Avencer

Why Avencer?!

As many of you know, I recently returned home from serving a mission in the California Carlsbad mission. I was called on a Spanish mission and as a result have come to love the Spanish language.

While in the MTC (Missionary Training Center) in Provo, Utah, the phrase 'avencer' come to have special meaning among the small group of missionaries I served with. In Spanish it has several meanings:

1. To conquer, to subdue, to defeat (derrota), to vanquish, to overpower, to master.
2. To conquer, to surpass, to excel.
3. To surmount, to overcome (dificultad, obstáculo), to clear.

... and many more.

During my time as a missionary it came to be a motivating word, almost a goal to reach, a constant word to motivate and impel me forward. Having served a mission I felt like the Lord has helped me overcome many personal challenges, and given me a beautiful tool set to conquer, overcome, and achieve so much more. In the April 2011 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Elder Paul V. Johnson gave a talk later titled "More Than Conquerors through Him That Loved Us"

I have come to know that truly, with the Love of God embedded in our hearts, we can be Conquerors through Him.