Hey folks!
I hope you have all had a splendid week this past week.
This past one was probably one of the hardest in my mission up to this point, mostly due to lots of appointments falling through, and some depression as to not relating the best with the people. I was so depressed one night I wrote a nice long list of my struggles and cried myself to sleep. It was pretty sad, this whole night. But the next morning, I received a call from the mental health counselor. She reminded me to stay engaged in the conversation, be humble and ask questions, and change the SHOULD's in my mind to COULD's. Though I have still struggled somewhat after the call with relating with the people and expressing my testimony, I felt less burdened.
This week my sister reminded me about HONK!, the presentation that Newberg High School did in November 2016. It is basically the musical retelling of the Ugly Duckling story. I actually had to cry a bit upon thinking about it because it was a reminder that no matter how little you could relate with the rest of the people around you, you will find your personal identity as you see yourself in the struggles of life, and be tested and tested and tested, at the same time blessed by the presence of people who reach out and who have experienced the same thing and remind you that it won't be the same forever. And after all these trials, you become the best friend of everyone. If you are reading this email and have either watched the show or have been a part of it, I would exhort you to remember the message of the show and remember to look upon it as a message of hope for the hopeless, that we are born with the image of God, that we are not designed to fail, that we are given the perfect assortment and order and intensity and nature of experiences, guided by the wise and omnipotent hand of our Heavenly Father, to progress and to become more like Him.
If you haven't seen the show, you can either find a link if there exists one, read the story, or otherwise hear what I desire to say inspired by this wonderful story. I know that in this life we are not put here to fail. And I know that even if we do fail, we have a Savior who has overcome all failure. He suffered our afflictions in the Garden of Gethsemane, every single one. And even from what we can learn from His mortal ministry, we know that He was rejected even by His own. But I promise you that every experience that we have is supposed to work to our good. Never feel inadequate to accept a new challenge in your life. Always do what you know is right, and the Lord will strengthen you in your trials. Look to Christ in the trials of your life, pray in His name to your Father in Heaven in supplication for every trial you suffer, and thank Him for every blessing you could think of, including the trials you have, with the knowledge that they are at least in some way or form for your good. I have seen the hand of the Lord in my life. I know that He is worked in yours. I am simply here to direct your attention for this moment. I testify of the perfection and the glory and the wonderfulness of the great plan of Salvation which the Lord has for us, in the sacred name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Isaiah 41:10 ¶ Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
Have a wonderful week! And every day, be of good cheer!
Elder Dredge
P.S. Attached are pictures at the Museum of the Bank of Guatemala, along with some new equipment bought today: a Swiss army knife, an ab wheel, and an elastic band. A missionary can at least try to get swole.
Elder Braden K. Dredge
Guatemala Guatemala City East Mission
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