Hey folks!
How has your week been? Did you have a goat interrupt your conversation with a drunk man this week? If so, I'm impressed, but let me ask, did another drunk man come in and get sent out by the first drunk man's wife? If so, you must have had a pretty wild week, but allow me to ask again, did you happen to see the first drunk man's son perfectly sober one day, and the next day drooling on the grass? I think you might take the card. Let me know if you have seen the following step, I have yet to see more myself.
This week has been more interesting, at least according to the things that we have seen, but nonetheless we have been maintaining an attitude of not making anything a routine. Yes, there are a lot of things that missionaries do that we do everyday. The missionary life is actually quite routinely if you take a look at our schedule. And it can be if you let it. But nothing needs to be a routine.
And allow me to share an experience why we need not let things be a routine. We visited a young mother this past week, having helped out with a move with a neighbor of hers, and we visited later on and we were inspired to share a scripture, 3 Nephi 13:25-34 (Jesus Christ sharing the Sermon on the Mount with those of God's children who lived in the Americas). We read up to the following.
26 Behold the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
We asked her to read the following verse, but she asked us to wait, because she needed a moment. She was weeping. We sat in silence, feeling the Spirit very strongly. She shared with us her experience of separating from her husband and starting to work and to study to provide for her children and care for them and the struggle she's been having with the transition. And she told us that even up to that point, she had received an answer to her prayers, because she herself had cried out in the week before, "What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?" We helped her apply the verse, listening intently and encouraging her to have faith. We continued to read the following, and I ask that whoever reads or listens to these verses think and ponder intently on them, asking yourself how you say the same things, or how you have said the same things this past week.
32 For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.
I strongly encourage you all to think about the things you do in life, and continue to do them, but take a moment to consider how it is all part of the big picture. Think about your relationship with God, your relationship with your family, and the relationship with your fellowmen. These, after all, are things which are most important, and are indeed the things which stay for all eternity. Do not forget to acquire wisdom and Christlike attributes, but nonetheless these things come as you develop your relationship with you Heavenly Father. I encourage you to focus on those things. Everything else is just stuff when you look at the big picture. So look at it all from a Gospel perspective. In your work, how are you developing your relationships with others and-or serving them? In your studies, how are you developing your relationship with God, and investing in other relationships? In your past times, how are you developing your relationship with your family? These are the things which matter the most. I have learned for myself that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is centered on these things and how our Savior can help us have more joy in these things. And I have learned for myself that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true, and that it is the one and only true source of pure joy. I invite you all to learn it and live it. I know that these things are true. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Have a wonderful week, my friends. Don't forget to count your blessings. Those are special ways in which the Lord blesses your life every day.
Elder Dredge
Elder Braden K. Dredge
Guatemala Guatemala City East Mission
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