The 80th Chronicle

Hello family and friends! 

I am missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This means SO much to me. I'm also an Elder who has priesthood authority from God. I have the opportunity to exercise his power through personal worthiness and faith in Christ. Is there any other more beautiful experience than fulfilling the measure of your creation? I am called to serve His children. My purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ and to help them live his gospel. This is an opportunity of a lifetime. I get to stand as a witness of God at all times and in all things and in all places as I strive for consecration. That's huge! I fear, at times, I am not as faithful to this charge as my heart desires to be. I relate to Nephi when he exclaimed,

"O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities. I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me. And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted."

I find myself pondering many questions, 'How can I improve?' 'What can I do to be more consecrated?' 'How do I repent daily?' 'What does it look like to be increasingly pure?' 'Am I doing all I can?'. One may ask why I feel such a responsibility and why I take this seriously. One reason is because the ability of a worthy and authorized representative of the Lord is unreal. God can work mighty miracles through those who are ready to follow his command and receive his will. When a missionary invites someone with power and authority to listen to the message of the gospel, and the Spirit confirms the truthfulness of it to them, lives do change. As that same missionary helps them keep commitments those people progress, and enter the covenant path which will lead them home to their Heavenly Father. There really is nothing more important happening on planet earth than the gathering of scattered Israel. There is also nothing more fulfilling.

This week we had the wonderful opportunity of meeting with Emmanuel again. He is a teenage kid we have been teaching for over a month now, and it has been a joy to teach him! Each lesson he surprises me with his ability to listen to the concepts we teach, apply them to his life, and be receptive to the Spirit. It's pretty cool when he answers our questions because he shows by his answers not only his insight, but his retention. I love listening to his prayers. They are always sincere, always thoughtful, and always full of  thanks. It makes me happy to see someone who understands and appreciates the gospel. We're excited for his baptism on Sunday.

Also, random thought. I feel like some of the factors that play into disappointment and discouragement include expectations, assumptions, and comparisons. Would you add or take away any from this list?

Quote of the Week: "The cause of most man's unhappiness is sacrificing what he wants most for what he wants now." -Gordon B. Hinckley 

Kia Kaha!

Elder Brady