HELLOOOOOO!!!!! Everyone.
To start I apologize for not emailing yestarday. Because yestarday was a holidy and everything was practically closed we decided it would be best to change our P-Day so we could have more things to do instead of chill at the church and play ping pong. Unfortunetely because today is raining we will have to chill at the church and play ping pong anyway.
This week was sooooo good. We taught michael again!!!!! We could honestly have the worst week and every other day be super hard and discouraging but it's always when we teach him that it gives me the boost that I need to just keep going. We taught him the Law of Chastity and the Word of Wisdom. He understands everything perfectly and thinks everything just makes total sense. Before we started teaching he wanted to say a few words to us. First off he told us how grateful he is to be in contact with us and he feels so much happier ever since we have started teaching him. The week before that we invited him to baptism and he declined but he explained to us he wants to be ready for baptism. Once he knows it is true he will be baptized. He then said he understands that is such a holy ordinance that he wants to go into knowing he will never forsake this church or God. THIS IS AMAZING!!! When Elder Thomas and I first started teaching him he had said he doesn't understand why we need to baptized to follow christ and doesn't like the fact that it involves some "Ritual" or "Ceremonie" He now understands the sanctity and importanace of this saving ordinance. Oh man. The honestly and humility this man has is something that one day I hope I can replicate. Through our journey of teaching him I have learned so much from HIM.
On Thursday we had district meetin and I had the opportunity to give a lesson. I adore teaching so I was so happy when the district leader assigned me something. Basically he said anything from the book of mormon or bible or general confernce talks. Other than that I could teach any topic I wanted to as long as it applied to missionary work.
There was an article I read on LDS.org (Maybe you've already read it) But I loved this article. It was very well written and it really hit a place in my heart. It's called: Finding self worth in a selfie world. One of the strongest desires of the human spirit is a feeling of worth. A feeling of importance in something. During my high school years I recognized there were mistakes I made or things i did just so I could feel a part of something. Some people will do things such as change the style of clothing, or language, or interests to feel a part of something. Some even go as far to change their entire gender, or beliefs in a higher power. In reading this article I was asking myself this question. How is it that we can feel a sense of self worth to our Father in Heaven? How do we know we are important to him? As many of you know missions are far from easy and sometimes you can try your very best and work your hardest and through your labors no fruit comes so to say. Nothing Happens. I believe this applies not only to missionaries in the field but to those who are not in the field. Those that go through life and are enduring till the end. How do we have a sense of self worth to God? Some of us may say: I lack certain ablilities or talents. OR. I've made too many mistakes God doesn't love me anymore. First of all to those of us who may think that abilities or talents or impossible to achieve remember this. We are the children of a creater.....he expects us to create. Some words or wisdom from My last companion. (This is not word for word) But I was struggling and really wanted to have good german. Something he told me was what do you have to lose? You can have perfect german. You can have what you want as long as you are willing to work for achieve great things. It requires so much work and hard effort but if we truly want something we can reach it.
For those of us who feel abandoned or left alone maybe because of mistakes or other variables that play into life. God. Never. Abandons. In fact when we fall is when he tries his very best to help us the most. The saving power of the atonement is for everyone. God loves us so much that he sent someone to atone for our sins. Our savior Jesus Christ. Who knows what it's like when you try your best and it feels as if nothing comes out of it. The one who knows what it's like to feel alone in the dark with no hope in sight. Because of him. That right there is how I know I am important ot my father in heaven. His love is inmeasurable and he will always cheer us on in the race against sin. Keep going. I have been in dark places in my life where I felt like I wasn't important to anyone. Because of a simple prayer that I offered on my mission I have felt the most indescribable love I have ever felt. As long as I am trying my very best I am important. Like Jeoffry R. Holland said. God Gives credit for trying. That is what is so amazing about this gosepl.
Well I am eight months into my mission and I still have a long way to go and frankly I cannot wait for the changes in my life and the changes that I hope to bring in others. I love you all and hope the best for you.
Elder Riggs.
The Lord is My Shepherd.
No comments:
Post a Comment