First of all--I can't believe Tanner
comes home this week. I hope he can get right into some sort of work and keep
on keeping on! He will. :) Please give him a big hug from me! And all the
Schroeders.
I love being in this companionship. I told Sister Adkins and Sister Wilson a couple of days ago that they are going to be leaders in the mission--they already are. They both work so diligently and are always focused on improvement and growth. The Spirit is our first and Senior companion and the work moves onward and upward daily. It's been interesting to see the differences in the work over the past couple of weeks. The first week Sister Wilson was here, for instance, we found someone new to teach and contacted a lot of people. This past week we have worked a lot with members of the church who aren't very active in using the Gospel of Christ. We keep our sights raised high to our goals, because we know Heavenly Father wants them accomplished--He inspired us to set them--and one day all those goals will be met, I'm sure. It's so incredible how prepared these beautiful sisters are. They aren't just learning right now, but they're DOING, they're heeding the Spirit, they're augmenting growth in the area and our companionship because of their diligence and love. I feel so privileged to be serving with them. This morning I was thinking about where I was spiritually before I was set apart as a full-time missionary; the school year before I went home to prepare for the mission I did good things like read my scriptures daily, attended church weekly, participated at church weekly, magnified a calling, prayed daily, studied Preach My Gospel, went to classes...but I can see in retrospect how I was kind of at a stand-still. Hadn't quite flat-lined, but I don't think I was necessarily progressing. I was just doing the same old things I'd done before. Good things, right? But there wasn't a whole lot of growth. Despite my stand-still, Heavenly Father in His mercy, extended to me a calling to labor in His vineyard. Despite my not quite feeling the motivation of my serving a full-time mission even though I knew with my mind the motivation, He in His mercy qualified me to serve. Despite my bad habits and laziness, He allowed me to enter His Holy Temple and make more promises with Him, and He made more promises with me. Despite all my weakness, He in His mercy loves me and helps me become so much more than I can even fathom becoming. I am AMAZED. If I hadn't had the goal and intent to serve a mission for the Lord when I was younger, then I don't know if I would've been in the frame of spirit to apply for full-time missionary service after that sophomore school year. I really don't. And so I'm amazed, amazed, amazed at my Heavenly Father's mercy in getting me here. This is where I need to be. And I have changed--I can't go back, I can't "return," because I know better. And I only know better because of the mercy of my Father. I am so thankful! Rob--now is the time to prepare. Don't just set a goal and get everything ready for you to go. Get your spirit excited and motivated to do the work of the Lord for the right reasons. We cannot use the infinite gift of the Atonement to become more than we now are without God's priesthood. Doctrine & Covenants 84:19-22:
I love being in this companionship. I told Sister Adkins and Sister Wilson a couple of days ago that they are going to be leaders in the mission--they already are. They both work so diligently and are always focused on improvement and growth. The Spirit is our first and Senior companion and the work moves onward and upward daily. It's been interesting to see the differences in the work over the past couple of weeks. The first week Sister Wilson was here, for instance, we found someone new to teach and contacted a lot of people. This past week we have worked a lot with members of the church who aren't very active in using the Gospel of Christ. We keep our sights raised high to our goals, because we know Heavenly Father wants them accomplished--He inspired us to set them--and one day all those goals will be met, I'm sure. It's so incredible how prepared these beautiful sisters are. They aren't just learning right now, but they're DOING, they're heeding the Spirit, they're augmenting growth in the area and our companionship because of their diligence and love. I feel so privileged to be serving with them. This morning I was thinking about where I was spiritually before I was set apart as a full-time missionary; the school year before I went home to prepare for the mission I did good things like read my scriptures daily, attended church weekly, participated at church weekly, magnified a calling, prayed daily, studied Preach My Gospel, went to classes...but I can see in retrospect how I was kind of at a stand-still. Hadn't quite flat-lined, but I don't think I was necessarily progressing. I was just doing the same old things I'd done before. Good things, right? But there wasn't a whole lot of growth. Despite my stand-still, Heavenly Father in His mercy, extended to me a calling to labor in His vineyard. Despite my not quite feeling the motivation of my serving a full-time mission even though I knew with my mind the motivation, He in His mercy qualified me to serve. Despite my bad habits and laziness, He allowed me to enter His Holy Temple and make more promises with Him, and He made more promises with me. Despite all my weakness, He in His mercy loves me and helps me become so much more than I can even fathom becoming. I am AMAZED. If I hadn't had the goal and intent to serve a mission for the Lord when I was younger, then I don't know if I would've been in the frame of spirit to apply for full-time missionary service after that sophomore school year. I really don't. And so I'm amazed, amazed, amazed at my Heavenly Father's mercy in getting me here. This is where I need to be. And I have changed--I can't go back, I can't "return," because I know better. And I only know better because of the mercy of my Father. I am so thankful! Rob--now is the time to prepare. Don't just set a goal and get everything ready for you to go. Get your spirit excited and motivated to do the work of the Lord for the right reasons. We cannot use the infinite gift of the Atonement to become more than we now are without God's priesthood. Doctrine & Covenants 84:19-22:
19
And this greater apriesthood administereth
the gospel and holdeth the bkey of the cmysteries of the kingdom,
even the key of the dknowledge of God.
20
Therefore, in the aordinances thereof, the
power of bgodliness is manifest.
21
And without the ordinances thereof, and the aauthority of the
priesthood, the power of godliness is bnot manifest unto men in
the flesh;
22
For without this no aman can see the face of
God, even the Father, and live.
Likewise, without the priesthood ordinances, people cannot feel the Spirit, be forgiven of their sins...LOVE motivates this work, NOT OBLIGATION. It is a priesthood duty, yes, but what is our Heavenly Father's purupose? (Moses 1:39) He loves with perfect love and He asks His disciples to love as well. Loving our brothers and sisters and understanding how much PEACE and happiness they will have as they live the gospel of Jesus Christ--that should motivate us. If that isn't the motivation now, I am a living example that it can become the motivation. :) I am so so thankful for this opportunity to represent the Lord's Church and the Savior Himself, in bringing my brothers and sisters closer to Him. Every sacrifice is worth it. I've shared this a lot this week--2 Nephi 4:34-35...
34
O Lord, I have atrusted in thee, and I will btrust in thee forever. I will not put my ctrust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed
is he that putteth his dtrust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that
putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm.
35
Yea, I know that God will give aliberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will
give me, if I bask cnot amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice unto
thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the drock of my erighteousness. Behold, my voice shall forever
ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God. Amen.
Nothing else in this life is worth
our effort or sacrifice, because this whole existence is for us to become like
our Heavenly Father so we can obtain His perfect happiness.
I'm sorry, I was just really
overwhelmed by this this week, most specifically today. :) I have to tackle my
thoughts every day to not be depressed about how much time has passed already.
The only way I can do that, though, is just by focusing on the good things my
companions are doing and becoming. Down time's frown time. Haha. Really though.
I went on exchange this week
with...Sister Palmer!! Yesss! It was AWESOME to work with her again and see how
much she's grown. She's training a new sister who came out with Sister Wilson,
and they opened up a new area for sisters--Oswego. Right by Lake Ontario. :) So
I worked up there for 24 hours, and it was so fun. We met a lot of great
people! I'll just share one experience from the exchange. We'd decided to focus
a lot on just meeting new people ("finding") for the exchange, so
Sister Palmer and I walked all morning on Saturday and knocked on doors. Oswego
is much bigger than Ithaca, and there was a LOT of snow and a LOT of slush
which soaked my boots and made raisins of my feet, but we talked to lots of
nice people. We knocked on one door, expecting to meet someone who'd talked to
missionaries in the past, and found a man who'd lived in that house for 25 (?)
years. We introduced ourselves and he responded to the introduction by telling
us he was Catholic but had left the church. We asked why and he told us that
he'd been molested when he was a child. I felt so much love for this man; I
testified of our Heavenly Father's love for him and we talked a little bit
more. For a man who opened the door and started the conversation with quite a
bit of hostility, he became soft and appreciative as we promised to come back
in a month to see him. The Spirit was so strong and I know he felt our Father's
love for him--he felt something and responded to it. It was so neat!
Well, we have another interesting
and amazing week ahead. :) I'll tell you about it next Monday.
I love you for always!
Sister Smith
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