This week has been one of the longer weeks that I have experienced on my mission.
Training is really a tough thing to do, but the Lord doesn't give you challenges that you cant handle (1 Nephi 3:7).
If we take a moment to just think about that logically, we know that Heavenly Father knows everything so therefore He knows what you can and can not handle. Heavenly Father loves us and wants us to grow so He allows challenges to come our way that will help us grow and we become a little "uncomfortable" (because there is no growth in a comfort zone and no comfort in a growth zone). He knows and loves us and can help us through anything, so " if we allowed them too, these trials would perfect and purify us rather than defeat us." As we rely on Christ through hard things, because the mists of darkness and the mocking and pointing come to all of us (1 Nephi 8), we will come out of these things more like Christ. Repentance is real and if you have enough faith (one of my favorite definitions of faith is "a strong belief that motivates us to do something") in Jesus Christ, you will change. Even if you are only praying for that desire to change, it will happen to you (see Alma 32). Through Jesus Christ's Atonement you can change and when we change we make promises or covenants to receive a fullness of forgiveness. From that point on you are to continue to renew those covenants with Heavenly Father every single week, so that the Holy Ghost can "always be with us" and guide us to live in an increasingly rewarding pattern of life. Life in this world and in the world come. Those blessings only come as we obey (see D&C 130:20-21). Having faith in Christ, repenting, making and renewing covenants we have made, and being guided the Holy Ghost is an increasingly rewarding pattern of living and you can experience those blessing today and in the future.
We stopped by the Loftus' this week with a baptismal calendar to figure out some of the logistical things for baptism so both us and they were on the same page. During the appointment as we figured out some more of the logistical things Sister Loftus wasn't very comfitorble with us coming by more than once a week because she feels that she needs to learn and absorb all that we are talking about. So the baptismal date was dropped and we are now going to be meeting with them once a week. Its not that Sister Loftus is dropping us or less interested, she is really sincere and wants to absorb everything and from her understanding now it will take longer for her to develop all of the knowledge and things she needs to know before she gets baptized.
It was a little disheartening for me because I sincerely want to help her begin to experience and feel the difference that the gospel is making in my life and with the drop of the date and the once a week meet it will take longer to help her experience those blessings to a fullness. She can begin to experience them as she learns, but its as we exercise our faith on those promptings and knowledge that we receive that we are blessed with me. Don't get me wrong, its still great and wonderful and she is still very interested, it is just hard because I want to help the whole family experience those blessings now.
Great news though is that the other day on Friday, our mission president sent out news that he would be opening up his home to have a lesson or family home evening with an investigator to all of the missionaries in the area and Elder Meads and I got first dibs on that. Its all set up now so that tonight at 7:30 pm we are having a FHE/lesson with Brother and Sister Loftus with our Mission President and his wife. :D It should be absolutely wonderful. We are going to be talking about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What a wonderful opportunity for the Loftus'.
I have been taught a lot by the spirit about how I can better fulfill my role and assignment as a Trainer and District Leader. Training is hard, but the Lord is helping me through it all. I appreciate your support and love.
Love,
Elder Sumsion
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