I am going to get right into all the miracles. First, this week started off very interestingly. All of our investigators seemed to have something go terribly wrong. At first I got very down on myself because I felt like we were doing something wrong that was making them all fall away, but my companion told me something very important. He said that Satan will come at us with everything he's got when we are doing everything right and making those important steps in the right direction. I realized that this is very true. I realized that even though we were doing what we knew was right, doesn't make it easy for our investigators. Through a lot of prayer and study for our investigators, by the end of the week I feel like all of them have made a lot of progress and have grown in ways that we couldn't have helped them grow. Just like it says in Ether 12:27... God gives us weakness so that we can become strong. As Jonathan would say, Pain is weakness leaving the body! The same concept, as we struggle and overcome those struggles we become something more, through the Atonement and the help of God. His plan for us includes struggles and strengths but we can't have one without the other. I know that the struggles that we go through are for our benefit. I was studying in Doctrine and Covenants today and I read section 122:1-10. This goes into detail about all the things that Satan will come at us with and how he will never stop. But in the end it promises us that if we hold strong and endure, that God will always be with us and that as we lay down our life for Him and serve Him, we will find our life. This is so true. How can we really know who our Savior is if we are not willing to serve Him. King Benjamin says the same thing in Mosiah 5. I received so much strength from these passages over this last week and I wanted to share that with all of you.
Second, we had the amazing opportunity of having Quentin L. Cook come and speak to our mission on Saturday. He spoke to us about the relationships that are vital as a missionary.
- One, Love the people. As we love the people we can know how to help them and we can know what their needs are. It is also a lot easier to lose yourself in serving when you love the people you serve.
- Two, Love the Mission President. I had never thought of this but Elder Cook explained the process of assigning mission calls and he said the most common feeling he get when doing it is that certain people need to be with a certain mission president. It give a whole new understanding to why I am here in California.
- Three, Love your Companion. He went into detail about how a companionship that is able to work together will be able to accomplish so much more and will be the most effective tool in the Lords hands. I have learned that sometimes it is hard to love your companion but I can agree that the work is much more effective when a companionship is working together in harmony and unity. This can and will apply to marriage as well.
- Fourth, and very important, is to Love the Lord. God loves us no matter what. He loves us through our trials and He loves us through our high times. I know that as I have learned to love Him, I have been blessed so much and guided by the spirit in all that I do. This work is not easy, and that's a fact, but with the help of the Lord it is very possible and it is essential. The joy that the gospel has brought me in my life is incredible. I can honestly say that it has changed who I am. As I have loved the Lord, He has guided me on a path that will change who I am and where I am going.
I love all of you so much and I know that the spirit is watching over all of you. Pray for missionary opportunities everyday and then go and look for them. The work that you do as members makes the work that we do as missionaries more successful. Be safe and have an amazing week. Let me know if there is anything that I can do to help any of you.
Elder Maxwell in California
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