Thank you so much for the wonderful letters! I really appreciate the insights that you share with me from the scriptures--I am so glad that I have family that not only studies and understands the scriptures, but then goes on to discuss them one with another! I am doing really well--we had a very busy week, but we still managed to do a lot of teaching, which is always a great blessing from the Lord.
I really have been pondering even more and more about goals this week, and about what role they have played in changing my life and my missionary work. When Brother Metodiev called in sick Saturday night and I suddenly became the second speaker on Sunday, I took the opportunity to talk about the subject (in a more general light), and it was such a great blessing to prepare that talk, and to find more insights. As I have pondered about it more and more, I have been realizing that, while I have never struggled with setting good, meaningful, stretching, achievable goals for myself, I have never really been THAT committed to them (for example, study goals, or even some goals for self-improvement)--I have always set out with great intent, and a sincere desire to improve in that area, but then have always let my focus be drawn away by other thoughts, ideas, concerns or issues. I have DEFINITELY set more goals than I have ever reached (though I don't believe that to be a wildly abnormal pattern). All in all, I am excited to improve in this coming week. These verses in 3 Nephi 13 really struck me as I was preparing;
22 The light of the body is the eye; if, therefore, thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If, therefore, the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
What we FOCUS on, what we turn our eye to really is what and who we become! If our eyes are constantly turned toward righteous goals (and especially GOD's goal for us--Moses 1:39), our body will be full of light, we will find the strength and power and direction that we need in a more and more confusing world. Righteous decisions change from a difficult choice to the ONLY reasonable choice, the Gospel path laid out to us in the scriptures stops looking life an inconvenient detour, and becomes the only possibility, a joyous road to a more glorious destination. Great stuff. I will be doing some repenting this week--turns out that practicing what you preach is a lot harder than the Apostles make it seem.
In other news, there were Zone Conferences this week, and Elder Strobel and I had a chance to teach about teaching with clarity and about organizing our lessons plans according to a model that Elder Callister laid out the mission WAY back at the beginning of my Mission (while I was in Colorado, actually, but I got some first-hand notes), and it went really well. I really love the Missionaries in our mission, they are so wonderful.
Mother; it has been strange weather this week--it goes from sunny and fairly warm to raining cats and dogs and then back, all in the course of a few hours (sort of reminds me of Spokane at times), but overall, it is warming up. It is light until later and later everyday, which is sort of surreal, but nice. Soccer drama is no fun! I am glad that everything worked out alright, and I am sure that the Season will go well--I have learned that people offended by mis-understandings are fairly well doomed to spend most of their lifetime offended. As long as we are sincere, and in our hearts truly have pure motives, what needs to come to light will come to light, in the due time of the Lord. I love you mother, thank you for always being there to run back home and grab our equipment! I do remember that, actually. Good times.
Father; thank you for the wonderful letter! 80 patients! Wow. I wish I could teach that many lessons in 2.5 days...trade you! I love you so much, Father. Thank you for your good example!
Paige; woah! You are seriously beautiful! I am so grateful that you choose to be modest--it really is worth it, I promise you. At risk of sounding like a Young Woman Leader, true beauty comes from the heart, and is shown through our actions and our words much more than outward appearance. I love you so much, I hope you get a 37 on the ACT!
Ronnie; don't we have a great Mother? I sure love her. Thank you for helping her (as I did) develop the Christ-Like attributes of patience and long-suffering. I love you so much little Brother, keep being a good example to your friends, you can make a difference in their life!
Lizzie; I love you so much! I am so proud of your accomplishments on the Piano. It really is a life-long skill, and a blessing that finds more ways to repeat itself than a combo-Jazz group (ask Rees about that one, he'll tell you). I love you so much.
The Book of Mormon is the word of God, and will protect us from Spiritual confusion. May we read it everyday! I love you all so much.
With a Smile,
Elder Hardy
Sorry! Only Scenery Pictures this week.
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| The Sea! |
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| The sea...Again! |
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