This last week has been a
pretty great week. It has had its trials, but a week I am very grateful for
nonetheless. We unfortunately were not able to get a lot of work done in our
area due to interviews, going to the Temple for an endowments session for a kid
we worked with who is about ready to go on his mission, and then attending a
baptism for somebody that Elder Silva worked with. It has been a blast. I was
not able to have my interview with President Packard last Tuesday after
emailing because he was running behind and had a HUGE meeting he needed to get
to that night. I will be going to the mission home in a week or two any way
because Elder Silva will be getting a minor surgery on his knee and so Sister
Packard wants us to stay the night up there afterwards since it will be in MA.
I will get to have my interview then and pick our Mission President's brain a little
bit ;). I am looking forward to it.
This past week I have been overwhelmed
with a sense of great gratitude for the greatness, love, mercy and wisdom of
our Loving Father in Heaven, in His Son Jesus Christ and as well as the Holy
Ghost. I have found that I am starting to recognize things I had never before
really taken notice of in my life. Those small and simple things. For example,
on Sunday I was overwhelmed as the opening prayer was offered in Sacrament
Meeting as I opened my eyes and looked out at all of the faithful Saints who
were in attendance, all with their heads bowed down coming together to worship
their Savior and learn more of him, united in their faith. I have felt an
overwhelming appreciation for trials that come into our lives, no matter what
they may be, where our faith is tried. I have been learning more and more of the
importance of continued faithfulness to things the Lord has previously told us
and as we do so the great peace that comes into our hearts as a result.
As time
goes by on my mission I seem to be learning more and more of two things each
and every day. That is, the truth that Satan is real and that Jesus Christ is
indeed the Savior and Redeemer of the World, who came to deliver us from
bondage, whatever that bondage may be. I am so very eternally grateful that
amidst all of the trials that go on in our lives, we have a Comforter and Guide
in all things. I am so grateful for the Gift of the Holy Ghost. That wonderful
member of the Godhead to teach us and guide us in this life as we but rely on
him.
The other day Elder Silva and I were talking to this girl Josselyn, who
will be leaving on her mission this Tuesday for Salt Lake City. As we were
talking, this member from the English Ward came and started talking to her,
giving her some tips and pointing some things out to her. One of the things he
said really stuck out to me and is VERY true and something that I think and
feel I should bring up to all reading this. He said the reason why
new missionaries in the field are some of the most powerful in teaching, and just
awesome missionaries, is because they really don't know anything and so need to RELY on the SPIRIT (Holy Ghost) more to help them. Now this isn't just applicable to
missionaries, but every single one of us. I feel that if we all took time to
slow down a little bit and really think about the things we have learned, the
experiences we have had, and humbled ourselves in the depths of humility,
acknowledging our nothingness before God and our great need for him (Mosiah 4:11),
we would start to feel this sweet, guiding influence of the Spirit even more in
our lives. This wonderful companionship will be with us in ALL that we do as
long as we live worthy of it. If we truly want the best in our lives, for us and
our families, we would be wise to live our lives in a way that we are ALWAYS
susceptible to the divine guidance and heavenly influence of this member of the
Godhead. Can you imagine how much better our lives would be if we TRULY
counseled with the Lord in all our doings?- Alma 37:37. No matter what decision
we are making in life, no matter what we want to learn, to do or become, we have
a wonderful, loving, perfectly wise and all knowing Father in Heaven who is so
EAGER to help us!
I love my mission so much and for the many things I have been
blessed to learn from others here and that the Lord has taught me through the
Power of the Holy Ghost. I am not perfect and have a long way to go in order to
keep progressing and becoming who the Lord would have me be, but I am so grateful
that the Lord loves us enough to give us the Gift of the Holy Ghost, even that
Member of the Godhead to lead us to ALL TRUTH.
It is my prayer that we all may
seek to find ways to court the Spirit, to be humble enough and more receptive
to its influence and make the necessary adjustments to do so. I know that The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is Christ's church restored on the
earth once again. That miracles have not cease. That God still talks to
his children in this day and age and that ALL can come to know all things
through the Power of the Holy Ghost. I am so grateful for the process the Lord
allows us to go through in order to keep learning and progressing. I leave
these things with you and pray that you may be blessed with whatever guidance
and things that you stand in need of in your lives, and do so in the sacred
name, of Jesus Christ. Amen.
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