The 49th Chronicle

Hello family and friends! 

This last week was kinda a short one since Preparation Day was on Wednesday last week. Super worth it though! We got to attend the Winter Quarter's Temple! I find it interesting that by the time that most of us realize the importance, blessings, and joy that comes from the temple (i.e. right as we come out on a mission) that is the moment that we can't go as often as we would like. I sure wish I had made more time to attend the Logan Utah Temple before coming out. It always seems to go back to the one powerful phrase that I love... "Understanding increases desire". As I've been able to understand the purpose and value of temples I've had an increased desire to go there. That is the same with anything in our lives. The more we understand the importance of the sacrament the more we desire to come prepared to partake of it. The more we understand our neighbors the more we have a desire to reach out in love and service towards them. The more we understand how beautiful Iceland is, the more we desire to travel there ;) I knew from the beginning of the transfer that we would have the opportunity of visiting the temple, and so it's been on my mind for the last month. I wanted to make this trip an extra special experience since I don't know the next time I'll be able to go. I went online to https://www.lds.org/temples?lang=eng to learn more about the temple. I focused my studies on why we go and what happens in the temple. It was so cool. This was also the first time I've been since the recent shift in presentation. That was also really cool. I feel so blessed that we have a temple so relatively close. It was even more special to be able see close friends that I love and have served with in past areas. I think the temple really is a mini-glimpse of Heaven. It shows us the joy that comes through living righteously and in unity with those we love as we work towards the same purpose.

This week we also went and helped with flood relief efforts as a YSA ward again. That was cool. It's interesting how some members won't come to church or activities but will come help serve. We had some non-members and less-actives there. It was a blast 'cause we got to dive into this crawl space, remove debris, and shovel out buckets of mud and sand that had washed in. Nothing like having no head room. I didn't realize how bad the flooding really was until I was able to make it to the front lines. There has been so much structural damage, sewage blockages, water damage, etc. It's pretty crazy.

I've realized over the last two transfers that I've complained a lot. I've wasted too much time on making excuses rather than making solutions. I should've been capitalizing on opportunities when instead I was paralyzed with so called "limitations". I find personally that I tend to wait to do something until I have it down pat, rather than just starting and improving as I go. The thing is that there is no such thing as a "perfect beginning". It doesn't exist! To be perfect means to be complete. Completion is a process. It requires us to learn, grow, change, and refine ourselves. That can only come through experience. I don't know everything but I know enough. The answers will come over time. That's not to say that we haven't been working hard 'cause we have-- it's just that I have more capacity than I utilized during this last transfer. I don't feel like I gave it 'my all' and that's regrettable. The good thing though is that the past is in the past, the future never arrives, so all I got is now... and I can change what happens in the now. Let's go!!

So quick update on the people we are working with. Topeze is getting baptized on Saturday (for real this time). We are super excited for her and she is the best. She is always down to come to activities and service. Blake is set for the week after. He has been meeting with missionaries for quite a while now. This is the time though! He really connects well with Elder Bocchino. I feel like the vibe of our trio and how we've approached his lessons has been inspired. He's such a homie. He's taken us out to eat a couple of times.  We helped him pay his tithing this last week, and he has been doing a lot better on the commandments. For the most part he knows it's true, but he just needed to commit to live the gospel so he could feel the Spirit and prove God's promise. 

Kia Kaha!

Elder Brady