Hi All,
I will honestly admit, I'd completely forgotten that today is Memorial
Day. Memorial day....I love being American. I'm so proud and thankful to
be an American. I always choke up when people start talking about the
armed forces or when I hear the national anthem. I am so thankful for
the men and women that have fought and died for so many years to give us
that right, that hope of a bright morning each day and a knowledge that
we are a free people. When the politics die down, when the economic
debates fade away, when all of the sophist discussions and philisophical
suppositions about how our country should be are blown away by the
winds of time, and we really get down to the core of things, we are
free. We are free citizens and we enjoy an abundance of blessings that
have been bestowed by the hand of God. That hand has guided and
protected hundreds of thousands of soldiers for over 200 years on home
ground or foreign soil. That hand has brought them back triumphant time
after time and it is because we never. back. down. God bless the USA.
God bless the valient soldiers that protect us. And may God give them
strength to smite our foes and lift the tired and oppressed legions of
this life. I love America.
Welcome to the last week of May. The last week of the change and the last week before I enter my last full change as a full time missionary. I....have mixed feelings about that. We talked a lot about that today in our leaders meeting this morning. It kinda slammed into me that I have so little time left. Like 11 Mondays (Predays). And that it's time to keep ramping it up out here. My comp is super tired and I know that he gets frustrated with me because I'm always racing around and pushing the pace. He's not quite used to it yet still, seeing as I'm his second companion and he's in his 3rd change but it's okay. We get along well, and we work well together. We're seeing unprecedented success, the most success that I've ever seen in my mission. I'm so grateful to the Lord for the numerous blessings that He showers upon us on a daily basis. I know that none of what we are seeing is thanks to me, I just hope I can stay humble enough to be worthy of His continued blessings.
We're still teaching the family of Nelson, the boy we baptized at the beginning of the change. His dad, mom, older sister and her boyfriend, his older brother and his girl friend are all listening to us. Almost all of them are going to church too. They are going on Tuesday to cancel the mom's previous marriage so that she and her current husband can be legally married. He can't read nor write but he loves to pray and he loves so much learning about the gospel. He gave up drinking and smoking and hardcore drugs about a month and a half ago and has only missed one Sunday since then. They're all progressing and learning about the gospel and filling their lives with the light of the Lord. The ward is helping a ton too and I think a lot of people are all rather excited to see such a notable change in this family and the progress and desires they have.
We're also still working with Alinson. She's trying to give up smoking and is trying to decide on when she needs to be baptized. She reads the Book of Mormon and went to church with us last week. This week she didn't come because she went to bed at 4 am, a pretty common occurrence in this country, so she was super tired. She's also very hesitant about permanently removing her 4 facial piercings. We're working a lot with her and she's learning lots.
Other than that, we're just trying to find new people, get some new blood into the system. We're going to be pushing it really hard this week to finish off the change.
Something we learned this morning really hit home with me. Jesus Christ
at the end of His 3 year ministry, effected the greatest work known to
mankind. He gave His all and atoned for our sins. Well...I'm getting to
the end of my full time ministry. I guess it's time for my swan song,
time to make my great and last sacrifice here to the Lord. I do not dare
compare what I will give to what the Son has given and continuously
gives. Rather, I make a simile, just as the Law of Moses was
representative of that Sacrifice. It's time to work harder than ever
before. They say that a missionaries last companion is the elder that
kills him. I plan on killing my comp before he kills me. :D The only way
to go is up. I feel closer to my Savior every day and I'm ever grateful
to the Lord for this time that I've had to serve. I've still time on
the clock, so I still have time to serve. I feel like the immortal words
of AC/DC are suiting. Gentlemen, for those about to rock, we salute
you. Well gentlemen, let's rock. And as we all know, Elder Simpson knows
how to rock hard.
I'm still ramping up my work outs little by little and I'm trying to at least get in a small workout at night. My days go a lot better and I'm always a lot more excited and energized all day long when I take my workouts seriously. It's great.
Well this week in my studies I've been in 2 Nephi 9 a LOT. Verse 4 is great.
4) For I know that ye have searched much, many of you, to know of things to come; wherefore I know that ye know that our flesh must waste away and die; nevertheless, in our bodies we shall see God.
The references from footnote b are absolute gold. I love the one in Mormon 9. I also really like the reference in Alma 42 and the one in Helaman. The promise that is right there is rather significant. We will stand before God in the flesh. How amazing will that moment be. Our responsibility now is to prepare ourselves the most possible for that moment and to help others to do so. I pray that when we see Him again, we will feel as did Enos in that we will be able to "see his face with pleasure." (Enos 1.27.)
Chau
Elder Andy
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