Ups and Downs

Monday, January 20, 2020 10:19 AM MST

I've learned a lot about patience here on the mission, but this week tested my patience with the work and with our amis.  Satan really is trying to get in the way of our work here.  Of the 4 people who were preparing themselves for baptisms in the next 2 weeks, one has had financial problems and has moved out, one fell and got a bad concussion, one got sick, and the last has been overwhelmed with schoolwork.  With all of that going on, we haven't been able to see them as much as we would like to and we'll have to move back the 2 baptisms we fixed for this Saturday.  It's disappointing for sure but we just have to keep the faith that Nephi's promise will hold true that there will always be a way to keep the commandments, that these problems will pass and they can be baptized at a later date.

So while we haven't been able to see our progressing amis, we were able to focus on working with our newer ones.  And that paid off as 5 of them came to church this Sunday, 3 for the first time.  And with us studying the Book of Mormon in Sunday School, it's such a blessing!  It's so easy to get them interested in the book.  So we have some new amis who have now come to church and are interested in the Book of Mormon, which are good signs for potential progression.  So we are were very happy to see that this past week.  We're adding new people to our teaching pool, and we should be pretty busy adding these new people on top of those who are already preparing for baptism.  The work is still going strong despite Satan's efforts.

A quote I read from Elder Uchtdorf's last conference talk really hit me this past week:

"If you hesitate in this adventure because you doubt your ability, remember that discipleship is not about doing things perfectly;  it's about doing things intentionally.  It is your choices that show what you truly are, far more than your abilities."

Our choices are so important and it's true that they show who we really are.  We can't really control our abilities, but we can always control our choices, our efforts to do what is right.  A missionary who shows his faith by being obedient but isn't finding success is much better than a missionary who is finding a lot of success but isn't making any effort to get closer to Christ.  It's just a nice thought and made me reflect on where I'm at in my testimony of Christ, and even what choices I can make to be closer to him.

Hope you all have a good week, love you all

Elder Goddard