October 21, 2014

Happy birthday Chris! I love you and will see you in Hawaii soon! (Mom help me make that wish come true…)

 And to all those that I have not said happy birthday to in this blog I am sincerely sorry. And I love you as well. This whole mission thing seems to be talking up every single moment and spare thought in my mind. I can’t even think about anything else. Just Gods work... The rest is a blurr. But I think that’s the way it’s supposed to be for these 2 years I think.

In D&C 4 it says,

 1 Now behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men.

2 Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.

So I am trying to serve with everything I got, and at the end of the day, when  I have 0 energy left, I just smile and feel great because it means I’m doing what I am supposed to do and giving what I’m supposed to give to the Lord and to others.

 And just to let you all know I am doing so good with my goals. I have post it notes all over my wall! Be proud of me.

Now for step 2. “Read and follow through with all the things you put on the post it notes”

I should put that step on a post it note as well.

Oh and I have started a dream journal. I have the most bizarre dreams in the world, but they might be worth something someday.

I think one of the abilities that I have developed here in Yungay is planning and creating activities for the branch and for the public. When you are in a small town with a branch with about 25 active members it is of the up most importance to have grand activities that are fun and (most importantly) uplifting for all ages and all people regardless if you are a member of the church of a visitor. This week we had a great Family home evening in the church on listening and following the subtle promptings of the Holy Spirit. Personally I feel that this principle is one of the most important if we want to live our lives under the protecting hand and guidance of our Savior.

 Henry B Eyring spoke about precisely this topic in his conference address this month.  He said that human judgment and logical thinking will not get us through this world that is in turmoil. If we are looking for answers to the questions most important in this life the only direction that we should be facing is to the Lord.

That is what is so great about our message of the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our gospel is centered on the principle that God not only exists and hears our prayers but that he speaks back, that we can receive personal revelation from him and have his guidance through the Holy Spirit.

That is why God restored his gospel through Prophets. He can receive revelation for the whole world, bishops receive revelation for their congregation and parents can receive revelation for their children.

This guide helps us get through the ups and downs of life. For the family home evening that we had we blind folded a person and sent them through a maze that we created using chairs, ropes and barriers. The way was very narrow, and with one wrong step this person would bump into a chair, knock something over, or just be trapped at a dead end. On top of all of this, we had all the other people shout directions, trying to stop the person for reaching the end goal of the maze.

This person, a young girl kept knocking into the walls of the maze, listening to the conflicting voices, following them... and then tripping yet again….continuously wobbling her way through, amidst the maze of chairs. With just one step away from the exit, the jeering crowd got louder and louder causing her to give up. Ripping off the scarf over her eyes in frustration, she then realized how close she was to the end.

Our life sometimes feels just like that. Frustrated we sometimes listen to the jeering voices of others telling us how to act how to live, what to say and what to do. But if we pause and learn to recognize the spirit it can guide us and help us say, do and be who God what’s us to be.

We then blindfolded another person and set them through the some maze, but this time amidst the jeerers, there was one assigned to be the voice of the spirit. And when the person blindfolded shut out the outside noise and focused on the guiding voice, he was able to make it through without problems.

Listen to the spirit. It can be your constant guide if you allow it to be.

Through prayer and daily scripture study we can learn to tone out the crap of the world and tone in to the peace of the Lord.

It’s true. I’ve felt it.

If any of you get the chance re read that talk by Eyring it’s awesome.

I love you family and all those who ACTUALLY read through this whole letter. Your guys are the best!

That it. The end