"...When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.&qu
Hey Y'all!
THIS WEEK WAS CRAZY!!!
Weekly Update:
It seems as if we have been doing service all week long!
We gave service to 2 non-members, 2 less-actives and a member. We were able to have spiritual conversations at all the service spots. Elder Johnson and I are still getting along great. Neither of us are perfect, but we have a 'companionship inventory' of sorts pretty much every night. After planning we discuss how we can improve and help each other achieve our area goals and we recently wrote 5 personal goals and kept a copy and gave a copy to the other. Throughout the day we check up on each other and try to hold each other accountable to our goals and it seems to be working great!
Tuesday we did service for a less-active member who lives in the sisters area in our district. They wanted some extra help so we were there. We ended up crushing about 100 soda cans and cleaning a bathroom. They fed us lunch and the guy there had a beautiful RC truck! He brought it out and showed it to us. I might try to get a picture of it when we do service for them later this week. They were kinda crazy but very nice and caring! It was a great time.
That night we were going to dinner with our Ward Mission Leader. We went over to their house and Brother Forsythe wasn't home so we decided to go to their backyard and jumped on their trampoline for a few minutes while we waited for him to get home. The trampoline is placed in a hole in the ground so the trampoline is flush with the ground. Elder Johnson and I were jumping and jumped up, landed on our butts and then jumped back up on our feet. While in the process of doing this, Elder Johnson landed on the trampoline, but there was a large cement rock under the trampoline that is low enough for the little kids they have but apparently not for Elder Johnson. He hit the rock and it put a hole in the trampoline and in his slacks. He was in pain for a while and we then went to Texas De Brazil which is a high end, AMAZING Brazilian Steakhouse. We were there for one of their daughters birthday. (Pictures also below) The meat there was exquisite!
Wednesday we went to Village Inn which is a breakfast place. Wednesday is free pie Wednesday at the restaurant and we love going there. To get the free pie you have to buy something else so we decided to get ice cream a few weeks ago but this time they said you had to get something else so I got french toast. When we asked for our check, they said that someone had covered it! This has happened every Wednesday I have been there! (4 times) Whoever it is, thank you!
The first place we gave service on Thursday was a referral from a member. The family was moving to Alabama and needed help moving stuff to their garage. This took us a few hours and we had a great conversation with them while moving boxes. They are both retired and the husband is a retired CIA agent which was super cool. After we finished, they gave us some stuff that they were getting rid of which was super cool. I got a vintage Native American tribal outfit! (Pictures below)
They were both very nice and appreciative of our service. In fact, they gave us another referral. This guy has some sort of health problems and was going to be spreading mulch for the next 3 days (due to the area he was spreading) which was crazy!
We got over there and called in some other missionaries and due to some miscommunication 10 missionaries showed up!!! He only had equipment for a maximum of 4 so we split up. Four of us stayed from 11-2 or so and the others came in at 2 and worked for a couple of hours and we were able to finish his yard in one day instead of 3!!! They were also supper appreciative of our service and bought us lunch, but the best part is they bought a whole pizza for each person!!! It was crazy! I only ate a few pieces so the missionaries at 2 could have some as well. :P Turns out he works for Dell and the only person he reports to is Michael Dell. He is the number 2 employee in the company which is crazy! Oh and his daughter is Miss Colorado this year. She wasn't there but it's crazy to say we did service for their family.
Saturday we went to do service for our Ward Mission Leader. He had us move the cement rocks from under the trampoline which were super heavy, but Elder Johnson appreciated them being moved. We are going later this week to help him replace the net because of the hole. Later that day, we were teaching 2 less-actives and doing service for them; we had decided to bike there because of the wonderful weather. During the lesson, we noticed that big black clouds were rolling in. Knowing that we rode our bikes to their apartment they told us that we should probably start heading back home. On our way back home it started drizzling and the drizzle quickly turned to a down-poor. We got soaked but a member saw us and followed us home. They waited for us to get into some dry clothes and then took us to Freddy's for dinner. We had a super powerful lesson with them. (One of the members was a recent convert and went to the temple at the beginning of this month!)
Doing so much service has changed me. I now have a stronger desire to constantly find someone to serve. This is not because I am a missionary but this is who I am. I loved serving people before but not I have a desire to constantly find people to serve! I invite each of you to serve. Help someone else get back on their feet, help someone do yard work. Serve out of the goodness of your heart. Find people to help. The other day Elder Johnson and I just waved to a person who was driving next to us. The smile on their face was priceless. they were obviously not in the best mood before. Help the world be a better place. You know another good thing about service? If you serve and don't expect anything in return you are in reality becoming more Christlike which is one of our goals in life! Serve for others, not for yourself. All of these people were incredible and loved having us there to help them.
"And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." (Mosiah 2:17)
Spiritual Thought:
So this week I have been thinking a lot about a talk that was given by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland this past week in General Conference titled "Tomorrow, the Lord Will Do Wonders Among You."
He begins his address by stating the love that the General Authorities of the church have for each of us. All of us. No matter who we are, no matter what point we are in in our lives. He talks about how the 10 hours of General Conference is to uplift and motivate. The time we sit watching General Conference helps lift us up and motivates us to do certain things, but sometimes we forget what was said. We need to remember what was said, keep that spirit and motivation with us. It is possible, don't go away from Conference unchanged. Allow it to help you to make a change in your life where you are aligning your will more with the Savior's. Don't fall for the voices of the adversary, of Lucifer. He doesn't want you to improve, he doesn't want you to succeed.
"When there was a controversy in the early Church regarding who was entitled to heaven’s blessings and who wasn’t, the Lord declared to the Prophet Joseph Smith, “Verily I say unto you, [the gifts of God] are given for the benefit of those who love me and keep … my commandments, and [for them] that seeketh so to do.”6 Boy, aren’t we all thankful for that added provision “and … seeketh so to do”!That has been a lifesaver because sometimes that is all we can offer! We take some solace in the fact that if God were to reward only the perfectly faithful, He wouldn’t have much of a distribution list. Please remember tomorrow, and all the days after that, that the Lord blesses those who want to improve, who accept the need for commandments and try to keep them, who cherish Christlike virtues and strive to the best of their ability to acquire them. If you stumble in that pursuit, so does everyone; the Savior is thereto help you keep going. If you fall, summon His strength. Call out like Alma, “O Jesus, … have mercy on me.”7 He will help you get back up. He will help you repent,repair, fix whatever you have to fix, and keep going. Soon enough you will have the success you seek."
I promise you that He will help you if you want to improve. The Lord blesses those who want to improve. He will help you to achieve the things you want to if you have the desire and even just begin to put forth effort. I promise you that "For with God, nothing shall be impossible." He can and does help you!
President George Q. Cannon once taught: “No matter how serious the trial, how deep the distress, how great the affliction, [God] will never desert us. He never has, and He never will. He cannot do it. It is not His character [to do so]. … He will[always] stand by us. We may pass through the fiery furnace; we may pass through deep waters; but we shall not be consumed nor overwhelmed. We shall emerge from all these trials and difficulties the better and purer for them.”
God will never desert us. Never. His hand will always be within reach!
I'd like to end this e-mail and bear my testimony along with Elder Hollands:
"Brothers and sisters, may a loving Father in Heaven bless us tomorrow to remember how we felt today. May He bless us to strive with patience and persistence toward the ideals we have heard proclaimed this conference weekend, knowing that His divine love and unfailing help will be with us even when we struggle—no, will be with us especially when we struggle.
I testify that his love is there constantly - especially when we struggle. God Loves you and cares about you. He only wants the best for you. He wants you to succeed, He wants you to he happy! I know that He is always there. We have to let him in and let him change us. Allow him to help you change your life and become the person you want to be and the person He intends you to be. I just want you all to know that I love you and love my Savior and Redeemer. I am glad to be serving a mission and I know that I have been called of God to serve the people in Colorado Springs Colorado. "I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of Him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life." (3 Nephi 5:13)
If gospel standards seem high and the personal improvement needed in the days ahead seems out of reach, remember Joshua’s encouragement to his people when they faced a daunting future. “Sanctify yourselves,” he said, “for to morrow the Lord will do wonders among you.” I declare that same promise. It is the promise of this conference. It is the promise of this Church. It is the promise of Him who performs those wonders, who is Himself “Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God,... The Prince of Peace.” Of Him I bear witness. Of Him I am a witness. And to Him this conference stands as a testament of His ongoing work in this great latter day.In the name of Jesus Christ, amen."
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Hope you all have a wonderful week and remember to serve others!
Warmest Regards,
Elder Levi Snow Soller
E-mail: levi.soller@myldsmail.net
Mormon.org Profile:
Here is a funny parody our Ward Mission Leader showed us about missionary work.
"When there is no enemy within, the enemy outside can do us no harm."
-African Proverb