Dear Family and Friends,
These
past few weeks have gone by so fast I can barely remember them. But I
do know that we had a great Zone Conference down in El Paso Texas this
last week! It was fun to caravan down there as a zone and be together
with some friends from earlier in the mission. I put together a musical
number with three Elders from my district and one from my very first
district who is a musical prodigy. We sang Jesus, Lover of My Soul at
the zone conference.
The conference was focused on the culture we establish among generations. While foremost focused on the mission generations from transfer to transfer it was also a great representation of how lifespan generations are effected by culture. To me I noticed that we often look at people that have a "vision" of who they want to be and actually achieve it kind of rise above and become role models. This can be either for good or for bad. Those that are leaders have a vision of more than themselves, they share that vision with others and lift them to their level, making what we call a culture or a shared set of beliefs and traditions. I think that this is exactly what I have been wanting to identify my whole mission up to this point. The silly thing is that it was right in front of my eyes the whole time, and I never really noticed it. So the Culture that we embrace as a mission is to preach repentance and to baptize converts. Everything else we do is leading to these things. Christ always taught that if we love him we must keep his commandments. Well the gate is made known and we must enter in by the way, repentance is the path and baptism is the gate.
This time of year is again a time of change. It is just in the air, you can feel it. I love change! I just love that we can change and that the world changes (hopefully for the better, though it's not a common pattern lately). I just feel so much energy when I think about change. I also think it is neat to recognize in the Bible dictionary I was reading lately and goals are directly connected with perfection. Why is it that we can only think about perfection or not even trying. A talk compared it to practicing piano, are the only two options performing at Carnegie hall or failing? No, even the most expert pianist will hit a wrong note here or there. It is encouraging to think that when we set goals they don't have to be make it or break it. It can be a simple point of progress. Maybe we fail this time, but at least we tried. In a teaching moment we have been working to help a few people quit smoking and drinking. It has been amazing to see how up and down things get, but no matter what they keep moving forward. Baptisms will be coming just around the corner. My companion pointed out, insightfully I might add, that the word perfection in ancient Hebrew means progress.
The conference was focused on the culture we establish among generations. While foremost focused on the mission generations from transfer to transfer it was also a great representation of how lifespan generations are effected by culture. To me I noticed that we often look at people that have a "vision" of who they want to be and actually achieve it kind of rise above and become role models. This can be either for good or for bad. Those that are leaders have a vision of more than themselves, they share that vision with others and lift them to their level, making what we call a culture or a shared set of beliefs and traditions. I think that this is exactly what I have been wanting to identify my whole mission up to this point. The silly thing is that it was right in front of my eyes the whole time, and I never really noticed it. So the Culture that we embrace as a mission is to preach repentance and to baptize converts. Everything else we do is leading to these things. Christ always taught that if we love him we must keep his commandments. Well the gate is made known and we must enter in by the way, repentance is the path and baptism is the gate.
This time of year is again a time of change. It is just in the air, you can feel it. I love change! I just love that we can change and that the world changes (hopefully for the better, though it's not a common pattern lately). I just feel so much energy when I think about change. I also think it is neat to recognize in the Bible dictionary I was reading lately and goals are directly connected with perfection. Why is it that we can only think about perfection or not even trying. A talk compared it to practicing piano, are the only two options performing at Carnegie hall or failing? No, even the most expert pianist will hit a wrong note here or there. It is encouraging to think that when we set goals they don't have to be make it or break it. It can be a simple point of progress. Maybe we fail this time, but at least we tried. In a teaching moment we have been working to help a few people quit smoking and drinking. It has been amazing to see how up and down things get, but no matter what they keep moving forward. Baptisms will be coming just around the corner. My companion pointed out, insightfully I might add, that the word perfection in ancient Hebrew means progress.
I
want to share a little miracle that happened for me this week. We were
teaching a lesson and I felt to invite a sister that had come with us
and was sitting quietly to share her testimony on prayer. She shared her
conversion story and how she simply asked, "What church should I go
to?" not ten minutes later
the missionaries knocked on her door. She asked them to teach her son,
and a few weeks passed as they got into a routine of every Thursday they would come and teach. After these few weeks she again revisited her query of what church she should go to, and not ten minutes later the missionaries knocked on her door. This was completely to her surprise as it was a Tuesday
and she asked why they had stopped. They said they felt really strongly
that they needed to come then, and so her answer was made clear to her.
I though how neat that was and realized I can do the same thing if I am
sensitive enough to the spirit. The next day we were headed out to
visit a former investigator and part member family when we got a last
minute appointment for an interview with our mission president. We
decided we would hurry over and try to contact this family and when we
got there they told us that they had just been praying and wanting to go
back to church but didn't know how. I love being a missionary!! Best
thing ever :) They sat by us at church and I was just elated to have the
Lord show me how much he cares not only for me, but for each of his
children. Ask and ye shall receive. I have a testimony that those who
draw near to the Lord, He will draw near unto them. That is my goal this
year. To fully implement the meaning and by effect the blessings
described in John Chapter 15. To truly become a friend to the only
begotten son of God by being in places that he would be, and doing the
things that he would do.
I love you all :) Have a great week!
Elder McGarry
Elder Schmitt and me in El Paso
Exchanges with the Zone Leaders, Elder Summers and me :)
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