April 10th
"We had a lot of conference this week. General conference and then normal church and then zone conference. I was pretty exhausted by the end of it all.
Zone conference was super awesome! We talked about our desires as missionaries and discovering what our inner desires are and should be and how to fulfill them.
I learned something I thought was interesting. Two words were put up. "motivation" "uplifted" we were comparing the two. We kind of came down to this. It's like working out. If your goal is to get a six pack, then after you get the six pack you stop working out. However, if your goal is to be healthy, even when you get the six pack, you continue to work out to stay healthy. One is short term and the other is more long term. Also, motivation is more temporal while upliftment is more spiritual. In life we sometimes get motivated to become better and do more and then it fades, we really want to get uplifted so that we can maintain that same motivation over an extended period of time. It was a really good discussion over the two words.
Something my companion mentioned was "becoming the real you". Something that I always talk about is how we are all sons and daughters of God and how that is something quite extraordinary and special. Our Father is the greatest King to ever exist! He is our dad and that's why he loves us. I have talked about this before but I don't care. He is God, he is incapable of doing anything less than perfect. He created us and by divine design we are perfect, for God is unable to do anything but that. The problem is that perfection is deep down in us. Throughout this life we take on corruption, from all around us we see and consume corruption. Nevertheless, their is perfection in each on of us. The question then lies, How do we pull this perfection out of us? Now that is an interesting topic! Well, we always want some grand explanation or demonstration. If someone told us that to bring out the perfection in you and to become that perfected person you must climb the highest mountain and eat of the fruit there on, we would probably try it. The thing is, its much more simple and we can all do it. We just need to focus on the basic. Scripture study, prayerful conversation and relation, and thoughtful church attendance. If we are to do these small and simple things then great things are brought to pass. In turn we begin to bring the perfection out of us. the "real you" begins to shine. I could go on and on but sadly time never seems to be on my side.
I know that we all have perfection placed in us. We don't have to try to imitate someone or something else, just be you, do you and become who you really are! That's what God intends. Now this rarely is achieved here and now but is an eternal pursuit full of trials and learning. As we learn to become the "real you" You begin to see the "real you" in others around you. You begin to see the potential and value of all of God's children and grow to love them all in their faults, quirks and shortcomings.
Be the Real You! find the joy in life, find the presence of God within and around you! live it and love it!"
April 17th
"So we had some deep stuff happen this week.
First was with Nokozotsa, one of our investigators getting baptized on the 30th. We left her with a copy of "Family a proclamation to the world" and we were going to go over it. We got to her house at 3 o'clock and knocked on her bedroom door. no answer. We tried again.... no answer. We looked through the key hole and saw her in bed. We assumed she was sleeping. This was on Easter day. We came into the room and planned to scare her, you know me and my silly games. Well turns out she was not sleeping but was crying. We had no idea what was going on. She took a few minutes to try and compose herself and left the room. She came back and then proceeded as if everything was normal. We took her hand and asked her how she was and then she lost it all over again. We spent the next 15 minutes in silence, sitting on the bed side just being there for her. She began to tell us what was wrong. She explained how she didn't know what family feels like anymore. The pamphlet was too much for her, both her parents died while she was young and she had she had to take on the role of Mother for her siblings. She was in High school trying to do her best and also acting as a parent. no easy task. It was Easter Day and she was still in Bloem, she didn't go home for the holiday because there wasn't a true home to go to, at least not one with love. She sobbed as she told us the pain she has felt as she couldn't understand why she had to go through this pain. Why God had to take both her parents away, and so much more.
Its moments like this when you feel completely unqualified. After awhile I couldn't help but smile as my mind was flooded with pictures of the temple. As I remembered many experience while inside and also other experience about eternal family. After listening for a while we were able to gain composure and she proceeded to ask what we had to share. I lit up and said excitedly, this! While pointing to a picture of the Salt Lake Temple. I asked her what she saw. She told us she saw a beautiful building. I went on to say, let me tell you what makes it so beautiful. We began to talk about temple sealing, and baptism for the dead. We talked about how God will restore everything and every opportunity will be had again. I shared from experiences in my life of close ones being lost and how knowing where they are, how they are and how I can be with them again makes it all bearable. The spirit was felt and we were able to realize Gods love for us, even in the darkest moments. We then expressed on how we are on big family and we are never really alone."
"We were met with another instance of great turmoil as one young women whom also is studying at the college UFS here told us of some bad news. She has had a cyst on her ovary and has been in the process of removing it. She discovered at her last check up that it had spread and that they would now have to perform a more intensive operation that will no longer allow her to have children. She is in her early 20's and the news was devastating. Again, we felt unqualified and unsure of what to say to a soul weighed down so much. We listened and listened some more. I have come to learn a great way to solve a problem is by listening. As we listen not just to the person present but to the Holy Spirit, our minds begin to light up with insight and direction. We testified again to her and offered a Priesthood blessing. After which we were able to smile and to enjoy the rest of the day. Her outlook remains positive still and we are hopeful for good news tomorrow after her check up.
Wow isn't mission an adventure. I have come to learn as Elder Stevenson of the twelve apostles shared, The spirit is seemingly the only way we can gain comfort and peace in the tragedies of life.
Also, happiness never comes from looking around us but rather by looking up. Look up to our savior, look up to our Father and look to their guidance and love. The world looks to compare, discriminate everyone and thing. True happiness is not found in becoming better than another or having more of something but rather from within. From the peace of the Spirit of the Lord. True happiness is found in the soul and shine forth from the eyes.."
April 24th
"We are preparing two people for baptism on the 30th! One named Rethabile, she has met with missionaries in the past, just over two years ago but it didn't go anywhere. She grew up around some members and one even brought her to church a few years ago. She saw us in the street about two months ago and stopped us. She asked us to come see her that week! As we have taught her its been as if she has been teaching us. She really studies what we give her and has a great understanding of the gospel. She has been going through a lot of trials lately but through it all she says she has just been happier, more patient, and hopeful since we have started teaching her. She knows its true!
Nokozotsa is our other investigator getting baptized on Sunday. We met her almost three months ago. We stopped her in the road and began sharing our purpose. She said that she was new to Bloem for school and didn't have a church but really wants to go. She promised us she would visit that Sunday.... she didn't.... but we didn't give up. We saw real potential and new she was ready. We called her, it didn't work, called again she was busy. She had soccer. We decided to go and watch her soccer match. She afterwards came to church and has been ever since. She has had an incredible history and a tough one as well. She has risen to every occasion. She has been reading the Book of Mormon and is in 2Nephi. She loves it! We are really excited for her to make the next steps towards entering the celestial Kingdom."
I love hearing about his investigators and how well they are doing. The thing I love about it is that each of the people he is teaching or has taught has had different experiences and are in different walks of life, but the gospel applies to each of us. There is always something to teach us regardless of what we have done or who we are.
Just some quotes from church today that I loved:
"We are called, we are chosen, we are Christ for one another."
"It shouldn't be fake it til you make it, it should be faith it til you make it."
"Don't try to do one great thing in your life, just do many small things with great love."
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