February 2, 2015

Dear Family and Friends!

This has been a growing week for me. I'm grateful it happened, and I'm also grateful it's over!

Being here the last 5 weeks has taught me a lot of things. In Ether 12:27 we learn it best: "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." (http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/ether/12?lang=eng) It's funny how we can get so convinced that we are awesome and unbeatable! I love how God so lovingly gives us trials that help us see our weaknesses. Being here is helping me learn how to cope with stress in a new way, and how to help others manage their stress. I'm learning to be more of a person than a robot missionary. Along with having fun and being myself, I'm also learning how to be patient and compassionate. I'm learning to stop justifying my weaknesses. I realize that I can and will change! I know that He can do that for me if I'm willing to put forth the effort. Now I just have to be humble enough to let him change me. 

Along with the trials also have come the blessings. This week we taught 3 new awesome people, all introduced to us by their friends. They all had come to the Welcome Center Expo last week! We also taught our one investigator from our Family Ward named Jake. We have been inviting and inviting him to be baptized, and he kept saying yes but he doesn't know when. Out of nowhere this week he told us, "You should keep March 21 open." He had prayed and felt strongly that he should be baptized that day! The coolest thing is that he is learning to recognize how Heavenly Father communicates to him through the Holy Ghost.

I also had the best experiences tracting I've ever had on my mission. I was on an exchange with an Elder who is being trained in his area. He had only been Tracting once and wanted to go knock on doors in a certain area. We knocked maybe 15 doors and there were 5 who we prayed with and invited us back! If you're familiar with oncoming doors as a missionary you know that's a pretty incredible percentage. It really boosted my attitude and reminded me that God is behind this work. It's not us, and it's not the members, or the church leaders, or even the prophet. These are all supporting factors, but this is God's work, and in the words of Joseph Smith, "the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished." (https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2008/10/the-truth-of-god-shall-go-forth?lang=eng). 

"Remember...that it is not the work of God that is frustrated, but the work of men"

(D&C 3:3; http://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/3?lang=eng)

I know we are on his side. He fights the majority of our battles, and we just have to be here to do our best. Doing so has been the most fulfilling thing I have ever done in my life. 

I love you all and wish you the best! Happy Groundhog's day!

Elder Collin Christensen