Wow, what a busy week! This one really passed by quick. This week we had 3 zone conferences and there was a lot to do. It's good to stay busy, but it seems like whenever we have zone conferences we are so busy doing stuff for them that I get behind on other stuff!
I've been really trying to focus on planning this week and how to make the most out of the time that I have. I've realized that it's been a bit hard to balance all that I need to do... Stuff in the office, in my own area, and as a district leader. It's definitely a different experience having to try to give time and effort to all these different things.
This week we had a cool experience with our investigator Leila. When we started to teach her it was a bit rocky, it just seemed like it wasn't clicking with her. But this week we finally made some progress! She's now starting to understand more about how the gospel can bless her life and the lives of those in her family. We planned a family home evening with the Sisters and our ward mission leader to take our investigators, and it was super cool. Leila and her daughter were able to get to know other investigators and recent converts better which will really help her in the long run. It was a good reminder that when members are helping in the work it's always soooo much better!
But for zone conference, President focused a lot on the Book of Mormon and the power that it has. As a missionary, it's our most important tool in helping people become converted to Christ. It's also the main thing we can use to answer questions that people have. It's so cool to think that there's a way for any question that an investigator could have can be answered with one question: Is the Book of Mormon true? Because if it is, it doesn't matter if someone doesn't agree with not being able to drink coffee or doesn't believe that God talks to prophets in our day. By teaching and studying this throughout my mission I've really come to learn this for myself. We can also apply this in our own lives! it doesn't matter what doubts someone has about the church, they only need to ask themselves the question if the Book of Mormon is true. It's so simple so get rid of doubts! If we continually focus on the basics and keep striving to strengthen our testimonies of the Book of Mormon we won't have any room for doubts or questions!
I've been thinking about your talk a bit this week mom, about how my mission has helped me grow closer to Christ. It's a big topic! But I wanted to focus on just one of the ways. Something that I understand much better now than I did when I was at home is that we don't ever have to be alone in our trials or challenges. If we do our part and just trust in the Savior, things will work out. It's for sure a hard concept to explain, I think one of the only ways to really learn that is by experience! Throughout the scriptures, we receive promises that if we ask, then we will receive, and this promise is true! Heavenly Father wants to bless us! But, we have to ask with faith, and we will get the help that we need after doing all that we can. I know now that it really is impossible to be a missionary and work just with my own abilities, I need the Lord's help in order to accomplish the things I need to, and this goes for life after the mission as well. I know that if we have hope and patience and we expect to receive the blessings we need, then we always will! It's still something that I'm learning everyday, how to trust more in the Lord in all I do, but I'm very grateful for the experiences I've had and that the Lord has given me in order to understand this a little bit better.
Another thing that I'm always saying as well is that "hard is good". I really didn't understand this before the mission. I wanted to try and escape all suffering and all trials, and when I had them I didn't try to look for ways that I could learn or progress, just how I could get away as soon as possible! Looking back now i can really see the hand of the Lord in all the trials I've had, bearing me up and teaching me things that I wouldn't be able to learn without them. The Lord really does know what's best for us, and the only way we can become what he expects us to is by just forgetting our personal desires and trusting in Him.
Well, there's my week. Sorry not much as far as experiences go. It's just not very interesting hearing about dealing with health appointments for missionaries or making announcements during zone conferences. But until next week, Love you guys!
Elder Odom
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