Why Are You Here?

Aloha!

This week went by quick. I feel like we had no time to be online which was a bit sad. We did however find someone who wants to be baptized but can't meet with missionaries in person for a month. So we get to have phone conferences with him and hopefully set a date for him to work towards. That way when he gets back to Utah the only thing his missionaries will need to do is the actual baptism. :)

I have lately been reading sister Anderson's emails and noticing how we really are having very similar experiences and we always seem to have the same theme. Its fun to read other missionaries experiences and realize that we all have ups and downs. Speaking of other missionaries could you please send me Elder Pinders address? I have some good resources I want to send him.

We had a mission tour this week and it was really good Elder Pearson of the seventy came and spoke to us. I felt a little chastised afterwards honestly. But it was really amazing there were certain times I knew he was discerning our thoughts. He talked a lot about how missionaries aren't willing to tap into their true potential. He said that he has talked with a lot of missionaries in his life time and when he asks a few of them why they are there and they give answers like "because its the only way I'm going to find someone to marry me." Or "my dad promised me a car." He said Elder your stupid. Your planning to meet a girl with very low expectations, do you think she wont know what kind of missionary she is looking for? And Elder your an Idiot do you realize that you could have had enough money to buy any car you wanted if you stayed home? WHY ARE YOU HERE? We are here to be disciples and we are not here to change for a few years. If we are planning to be different for only a time this time is a waste. You are not being given a rigorous schedule just for fun. You are being trained for the rest of your life. He talked about how he has meet a lot of RM's who are not happy, and they don't know why. He asks them if they are living what they taught their investigators. Are you building your faith, meaning are you praying, reading, studying-probably not? Are you repenting-probably not? Are you remembering the covenants you made at baptism and properly renewing them?- most likely not. Are you involving the Holy Ghost in your life? Are you asking for it and living by it?-Definitely not. And are you Enduring to follow Christ, not simply surviving but enduring with hope?-I don't think so. So what do you do? You need more faith. How do you get it? Start with the beginning you have to be obedient that leads to building faith. This is the Doctrine of Jesus Christ, the plan of salvation, the plan of HAPPINESS, the way to eternal life. You want more faith you need to be obedient and earn it through living the principles.

He really drove home the fact that we are not trying hard enough and we are not teaching others well enough. Especially because we don't fully understand what we are teaching. He said that we are skipping the most important lesson that God is our Loving Heavenly father and we do it because we are anxious to get to the restoration where we think it is the most spiritual. But that is so wrong we need to help them establish that connection with God from the very beginning. We are children of the ultimate God. We look like him because he made us in his image, he has a body of flesh and bone- although perfected. He desires to have a relationship with us, he LOVES us so much. But we don't understand that relationship. We pray but is it really to our Father? He made us truly examine our prayers, how are you praying, is your mind wandering when you are praying, what do you say? How often are you praying sincerely? THIS is not a conversation with our father, he is not there to take our orders! That was something that really hit me hard. He told us that if we don't understand and value this relationship how can we ever teach others about it? How are they ever going to understand the significance of the Restoration and the fact that God has once again revealed himself to us?

He talked about the Whats, whys and Hows. What are we supposed/want to do, why do we do it and how? We often get stuck on the whats we don't really know why or how to do it. For example we are supposed to wake up on time, follow the commandments, love others, keep word of wisdom, law of chastity .......But why? What are the doctrines behind all of it? How can we keep these things? If we don't understand why we won't do them. If we don' t do them how can we teach about them?

He talked about getting up on time he related back to the story of the RM who was unhappy. He said I bet you are going to bed late and waking up late hun. This leaves you no time for personal study because you end up being late. Then you have no time at night because you are tired and not worthy to study. These guidelines are not in place just because they are life changing guidelines. If you are going to revert back to the person you were what is the point!!!

Finally he told us that we are here because we desire to be disciples of Christ this isn't something that we can discontinue doing. We have all ready made sacred covenants and we will be held accountable for that. We can't act like missionaries. We either are or we aren't. We are to be exactly obedient because we are HIS DISCIPLES we represent Him and we always will. We have made that covenant. So he said If you are a Disciple of Christ what are you willing to give up to follow him more closely? The mission will set us up for success the rest of our lives, and we need to remember what we teach and keep it ourselves, the Doctrine of Christ is not a one time thing. How well are you following it?

In the end he gave us a lot of things to improve on. And quite honestly in my heart I said I will try but I already feel like I'm trying to be/do good. He is expecting a lot. Soon after he looked at us and said some of you think that we have to high expectations our expectations are not the problem the problem is your attitude. Stop "trying" and do it. I repented for my thoughts and am going to work so much harder to be the missionary my savior wants me to be not who I think I can be.

It was really powerful, he talked to us for 5 hours!

While it was focused on how we could be better missionaries I think it is very crucial to many. How much are we willing to follow the savior? What are we willing to do/give up to completely follow him? I thought back on how many times I stayed up late watching TV and then was to tired to read or effectively pray. What a waste of knowledge I could have gained.

So What are you doing when you are following Christ? Why do you follow Christ and what are you willing to give up to follow him more closely? Please ask yourselves these questions and truly do something about it. And not only for a couple of weeks.

Love you all and hope things are spectacular!