapunzel is bored and is painting all over her tower? Whelp that was last week. I rearranged the furniture twice, cooked a lot of eggplants (I'm addicted to eggplants, it's a different story), probably slept less than I should've, worked out very heavily, and journaled a lot.
Notice 2 things are missing from that list. 2 things that every missionary, nay, every person ought to do every day. I haven't read the scriptures or prayed yet. It's weird, I think somebody said this before I just can't remember but it was something like so simple is the way we fell from. Or something like that. Anyway, the Gospel is simple. It's meant for everyone, but because it is so simple to do it is also so simple to not do. And at that moment, though I'm a missionary, I forgot to.
Praying is easy. I had to do it, I did it, it was lovely. Reading the scriptures, now that got me. I recently finished all the standard works except the Old Testament and Doctrine and Covenants. I know I'm not going to read D&C until I have 138 days left (get it? it's like a spiritual countdown), SO I know I gotta get down and dirty with the Old Testament. And maybe I've just had a lot of bad reviews about it, but a lot of people came up to me and said something along the lines of, "it's not a pleasant read." But you know what sometimes you just need that leap of faith, regardless of what others think.
In a week I've read Genesis to Judges. It was a long arduous road. But it was pretty fun. a lot of weird stories. Super weird. Like super weird. But it was pretty cool. I've never genuinely tried reading the Old Testament for fun before and you know what it can be fun. There are a lot of hidden treasures. In the stories, in the people, even in what others might see as obsolete commandments, it might be one that'll help you grow.
As a last thought lemme share with you a strange commandment that most people will probably overlook. Deuteronomy 22:9, "Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with divers seeds: lest the fruit of thy seed which thou hast sown, and the fruit of thy vineyard, be defiled." To be honest I would've overlooked this too, except for one thing. And this isn't doctrine, this is just my personal thoughts. I believe that God loves gardening, and planting things. Otherwise, why would He have so many parables and visions and stories about a tree? Right? Maybe I'm overstepping my bounds. But I looked at it again because I don't He's talking about just any random vineyard. One interpretation could be our testimony, our faith. We want it to grow and be strong but more often than not we let divers seeds get in the way and defile our vineyard. But if we remain strong and keep doing and believing in what we know is right, we will never fall away.
I know my thoughts have been all over the place, It usually is, but hopefully, something good came out of it.
-Elder Villanueva
Tayo Na Pilipinas! (Let's Go Philippines!)
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