The Best Thing is They Keep Trying

From Mason Blettenberg
Teaching in Ireland

If we don't try were just 

LATTER-DAY SINNERS

if we don preserver were just

LATTER-DAY QUITTERS 

and if we don't allow others to try were just 

LATTER-DAY HYPOCRITES

as we try to preserver and help others to do the same we are truly 

LATTER-DAY SAINTS 

- Elder Dale G. Renlund 

HOWDY EVERY ONE!

I found this quote my studies today and I really like it. Why? Well I have really understood how unperfect I really am as a person. I mean, I'm not all that great. I sin, lie, think bad thoughts, am sometimes lazy, and I complain. But you know what I really am? I am a hard working missionary that puts my his shoulder to the wheel every week to try to be better, think better, and act better. No one on this earth is better than another. We are all beloved children of God and this is something that we need to be smiling about. The best thing about Latter-day Saints is they keep trying.

 

This week has been up, down, left, and right. First, to start of the week, we had to travel to the area were I started my mission for exchanges with the zone leaderss and a leadership meeting. I got to go teaching with the first man I baptized. That was a cool thing to do, to teach with him...

 

A Church member who is coming back to activity stopped contacting us for the whole week, so we gave her space and then tried visiting  her at the end of the week. She is not doing too good. My heart goes out to people like her who are trying so hard. Just trying is hard for them. I know how they feel and  I love them for it. The number one thing I love about my mission is God's children. They are what puts a smile on my face. You always hear missionaries say, "love the people," but you really don't know what it means unttil you love them. It is the greatest thing ever to love and preach the gospel at the same time. What a blessing!

Well, I wish you all well and love you all so much. And don't forget to be a Latter-day Saint !

 

Elder Blettenberg

A Desire To Do Good

From Cambree King

Teaching in Honduras 

This week, we found a new investigator named Rosa. She is 14 years old, and like I have always said, there is power in children. She basically invited herself to church before we even mentioned anything and she showed up in a cute black and white dress and was so happy to be there. More than anything, I can tell that there is something extremely special about her. When you look at her, you can just feel the desire she has to do good. Her family is pretty wild and her mom is absolutely hilarious. She is so sweet and she is now preparing to be baptized. For some reason I feel like I know her, but really know her. They always say that sometimes that comes from friends we had in the pre-existence and I feel like it goes back to then. And like I said... poderoso ninos... it’s the way to go. Five of the investigators we brought to church are under the age of 18. Finally, Jeimy Astrid and Ivan came to church. We have been teaching them for several weeks now, but they finally came with us yesterday. They sure walked as slow as possible as they followed us there and walked in with forced smiles, but I know that they felt the spirit there. They are so sweet and I have come to love them so much.

....little funny story to make you laugh as you imagine it. We have to wash our clothes downstairs in a pila outside. On Saturday, we noticed a whole herd of giant ants. I have seen them before, but  I didnt think much of it. As I went over to start to wash, the ants attacked me...  literally attacked... I got bit a good 20 times and then we just ran. My companion went to get a chair so she could sit while I washed but as soon as she set it down we were both on top. In the middle of the night with only a flashlight surrounded by attacking ants. I’m sure it looked quite funny... the problem is I still had to rinse my clothes or rescue them. With both of us on the chair we hopped a couple yards over to the pila and iI  I quickly dumped a few buckets on my clothes and we headed out. It was quite a night of experiences but something fun to remember about life here in Honduras! Haha!

A Warm Smile and a Hand to Help

From Dominic Shaw, 
Teaching in Korea

Doctrine and Covenants section 45 verse 28 is the Lord's promise that, "when the times of the Gentiles is come in, a light shall break forth among them that sit in darkness, and it shall be the fullness of my gospel."  The promise is that the Gospel itself, as restored through the prophet Joseph Smith, will be the light that leads God's children back to his presence, but I submit that we as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are to be the points from which this light shines forth. It isn't hard to radiate this light.  All we have to do is continue in God by showing an interest in our fellow man (D&C 50:24).

I learned the validity of this principle here in Korea, when I met Brother Seo.  We were waiting in the bus terminal in Sacheon ( a small town in the area where we are teaching) for a bus to take us back to Samcheonpo, where we live.  As we were waiting, an 18 year old kid walked by and greeted us with a "hello" in English. This is quite common in Korea.  I decided to have some fun and see how much English he actually knew and  responded with a cheery "Hello! How are you?" a phrase most students are equipped with.  This lead to a nice little conversation in which we explained we were missionaries, exchanged numbers with Brother Seo and went our separate ways.

Later we began meeting with Brother Seo and he began attending our church because of the deep conviction he's always held that church will bless his life.  He is still in the process of investigating our church, but the point of this story however comes with what Brother Seo told me that first Sunday he attended our branch.  In explaining his reason for coming to church he said, "You were different.  I say 'hello' to foreigners all the time, but I've never received any more than a 'hello' in response.  When you asked 'how are you?' I sensed that you were different and I wanted to know more."

It's that easy.  It's a warm smile, a hand to help.  It's being a true brother or sister to everyone around us.  I promise that as we strive to treat all of God's children the way we would treat our own immediate family that the light of the Gospel which radiates from us will indeed grow "brighter and brighter until the perfect day."