Well not a whole lot has changed since last week... The MTC is pretty much the same routine every week. I'm starting to get the hang of things and I feel like I finally know my way around pretty well. The days are pretty long sometimes but you just have to remind yourself that you are here serving the Lord and you're doing His work. And it helps to remember that in 4 weeks you will be in a foreign country where everyone speaks Malagasy and you better study as much as you can if you want to understand anything or be able to say anything back! haha
I had a rough couple of days where I just felt like I was in a rut and I was just going through the motions. Last night I was writing in my journal and I just felt super peaceful and the answer came to me. Elder Stringfellow and I hadn't been able to teach either of our investigators since saturday until yesterday. During that time I had allowed myself to be a little bit self centered and just care more about myself and what I wanted or what I was feeling than on helping others and worrying about their needs. I had let myself use not having an investigator to teach be an excuse to focus on myself. We talked a lot about our purpose as a missionary the first week and it says, "Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and his atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end." The thing they focused on a lot is the word "others". Others is anyone who isn't you. That means that I need to focus on helping my companion and everyone else that I come in contact with come closer to Christ. I think the best way to do that is through my example and just trying to do my best to serve God and be obedient to the mission rules.
I'm getting my first haircut today so that should be fun. My hair is getting pretty long. I haven't really gained any weight still. The food isn't my favorite. It's edible but it is just mass produced. I drink at least one glass of chocolate milk with pretty much every meal, and especially for breakfast! haha Our teachers are super cool! One of them is 25 and not married so we always tease him about marriage and going on dates and stuff. He's a pretty good sport about it. But he is probable my favorite teacher, he gives up tons of his own time to stay and help us. He always shows up to his shift like a half hour early and leaves like a half hour late to help us. He has taught me some really good principles to try to live by and some really important things for a missionary. I think the most important thing I learned is that you don't HAVE to keep the rules. There isn't always going to be a mission president or zone leader watching your every move. It's a personal decision you have to make to be obedient. A popular saying here is "obedience brings blessings, but exact obedience brings miracles." Everyday I try to be a little more obedient or do a little bit more to be a better example to the people around me. I love it here and I know that serving a mission is what God wants me to be doing.
Fantatro fa tsara-be ny missionera. Fantatro fa raha mitandrina ny lalan'Atra isika dia hanana ny fanahy masina isika. Fantatro fa marina ny filazantsara ary i Jesoa Kristy ny mpamonzy ho' any ny Tolona. Natao ny sorompanavotana i Jesoa Kristy. Fantatro fa tia isika Atra. Amin'ny anaran'i Jesoa Kristy, Amen.
I know that missionary work is good. I know that if we keep the commandments of God we will have the Holy Ghost. I know that the gospel is true and that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. Jesus Christ performed the Atonement. I know that god loves us. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
The word of the week is Fanahy Masina (fun-eye moss-in-a). It means Holy Ghost. I know that if we will rely on God and put our trust in Him we can receive inspiration through the Holy Ghost and that if we will act on the promptings we are given we well get more. The Holy Ghost is the way we can know the truth of ALL things. If we have a question we can pray with a sincere heart and God will answer our prayers. It's not usually in a loud voice and it's often not in the way we expected or when we expected, but an answer will come. I'm so grateful for the comfort and peace I have felt from the Holy Ghost the last couple of weeks. I couldn't have made it without His help.
Love, Elder Glazier
No comments:
Post a Comment