May 29, 2009

I think the problem that I have noticed since my mission is that things don't get done without faith, love, desire, and boldness.  I will share some examples of this.

Faith: We can thus see in the case of Elder Nielson that faith is big, and the first thing you need.  I could have all the faith in the world in this area and it would mean nothing without his faith. Have faith that things will happen in the Lord's time.  D&C 3:3.  Keep faith strong and don't get discouraged.  You can do hard things.   

Love:  I have seen plenty of missionaries lose investigators because of this one thing.  If love is not the thing that pushes us, if it's some other thing such as numbers, looking god in others eyes, even if it's just out of obedience (Elder Bennett), then it's pointless.  It must be your love for Heavenly Father that makes you do things.  If you do it this way, it isn't as hard to have the faith that things will happen in his time.  

Desire: The fuel for desire is love and faith.  2 Nephi 31:20.  Nephi teaches the gospel of Jesus Christ.  In this verse, faith and love give us a desire to endure to the end.  If our desire is fueled by other things, then we get our reward, but not the one the Lord wants.  3 Nephi 13:5.

Boldness: Nothing ever gets done when you dance around things.  I have learned this a lot on my mission.  No one gets baptized if you aren't bold.  Tell them your purpose.  I have seen missionaries wait 5 lessons to commit for baptism.  All along they should have brought it up the first time they saw them.  I have seen how boldness is a need while being a leader.  I remember how your mom would turn on her blinker while driving and just get in the other lane.  She would always say "tell them what you wanna do, then do it!"  This applies here too.  If I want missionaries or a situation to change, I need to show them what I want and do it.  If you attempt boldness without faith, love, and the proper desire, then it comes off hurtful and puts people on defense.  D&C 121: 43.  

Wow, this time next year I could be in Kzoo!  I can't wait to see Kzoo in the spring.  I can't wait for you to see Texas in the spring!  There are Texas wildflowers everywhere!  I took pictures, but they don't do them justice. Texas is full of trees.  Your property value goes up a lot when you have trees.  About a quarter of our area is just trees and cactus.  It's way pretty here.