This week was good, heck a lot better than the last. It's really funny to see how Hermana Reed feels about some of the investigators and how similar it was to when I first got here. It used to seem so simple to me too (back in my first transfer), just as it does to her now. But taking over the area has taught me how complex each investigator is.
One of the advantages is as soon as I was the one accountable for those in this area and their progression, I could feel a much deeper love for them. I loved them before, but now it's something so much deeper than just wanting them to go to church. Now it's all about making them happy in every aspect of their lives (which really the only way for that is through the restored gospel of Jesus Christ).
This morning in my studies I was looking for some information for Noche De Hogar (Family Home Evening) tonight and I came across this talk from the last General Conference. I loved it! Just thought I'd share. It's called Latter-Day Saints Keep Trying. One quote I liked from it was, "President Thomas S. Monson has taught, 'One of God’s greatest gifts to us is the joy of trying again, for no failure ever need be final.' Even if we’ve been a conscious, deliberate sinner or have repeatedly faced failure and disappointment, the moment we decide to try again, the Atonement of Christ can help us. And we need to remember that it is not the Holy Ghost that tells us we’re so far gone that we might as well give up."
He then goes on the say, "Some years ago a wonderful young man named Curtis was called to serve a mission. He was the kind of missionary every mission president prays for. He was focused and worked hard. At one point he was assigned a missionary companion who was immature, socially awkward, and not particularly enthusiastic about getting the work done."
"One day, while they were riding their bicycles, Curtis looked back and saw that his companion had inexplicably gotten off his bike and was walking. Silently, Curtis expressed his frustration to God; what a chore it was to be saddled with a companion he had to drag around in order to accomplish anything. Moments later, Curtis had a profound impression, as if God were saying to him, 'You know, Curtis, compared to me, the two of you aren’t all that different.' Curtis learned that he needed to be patient with an imperfect companion who nonetheless was trying in his own way."
"My invitation to all of us is to evaluate our lives, repent, and keep on trying. If we don’t try, we’re just latter-day sinners; if we don’t persevere, we’re latter-day quitters; and if we don’t allow others to try, we’re just latter-day hypocrites. As we try, persevere, and help others to do the same, we are true Latter-day Saints. As we change, we will find that God indeed cares a lot more about who we are and about who we are becoming than about who we once were."
"I am deeply grateful for the Savior, for His infinite Atonement, and for latter-day prophets who encourage us to be Latter-day Saints, and to keep on trying. I witness of the Savior’s living reality in the name of Jesus Christ, amen."
It was such a good talk and it applied really well to what I have been learning this week. I especially liked the end when I talked about being latter-day sinner, but if we just keep trying, that makes us saints.
Love you family!!
Hermana Madsen
Reflection (August 17, 2015)
The Blessings of Sweating Like a Horse (August 31, 2015)
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| Memphis Tennessee Temple, Hermanas Madsen and Reed |
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| Sister Madsen, funny as ever :) |
