How is everyone this week? Tell me about all of the missionary experiences that you have had! I want to know so bad :) Remember, members have just as much responsiblility as missionaries in this work. In fact, almost all of the lessons and devotionals for the past two weeks have been on the importance of using the members to get new investigators. I believe this is for more than one reason. For instance, it helps strengthen the members, it helps strengthen the investigator to know that people in the ward care about them, and it helps the missionary and the ward and everyone to grow in unity. Remember the importance of unity. "If ye are not one, ye are not mine." So remember, keep going :) Those are great experiences that you have shared with me about missionary work though. I am so proud of all of you :)
This week has been crazy; just another week as a missionary. I get up every morning at about 6:05 and hop in the shower and do whatever I need to do. I usually am ready at about 6:35, but then I have to be the alarm clock for most of the other elders. I wake one up at 6:30 and I wake another up about 3 or 4 times until he gets up at 6:50 and somehow gets ready in 12 minutes. Anyway, this has been such an amazing week to be a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ. By the way, Mom and Dad, my suit pants are kinda ruined. A couple weeks ago my comp was doing something, I don't even know what, with a permanant black marker and it sprayed my suit pants. There are black spots all over it. I am thankful that it didn't get my suit coat or my shirt very much. I only had one dot get on my shirt which I am grateful for. So good thing I won't really ever wear my suit, right? :)
I gave a talk again this Sunday. Oh and by the way, I don't know if you knew, but I got called to be the District Leader. It is a cool calling. I like it. That is why I gave another talk last Sunday. Oh how I love giving talks :) I don't know why, I just feel so confident that the Lord will give me His Spirit, and that I will teach by it. I feel very bold in everything I say. This week I talked about obedience and the importance of it. You can only imagine how that went. I am surprised at how bold I can be. I love it :) I love to speak in the "...plainness of words..." as Nephi and Jacob describe it :) I love them so much. Oh those two prophets; what amazing examples of men that I want to become. I delight in the plainness of words. But yes, I love giving talks. It is so much fun to speak and know that the Spirit is helping you and testifying to you that all that you are saying is true. I love it! :) I love Sundays so much. Oh, I love them. What a magnifico time ser un Missionero!
I read my setting apart blessing every day. I love the promises I have that depend on my faithfulness. I just need to have faith that God will fulfill His end if I do my part. What a wonderful principle of the gospel. Honestly, the scriptures are so amazing. I am in Mosiah now. I have read Our Search for Happiness, Our Heritage, some of the Bible, some of Jesus the Christ, everything is just so amazing. I feel so rotten that I have ever wasted one minute of time in my life. Dad has always told me, but I am sorry that I had to learn the hard way that you only have limited time. Don't waste one minute of your time! Always be doing something. Always do things to strengthen your testimony. I love this work. Don't waste time.
I have been working on Christ-like attributes and it has been going great. In my patriarchal blessing it says that I would have personal growth here that could not be found nor obtained in any other way, I truly have a testimony of that now. A mission is the best desicion I have ever made in my life. And I have only been out here for 6 weeks. I have grown more in those six weeks than 1 year could give me at home. Well, not in our home, but you get my point. The mission is going to change my life for all eternity. It is going to help me to see the goodness in all of Father in Heaven's children. It is going to help me develop charity, the pure love of Christ, which we should all pray all day ernestly for (Moroni's words). I have developed so much more patience. I don't know if you will believe this, but someone can do something I used to get so bugged about. Now I can just blow it off and love them and smile. Isn't it a miracle? Can you believe I am where I am now? Now I can love when I have even a slight feeling to get bugged. Isn't the Atonement of Christ magnificent? Isn't he so merciful to me? He truly has made me into what I am today, and has shown me what I can become. I can't wait to go and love the people of Panama and give them all that I have. I already love them. I am going to develop charity out here. And I don't think you guys will recognize me when I get back :) DO the Christ-like attributes. They will change your life. They will help you love your brothers and sisters. If you want to love, study Christ. Love one another. Love each other; don't force, but love them like Christ loves you. I truly am amazed at the love Jesus offers me as an unprofitable servant. I love Him.
Can you believe that I have been out here over 5 weeks?? I GO TO PANAMA IN 1 WEEK! Oh my heart is burning inside me. What I wouldn't give to let all of you feel the same feeling that I feel right now. What a tender mercy from God. I can't wait to love them. TO serve them. TO heal them. To bring them to a knowledge of their Redeemer. But, if they don't accept my message, that won't mean I stop loving them. I will always love them, because they are my brothers and sisters. Always love everyone. Do good to them that hate you, pray for those who despitefully use you. Follow the teachings of Christ and you will soon be made clean and whole, trying to be like Jesus. I can't wait to love those people and to strengthen them with the testimony that God has given me. For this purpose have I been prepared by Mom and Dad. I have truly been born of goodly parents as Nephi was. Too bad I didn't turn out like Nephi, but I have had the same opportunity. What a tender mercy from God to be raised in the family that I have been raised in, and to have amazing examples of faithful brothers and sisters before me. How I love you all. I pray for you every night.
I love learning Spanish. I love it. I don't like that I don't know as much as I could know, but I love this language. I can't wait to learn more so that I will have a greater capacity to love the people, to talk to them, and to invite them to come to Christ. I honestly cannot wait to speak Spanish all of the time.
I love all of you. I am really random right now, sorry... I just type whatever comes to my mind, if you didn't already notice. hahaha Keep in mind I am a fresh new 18 year old. I am so immature and weak. But with God, I can be made strong :) What a wonderful principle of the gospel! What a mercy.
Next time that I write you, I will be in Panama; my wonderful Panama, to be able to love the people of Panama. I cannot wait for that moment. Aren't you all so excited? :) Oh how I will declare with a loud voice upon the rooftops the gospel of my best friend. I will love them as He would, say the things that He would say, do the things that He would do, because I am a representative of Him. He is my Savior. I believe in Him. Center Christ in your life. Always remember Him. Keep His commandments to show your love for Him. I stand all amazed, at the love Jesus offers me. Then I need to stun people. I need to show them the love of Christ. The love He has for them. The love that I have for them. Oh what a wonderful work we are all involved in. Love everyone with the love of Christ! Love them that hate you, do you wrong, and despitefully use you, and... the ones that just honestly do everything that bugs you, love them. There is no better counter than to love someone like Christ would. Always remember and think of Christ. Think of Him everyday. Dedicate say... an hour of your time to Him every day. For He has dedicated His life to you.
I love you all. I can't wait for the gold mine of experiences that await me. I cannot wait for the trials that will help me grow, for God will consecrate them for my benefit. (2 Nephi 2:2)
I love you all. I love all of you little ones. Oh I love you nieces and nephews. I miss you all so much. But I know that this has to happen. I sacrifice a little of what I have, so that the Lord can bless me. Really, the only thing that we can give the Lord that he doesn't have is our AGENCY. So let us obey him with exactness. Let us go forward in faith. God loves us, let us show our love for our Father by serving Him always. I love you Cambria. I love you Mom and Dad, Ryan Lynnae Channing, Charise Kyle Damon Jonas and Lyla, Brian Alisha Jayce Halli and Mayci, Aub and Landon, Brookie Chris and Mia, Cambria again, and Breanne. I love you all so much. Thank you for your prayers and support. Thank you for your thoughts and emails. Keep praying for me I ask you. I can literally feel them, and I need them, especially in Spanish.
God be with you till we meet again. I will email you in Panama:)
Much love, Elder Bitter
P.S. I love you all and hope you enjoy the emails and pictures. There is this one elder that I think we will be friends after the mission. Really good friends... His name is Elder Sergeant. He is my favorite. He is so cool. Can't wait for you all to meet him. Anyway, I love you all so much:):):):) And I will email you in a week when I am in... PANAMA:) Love you.
Love, Elder Bitter
No comments:
Post a Comment