Hello my friends! Why it looks like I only have a little bit of time to write but here we go.
This week I learned a lot from Elder Sinto, who will be going home early in the morning this Wednesday. He has taught me a lot about being a man. Taking iniciative, not blaming circumstances or others for our failures to complete tasks, facing fears, acting in spite.... things like that, I got a lot from his example, and learned a lot from his experiences in his 24 months of being a full-time missionary and servant of the Lord.
I just want to remind you all that there are lots of things which we can do from our own free will and desire for our own salvation. Because of our agency, our ability to choose right and wrong, we are all equally capable of choosing the right, and experiencing the fulness of joy which our Father in Heaven wants us to experience. "Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself." I give this as a reminder, because I think it is too easy to fall into the habit of praying to God for the things we want, yet without realizing how much we can do on our part to obtain the blessings we ask for.
And so I will speak a little on prayer. I would advise every one of you to ask yourselves this week, "What am I praying for when I pray? How much can I do to assist in the obtaining of my answer? And what is the answer which I expect from God?" You might be struggling to find an answer to a question. You might have a very hard decision to make. You may need to do a difficult task. You may need a boost of courage or strength to do these things. But remember to first have faith in God, and take a moment to consider the love He has for you, and His anxiousness to help you and strengthen you and encourage you. He might hold back a certain blessing to teach a different lesson, but just remember that there is no such thing as a delayed blessing from God. God only asks that we do our best. "For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do."
I know that our Heavenly Father is mindful of us, and is willing to answer our prayers. I fully trust in His plan for me, and I know that there is nothing that could impede Him from directing His glorious work, of bringing to pass the "the immortality and eternal life of man." I have seen His hand in my life. I have heard His voice quite loud teaching me the things which I have so desperately needed to hear. I have felt my heart burn as I have learned from Him to be more direct, having received the strength to do so; to be more responsable; to be more courageous; to learn the importance of the things I do as His servant. He loves us so dearly, and He desires that we learn to love Him, so that in the end, when we see Him face to face, we will be without guilt in His presence, and rather happy, happy above any and every other source of joy, to see Him before us, finally reunited with Him as an important member of His eternal, celestial family. I know that one day, if we have faith in our Savior and Redeemer and follow Him, He will accept us into His arms in that wonderful and glorious day. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Have a wonderful week, my friends. Don't forget to count your blessings.
Love,
Elder Dredge (or Dread-hay, that is totally fine with me)
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Elder Braden K. Dredge
Guatemala-Guatemala City East Mission
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