My brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts, grandparents, cousins, everyone, it's a pleasure to
be able to write to you all. How have you been? I am tired, but it has been a super good week.
Gualan is a super cool place to be, and I would definitely return to visit after the mission. It is
a beautiful country area, and the people are so sociable and kind and friendly and centered on
the family. I am working hard with my companion Elder Cifuentes, who is an awesome
missionary and companion. He is super positive and funny, and always lightens up the day
when things don't go quite as planned.
But I do have to say, I have been tired. And there was something that I learned about the
Gospel that I would like to share with you all--something I learned as I came to myself and
recognized my fatigue, and prayed about it.
In the end, it is important that we are happy. I think it is so easy to lose sight of the big
picture with so many things to do that we forget to focus on happiness. Yes, we make
mistakes. Yes, we forget things. Yes, stuff happens. Yes, we have things to do,
responsibilities to fulfill. We have many things which occupy our time. We might not
enjoy all of those things. We might feel a need for vacation. But let me remind you of a
truth which is found in the Book of Mormon. These things are the results of the Fall -- our
need to work, to improve, and to make the best use of our time before we die, and to do
what we can to sustain our own lives and keep it in order. But let us remember this:
Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy. (2 Nephi 2:25)
what you can out of what I write with the 5 minutes that you used to read it, and use another
minute to pray to God and thank him for the blessings that you have, and ask him to bless
you with His Spirit and His peace. If you have deadlines, keep a reminder, and do what you
need to do to keep your word, but try to enjoy what you are obliged to do, if you are obliged
to do it.
This life which we have is a precious gift from our Heavenly Father. Another precious gift
we have is our agency. Our agency gives us the ability to discern between what choices and
thoughts are good or bad, or in other words what will make us happy or miserable. Let us
try to choose good, and choose to be happy. Happiness, after all, is not the product of a job
well done. Happiness does not come from being the best. Happiness does not come from
only doing what we already like to do. What I can say is that happiness does come from the
process of doing better than we did before, and does come from striving to be more like
Christ, the happiest man who has ever lived. Happiness comes from forgetting ourselves and
serving others. Happiness comes from being grateful for as many blessings as we can.
Happiness comes from living the Gospel, as individuals and more as families. Happiness
comes from focusing on people, especially those who we cherish the most, and those with
whom we spend the most time, and trying to make them happy too in ways we are uniquely
able to do. Let's strive to all live a happy life, and take advantage of the wonderful gifts
which our Father in Heaven has given us.
I might not know for sure, because I have never experienced that such, and won't until after
this life, but I firmly believe that only by living the Gospel of Jesus Christ can we receive a
fulness of joy. And I know that the Gospel is true. I know that the Book of Mormon is true,
and that a prophet guides us today. I know that Christ is our Savior, and that we can be happier
when we follow Him. I testify of these things in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ, amen.
Have a wonderful week, my friends, brothers and sisters.
Your friend, brother and servant,
Elder Dredge
Elder Braden K. Dredge
Guatemala Guatemala City East Mission
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