The 67th Chronicle

Hello family and friends! 

As you can see in the photos, we did service at the Salvation Army this week and had to throw away a whole pallet of moldy BLUEBERRIES. It was a sad waste of food! The pallet was stacked higher than us at the beginning! The silver lining was the fact that we got to chuck each plastic container of blueberries into the dumpster. As each one hit it exploded sending blueberries and fruit juice everywhere. Missionaries are easily entertained (and the Sisters even joined us) lol. The simple joys of mishy life!

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A member referred a family friend and now we are teaching the whole family. Super cool! Members truly have a powerful effect in this work. Now that I've been able to see the work of the Lord from the perspective of a full-time missionary, I've gained a greater appreciation for members who actively support missionary efforts. Have you ever wondered how to become a missionary's favorite member? Here are some inside tips . . .

1) Feed the missionaries! This is a great way to get to know them and for them to get to know you! Ask them before hand if there is a specific topic or message you would like them to share with your family.

 

2) Be understanding. At the same time don't enable missionary's disobedience. Hopefully that makes sense!

3) Ask them questions! Ask them why they chose to serve. Have them share their own conversion experience. Let you kids ask them questions about missionary life. Ask them how the work is going! Ask about the people they are teaching.

4) Missionaries love when member’s offer to help. They love it when you offer them rides! They also love it when you offer to come along as a team-up! You are an amazing resource to help the missionaries recognize opportunities in the area where they can set up a booth, serve, or volunteer.  You can help them promote the Ward Mission Plan. You can help suggest who they could go visit. 

5) If you're in a position of leadership you can help them connect with the Ward Council, Ward Correlation, and Ward Missionaries. You can even introduce the missionaries to the youth and give them opportunities to involve the youth in the work. We appreciate knowing about ward events, "Come, Follow Me" study groups, or other local events. Missionaries and members working together can produce miracles! 

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What's your WHY? I know I've asked myself this question many times. It's a BIG question! Discovering your why usually takes deep digging. It forces us to see things as they really are. That process can be frightening just as much as it can be freeing. Recently I asked myself . . .  'Why are you serving a mission?' . . . 'Why did you leave behind schooling, career, family, and hobbies for two years?' . . . 'Why are you striving to dedicate yourself to the Lord each day?' . . . 'Why do you shrug off 'rejection and hate' while spreading the good word?' . . . 'Why do you care SO much about all of this?’. 

Then the answers came. Because, I know the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I have felt the cleansing effect that true repentance can have on an individual as well as a family. I have a testimony that all men and women need their Savior's grace to return to God's presence. This reason gives me purpose. 

That's my WHY! Because, I have a knowledge of the Plan of Salvation which is critical for all of God's children to know. That knowledge brings peace, purpose, and power. We all are family. I must share this message or else some of my brothers and sisters may never see their Father again. I have to spread this truth with everyone I come in contact with. This is my call: 'To Preach the Gospel by the Spirit’. 

Discovering my WHY anew has given me a vision. This vision of WHY propels me forward. My desire to work harder has increased because of it. That's the power of WHY. So no matter what we're doing let's rediscover our WHY. Taking the time to dig and to ponder can have lasting effect. Let us press onward being 'anxiously engaged in a good cause'. What's your WHY?

Quote of the Week: "Be thankful for your struggles for without them you wouldn't have discovered your strengths." -Author Unknown 

Kia Kaha!

Elder Brady