Hello everyone!
It is another week just flown by and the ever
inspiring question asked by Ammon applies more and more: "therefore have
we not great reason to rejoice?" Personally I think so. One of the best
personality traits that I have grown to appreciate during the course of
my mission is "An Attitude of Gratitude" it is very self- explanitory,
having that attitude invites the Spirit much more fully, it is so faith
promoting and really allows us to organize our priorities in our
individual lives. Yet as Ammon was able to recognise, before the
"Attitude of Gratitude" comes about we first need to be humble as he was
"I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold,
my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my
God."
Well... back to business, this week I spent some time in a place
called Southport, it is a great area, nice and sunny... on the Coast, it
is such a great area to do missionary work.
Overall, this week we
have been blessed, we have been able to teach some investigators... we
have had so many on the spot lessons this week, it happens when me and
my companion go out with a mentality "we are going out to teach
someone", when we expect to do things they really happen, "I expect to
Baptize" is also just another great mentality.
A great lesson that I have really learn't this week is about using
time wisely. Firstly I would like to say I disagree with the statement
"Time Management", the first lesson we need to learn is that time is a
constant, we cannot alter time, we cannot run away from it, make it
faster or slower. The important lesson to learn is that "We do not
manage time; we manage ourselves in the time given" How we manage
ourselves in the periods we have allotted ourselves to do certain
activities is really a reflection on how productive and diligent we
really are. Many times as a missionary I wish we could have extended
time periods, I wish I could have made time slower, or in many cases, I
wish things could go quicker. These wishes really can't be fulfilled, we
always have to yield to constants in our lives. Just like how God used
seven periods of time to do, we must fully utilize the time we are
given. Time is precious, time is necessary, and I'd like to think, when
we have truly mastered time, we have truly mastered ourselves.
Anyway, enough with the deep stuff, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is
all about basics and so I'll stick to it. There was a funny experience
my companion had whilst I was away in Southport, a fairly new missionary
had come to St. Helen's with my companion and the proceeded to teach
our Slovakian investigator... just before they entered my companion said
"we might commit him to baptism, only do it if it is appropriate, we
haven't done it yet, because he just has so many concerns we need to
solve first." The new missionary sometime, part way through the lesson
at a not very convenient time said "Will you be baptized?" at which our
Slovakian investigator was slightly offended and started barking "No,
No, No" very loud and they ended up with quite a situation, missions
really force you to learn patience, I was once a new missionary, perhaps
not the most eloquent or tactful but, I love how my mission has taught
me patience.
So... the last experience for this week is being able to utilize my
talents. My companion once had an idea, to "just help the Stake choir
with a one- off mentality" by playing piano for them, and so I did, this
was a couple of weeks ago, I told them I could come back to help them
because I needed to use the time for choir practices to proselyte. After
that first practice they asked me "can you come back?" to which I said
"maybe" they again said "can you come back?" to which I said "probably
not" the conducter then said "I don't think you understand... can you
come back?" to which I pretty much had to say "yes", so... well... now
I'm playing piano for the Liverpool stake choir for Stake conference...
it's quite exciting for a missionary.
"therefore have we not great reason to rejoice?"
Love,
Elder Sapaden
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