It Was a Learning Experience This Week

This week was pretty good. So that was Bobby in the picture [posted last week]. His sister is the one that sent it. She got baptized because of a guy so that's why Bobby has been around the church for such a long time but just hasn't gotten baptized. But it's finally happening so we're excited. 

 

 Our dinner with Bobby and his sisters family was amazing. We talked about the plans for his baptism and how they want to do all of it. When Bobby asked his brother in law to be the one to baptize him the Spirit was so strong and they all started crying and it made Nielsen and I so happy to see him finally ready to make this big step especially since this will be the first baptism for both of us, not that numbers matter. I love seeing how happy the gospel makes people and I want to share it with everybody which sucks since not everybody wants to hear it. That was definitely my favorite experience so far. I also had my least favorite too.  On Friday I went on exchanges with this guy in our district and the day was awful. The first thing he said when he got in my car was "I'm so glad I don't have to do anything tomorrow" and he stuck too that. We had a window of heaven and he didn't say a word to anybody and walked a good 15 feet behind me. It ended up feeling like just a waste of a day and I hated myself for it. The only good thing from the day was getting to teach Cam and that he is now for sure getting baptized on the 3rd of October. We also were able to meet with a less active member of our ward, who, when we were talking with him, told us he was starting to think about coming to church again because he read some articles that talked about cities sunken in giant lakes in Belize and he figured that supported the Book of Mormon a lot so hopefully we can keep helping him and get him back to church. But it was a learning experience this week because I got to see both sides of missionary work, obedient and diligent and successful in our time with Bobby and disobedient and lazy on my exchange and it taught me a lot about the kind of missionary I want to strive to be, and not only the kind of missionary but also the kind of person. As we strive to be obedient we will be happier in our lives and I have had countless examples of that. We also bring ourselves closer to our Heavenly Father and he will be more willing to bless us abundantly. In Abraham 3 it talks about a lot of confusing stuff but the most important thing in it is that Abraham was taught the importance of closeness to God and that's what we always need to do in our lives is draw closer to God through following the perfect example of our Savior and living up to the potential we have as children of God. 

I love this work. I know our Heavenly Father loves all of us and wants happiness for us and he will give that to us as we come closer too him. I know the atonement is real and that Jesus is the Christ and that through him we can improve ourselves daily. I'm grateful for the power of prayer and I feel the prayers directed to me and to other missionaries and I love being able to talk to my Heavenly Father whenever I need strength beyond my own. I love being here, these people are good, and I need to be with them.

Love,

Elder Cheever