Hey how are you all doing?? Sorry it's been ages since I last wrote my email but things have been crazy busy. So this past week we ran a mission challenge, kinda like some friendly competition to help some missionaries work, help some get creative, help inspire and to help make Missionary work a little more fun!! So we had that going from Tuesday to Saturday and it actually went really well! A lot of missionaries told us that they really enjoyed it and it helped a lot of missionaries find new people to teach and see some miracles. So we had the mission working really hard this past week and had some fun while doing so!!
While doing so we got to take a trip down to Canberra to help the missionaries down there and work them a bit. It was cool to go down and see the Capital of Australia! It was a good trip and to visit some other missionaries along the way. Get out there and get to know everyone. Help those missionaries who were far off to not feel so far off.
So this past week has been a bit crazy... President Runia is a very busy man. Very busy. And I have a lot of respect for how he composes himself, works hard, never complains, and strives to take care of his wife despite it all. Even if he's had a super rough day, he'll go home and clean and do other chores so his wife doesn't have to. Just the little things. What I've also come to admire about him is how obedient he is. He is a man that is characterized in Alma 13:3
"on account of their exceeding faith and good works; in the first place being left to choose good or evil; therefore they having chosen good, and exercising exceedingly great faith"
He is a man of great faith, great love for his family and great love for our Heavenly Father and our Savior. Listening to him pray... You can sense the relationship he's developed and the love he especially has for the missionaries. I love it and it's something that made me want to improve. My prayers. To really strengthen my relationship with Heavenly Father. To give heartfelt prayers and learn to really converse with him. So I've been working on it and my prayers have been improving and a more enjoyable experience.
In addition, I love the scriptures. Especially the Book of Mormon. I'm not the most consistent... Especially since with this new area and position keeps us pretty busy with stuff always coming up and not always a consistent schedule, I tend to get caught up with it all. But when I've sat down and just opened it up, it feels like aloe Vera on a sunburned skin... So refreshing. So soothing. Especially when teaching of the Savior. Recently while reading I came across a verse in Alma 9:26-27
"26 And not many days hence the Son of God shall come in his glory; and his glory shall be the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace, equity, and truth, full of patience, mercy, and long-suffering, quick to hear the cries of his people and to answer their prayers.
27 And behold, he cometh to redeem those who will be baptized unto repentance, through faith on his name."
For some reason while reading this... It touched my heart. The Saviour is truly there for all of us. He really is full of patience, mercy, long suffering and quick to hear our prayers... No matter how unworthy we feel. He's there. In addition, while playing the closing hymn for our District Counsel Meeting "I stand all amazed" the same kind of thing hit me...
"I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me,
Confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me.
I tremble to know that for me he was crucified,
That for me, a sinner, he suffered, he bled and died."
It truly is incredible and I'm grateful that we have a Savior. Who is there for us. Who is there exactly because we are imperfect and we would make mistakes. I'm grateful.
Well I hope you all have a great week!!
