This past week I have noticed something that seems to have
crept up on me, I used to be very uncertain... in fact my whole mission i
struggled with feeling confident in myself and my ability, but lately I have
been noticing a greater confidence, and I think it is coming from a couple
sources, I always feel more confident in myself when I:
- Study the Scriptures
- Listen to uplifting music
- Keep myself focused.
I have also been really focused on making decisions and
sticking with them, I didn't apply this for a long time and have been pretty
indecisive, I guess that is what I learned from my last companion, to be blunt
and bold. It is much appreciated.
My new companions name is Elder Nelson, and he acts a lot
like my trainer, it is really funny, he is very particular about a lot of
things, loves Pokemon, and star wars he hates talking but still tries pretty
hard to do so, he is well organized and very particular about where things go
and what happens to things. its an adventure, the area I am in has a focus on
Less actives, we have literally 45 people average attendance with 350 on the
ward list, its crazy how many people fall away, the stake conference last month
the seventy who came said it was the most sparsely attended conference he had
ever been to, only 300 people showed up. So its interesting to work with less
actives, the stake has come up with a new approach to home teaching called pop
ins where you can count home teaching even if you just knock on the door.
interesting concept but they hope to improve attendance through it. So he are
working on that front more then ever, and it is interesting to see people who
used to have such a testimony turn away and to find our by what reason they did
so.
...when I got to the apartment the first day I realized
something really quick, there was no toilet paper anywhere... so for this whole
week I have been very careful not to poop at the apartment, its an interesting
contrast... I hope to at least be rich enough for toilet paper when i live on
my own, interesting what you will learn on your mission.
Today while I was studying I came across something that
really stood out to me, and that is the statement "happiness is dependent
upon righteous conduct" so in order to be trulls happy in this life we
much live in such a way that happiness can be achieved, that led me to a study
about opposition and progression, we are all called to grow in this life and
are meant to go forward continually with faith that God will help us, every
decision we make on a daily basis changes us for better or worse, so we much
learn to make correct decisions that will help us to achieve our eternal
potential.
I love you all so much
Josh
From Jen:
I love it that you see changes in yourself, Josh. And isn't
that really the purpose of life? Progress?
Never doubt for a minute that you are doing a great work! It
really all matters, every single little effort, invitation, door knock,
testimony shared. It will give an opportunity to the other person of course,
but it will change you, little by little and drop by drop....
Grandma and Grandpa Bruce are coming this week to wire the
basement. Sam and Ben will be happy to have lights with a switch in their
bedroom! Lol. The world right now is a winter wonderland and the most
beautiful. I feel like Heavenly Father painted the world for us to remind us he
loves us.
And I love you!
Mom
From Dad:
Hi
Josh,
It's
been a longer week for me as I ended up in Albany, NY on a business trip. It
was a good trip from a work point of view but I certainly miss the family when
I'm gone. I listened to a lot of conference talks, watched a lot of basketball,
and got caught up on movies on the plane. Lots of cool architecture in
Albany.
I've
been reading a fascinating book called the Washington Hypothesis. It is by an
LDS author who studied the life of George Washington looking for how he fits
into the Lords plan for the restoration of the gospel. Specifically he looks
for clues that Washington understood the Book of Mormon covenant for the
American continent. It is fascinating and I've gained a renewed appreciation
for the way he trusted and acknowledged the Lord in the battle for the freedoms
of this land that would be the place of the restoration of temples where we can
make personal covenants of salvation.
Tonight
we had a bishops youth fireside at Bishop Lambert's. Mom and I got to be part
of a question and answer panel where the youth had submitted anonymous
questions and we did our best to answer. It went really well and we had about
28 youth cozied up together in their basement. Since Abby turns 12 this week
she got to come too! Hard to believe she's already 12!
This
week Grandma and grandpa Bruce are coming up for a visit and to help is do more
work on the house. They are a blessing to us.
How
are the people you are teaching doing? Anyone close to baptism we can pray for?
Good luck in a new area.
I've
probably shared the story of Hugues and Jardine before but I'll share part of
their story again with you. We first met Hugues in Laval Quebec and began
teaching him. We often had trouble connecting up with him both due to his work
schedule and because of his Haitian layered back concept of time. We would
often have to wait 15-20 min for him to show up. The one memorable time was
when we came running up late and said that he was locked out of his house and
we helped him break in through the second floor window.
The
part that sticks out to me in his conversion story was when we came to teach
him and he had been praying about baptism. He had prayed for an answer the
night before and had them opened the Book of Mormon straight to Alma 30:41 and
read that all things denote that there is a God. He felt his prayer was
answered and was shortly baptized followed by his wife a few months later. This
is the family that we found again and live in Calgary. It was an amazing
experience then and even more special experience to find them again faithful in
the gospel and having their son come on a mission to Edmonton.
I
waited to late to send this so I'll send it for next week.
Love
Dad.
📖 Monthly Quote:
"Leadership
is communicating to another person their worth and potential so clearly
they are inspired to see it in themselves. " - Stephen Covey
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