I am glad that you are getting the same cold weather that we are. Winter has truly come, and for some stupid reason the wind came with it. That is the main problem with the cold at the moment. The wind just rips through you. I really couldn’t feel my face last night. I had to take off my glove so that I could use the phone and like 5 minutes later my hand was frozen!!!! I put the liner in my big jacket for the first time this morning, and so now I am toasty warm! There has been a ton of flooding up in the north parts of the mission. Apparently all the bridges in the Kendal area are washed out. I was talking to the Elders that are up there now, and they said that it is quite bad. It has rained a lot here, but nothing too terrible.
This week has been a different one. With the sports day on Thursday that kinda put a big kink in a lot of things. It was a ton of fun though. These past few weeks have been way tough in the work though. We have not really seen all that much success, and so that is never easy to wade through. Bottom line is that I am not performing the way that I should, and I am not being the example that I should be. I have made a new resolution to really change the way that I am working and it is going to start today. I have been studying all the Neal A. Maxwell talks today (you know the ones that I mean), and that has really helped me to re-focus. I have made some power plans to change, and all that I really ask of you is for added prayers. I am nearing the end, and now is the time to really go big. I fully plan to!!!!! I don’t want you to have any undue worry though, cause I really am fine…. Its just all a process of becoming my best self! That is all the Lord asks of us is for our best selves, but sadly I haven’t been giving that. I can give so much more, and that is exactly what I plan to do. I am going to move on though.
Knowledge was way good this week. I learned quite a bit, but the thing that stuck out to me is that we learn things in many other ways than just study. It says in the scriptures that we must seek learning by study, and also by FAITH. That is the key! We know that faith is an action word, it means to go and do something. With that being said that means that we learn things by going out and experiencing things, and also by trial and error. You all know me…. You all know that I learn things much better when I am shown what to do. Tell me how to do something, and I am ok at it, but you show me and I am all over it. I learn when I experiment. I learn when I get my hands stuck in, dirty, and cut up. I learn from the mistakes that I make while trying! That is another form of learning by the Holy Ghost. You can learn the gospel by experience as well. I know that Jesus Christ suffered for me because I have felt the power of the Atonement. I know that keeping the commandments is important because I have gone both ways, learned from my mistakes, and can see the blessings now! You can have all the book smarts in the world, but until you go and put those smarts into action you have nothing. That is what I learned! I am excited for patience because it is something that I feel I have really developed on my mission. I have had to pray for it many, many times, and I am excited to go deep into it this time. I will share my thoughts with you next week.
I am jealous of your Thanksgiving feast!!! I don’t know if I have told you, but my picky eating habits have all gone, mostly. I am still not a fan of bananas, but I will eat them when they are placed in front of me. But there were some things that you mentioned in your menu that before my mission would not have appealed to me, but now my mouth is watering! We had a good dinner at a members home, but it was nothing like yours. I am really excited for Christmas though!!!!!!!!!!!
I guess last of all is to tell you about Gary. He is doing amazing. He asked me to Baptise him, so that will make number 4 on my list of ordinances performed. Its cool, but I would really rather not do it. Ask me why when we get a chance to really talk. Some of the things that he is telling us though are amazing. The only explanation is that he has been taught by the Holy Ghost! Keep praying for him though, he will need it, as will I!!
I love you all so much. Thank you for all the support that you give!!
Talk to you soon
Love,
Elder Neal
No comments:
Post a Comment