Here we are, another week has gone by and I'm still alive. Good news huh! hahah! Well I'm still serving in Cumberland ward, and now am serving with my "Brother" Elder S. Jones.
He was trained by Elder Eric Jones (jones and jones, i know right!?), and they were in Crawfordsville... so we have a few things to talk about. Elder Eric Jones then served as a Zone leader for a while, and then became My Trainer TOO, (hence he's my brother). Elder Jones is from the NW corner of Phoenix. He's got about 5 weeks left... he's a super missionary, and is my companion at this time for all the right reasons. I am so blessed to have him.
Well not much else has changed. Life is getting better, we have lost a bunch of our investigators due to their laziness, and them not making us a priority. It's kind of sad when people exercise their agency to make a choice that doesn't end in a covenant, but all we are allowed to do is invite. We are out to find those who are prepared right now to find the gospel. We are going to be stepping up our efforts with the members of the ward, and increase the spirit of missionary work in their lives.... It's starting to show that they are not too motivated. The bishop actually had us re-sing the rest hymn of "Put your shoulder to the wheel" because our first attempt was pitiful. Members and investigators alike have a hard time feeling welcomed in that ward, and i know that is something that we can help with.
My life the past 6 weeks was pretty hard. I didn't realize it but I was slacking in the work. I was allowing my companion to do everything and outshine me in every way, which then led to a hard few last weeks, and it made it very hard to function. As I talked with President Collins about a few things that were on my mind he helped me apply this tool, it can be applied to almost any trial, or temptation for that matter, and I can testify that having put it to work for the last week it is working:
I'm paraphrasing from memory....
We seem to approach our trials in a very head on way... As if there is a doorway to get through, and in that door way is a Giant, a man so large there is no way around him. So we gird up our loins, fresh courage take, arm ourselves with the armor of God, and get to the fight! We swing, jab, poke, slash, cut, thrust, stab, attack at full force, and eventually end up exhausted, and tired. Easily able to be knocked over by the smallest of temptations that Giant still has in his arsenal. The trick is to back up. We know that every step backwards is a success! Even if we only move a few inches or a few feet, we are moving away from that fight against the giant, and each step is a victory. We continue to step back until we manage to move ourselves out of range, but don't stop there, keep going backward until we see that giant as a small little speck on our horizon. The giant won't and can't follow us! We are now safe! The temptations of Satan are still there, but they are now so small and far away, we see them coming, and are able to push them aside very quickly. They no longer have effect.
As I once again reflect on his story, and parallel it with one Jodi sent me, it's easier to see that we aren't only stepping away from our giants, but we are stepping closer to the Lord. We look to him, turn your back to the giant and face the joy of the truly living the gospel.
I've had to do a lot of self reflecting these past few weeks, and it's been a joy to realize that I may not be as close to the Lord as I thought, and have a wonderful opportunity to put myself closer and closer to him by truly living his gospel... Faith, Repentance, Sacrament, and relying on the Holy Ghost!
I'm not out of reach from my giant yet, but I know I will be soon.
I love you all, and look forward to Mothers day when I can talk with some of you!
Love Elder Rees
No comments:
Post a Comment