So this week I got sick and it was NOT fun at all because we had to keep working. Also, we're in February and we already are almost at 100 degree weather again... So just remember that while you're all freezing over there I'm sweating over here:)
Nothing really crazy or exciting really happened this week. It was just a really solid week of work and we had a lot of success. Something that really impacted me this week was something that we read in our companionship study. It says "Every challenge you face, every hard thing you confront, every bad thing that happens to you, every unfairness, every conflict, every sadness, tragedy, every disappointment and heartache, every temptation, and every opposition happens for one purpose only: to give you an OPPORTUNITY to respond by applying in your life the teachings of Jesus. As you do so you are changed to become more like him. If you were never presented with some advantage to be gained by dishonesty, such as recognition, or money, or a better grade on a test or avoidance of punishment or embarrassment, you could never develop integrity. If no one ever offended you, you could never learn to forgive or internalize mercy. Were you never wearied by the annoying behavior of another or the repeated failures of someone else you could never become patient. Were you never subjected to the appetites and passions of the physical body for food, for water, and for sexual fulfillment you could not develop self mastery. Without opposition the plan would be frustrated, you could not progress and the purpose of life would be achievable."
The purpose of this life is to become like Christ. For that reason we've been given agency to be able to act. We are constantly changing in this life. To believe that weaknesses and deficiencies in your character are unchangeable is to reject the central truth of the plan of salvation. We just have to make a decision to follow Christ and commit to it. I love the gospel and the opportunity it gives each of us to be able to change.
Elder Anderson
Nothing really crazy or exciting really happened this week. It was just a really solid week of work and we had a lot of success. Something that really impacted me this week was something that we read in our companionship study. It says "Every challenge you face, every hard thing you confront, every bad thing that happens to you, every unfairness, every conflict, every sadness, tragedy, every disappointment and heartache, every temptation, and every opposition happens for one purpose only: to give you an OPPORTUNITY to respond by applying in your life the teachings of Jesus. As you do so you are changed to become more like him. If you were never presented with some advantage to be gained by dishonesty, such as recognition, or money, or a better grade on a test or avoidance of punishment or embarrassment, you could never develop integrity. If no one ever offended you, you could never learn to forgive or internalize mercy. Were you never wearied by the annoying behavior of another or the repeated failures of someone else you could never become patient. Were you never subjected to the appetites and passions of the physical body for food, for water, and for sexual fulfillment you could not develop self mastery. Without opposition the plan would be frustrated, you could not progress and the purpose of life would be achievable."
The purpose of this life is to become like Christ. For that reason we've been given agency to be able to act. We are constantly changing in this life. To believe that weaknesses and deficiencies in your character are unchangeable is to reject the central truth of the plan of salvation. We just have to make a decision to follow Christ and commit to it. I love the gospel and the opportunity it gives each of us to be able to change.
Elder Anderson