I have seriously been feeling guilty lately. It feels like P-day is every day; I'm taking too many breaks! Time is just flying too fast. Plus, we had MLC on Thursday and tomorrow we're having our first ever sisters' conference almost all day in San Antonio. We get to go to a temple session with President and Sister Slaughter! I feel way too spoiled. I think it will definitely be an adjustment going home. I'm going to have to find a lot of people to visit and to give Book of Mormons to if I'm going to feel of any use at all.
MLC this week was incredible. Two representatives from the church mission department came and spoke to us. They gave our mission a lot of praise and opened our minds to better ways of doing missionary work. Basically they told us to get back to the basics. It's ridiculous--as missionaries we are taught and trained in the beginning how to plan, work, and study in a very simple and thorough way. But somewhere along the way we decide that we have a better way of doing things and start doing it that way. But they showed us how the simple ways we were taught are really the best ways. And since most of us are pretty seasoned missionaries, we were able to see how much more effective it really is to do things the way we were taught in the first place, since we have months of experience of doing it "our way" to contrast it to.
Also, Sister Slaughter shared an experience about when she was younger. She's almost completely color blind, and when she was learning ROYGBIV in school she was surprised to learn that the rainbow had 7 colors. She had always thought that it had only 2: blue and yellow. But her mom assured her that, yes, there really were 7 colors. And she just had to take it and believe it. She says she remembers taking her test at school and spelling out "red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet," just taking in full faith what her mom and teacher had taught her.
That's what it often is like for us. We don't see all the colors and we have to trust those who do. She compared it to the apostles who wrote Preach My Gospel. They know and see far more than we do, and the source from which they got that knowledge knows even more than that. But it applies to everything. Is it really necessary to read from the Book of Mormon every day? To have Family Home Evening every week? To actively share the gospel with those around us? To pray always? To go to church and be faithful in our callings? To stay away from coffee and tea, to keep our thoughts and words pure, to stay away from television or music that doesn't uplift, to dress modestly, to have food storage, to listen to Conference, to do Family History, to pay a full tithe? Is it really important? Yep, it is. Why? Because prophets and apostles counsel us to do it. Because God said to do it. Sometimes we don't get much more of a reason than that. But we have faith in God and trust His judgement. And we do it His way.
I have prayed so many time on my mission for things I didn't end up getting. I still have progress to make, but now I'm much better at accepting God's will because I've seen how His judgement has always been better than mine. I don't worry about transfers anymore because I know that He knows what I want more than I know what I want. Sometimes it takes some serious self-talk to convince myself that I trust God's judgement, and I have to remember the simple truths I know for sure: God loves me, He wants me to be happy, He always answers prayers, and He always keeps His promises.
Missions are hard and, I'll admit it, I think about going home at least a little bit every day. But I've gotten to the point in my mission (15 months tomorrow!) where I can really look back and see the hand of the Lord. I have felt more pure joy on my mission that at any other time of my life. It's not something you feel all the time, but it comes up often enough for you to fall on your knees and just thank Heavenly Father for everything, good and bad. I've received so much more than I've given, and I know that that will become more apparent as time goes on.
We doubt not the Lord nor His goodness; We've proved Him in days that are past. :)
I love you all! Have a fantastic week!
Hermana Lund
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