A Recurring Lesson

Hey Hey everyone! It is a great day to be a missionary. It is great to hear that things are great back home in the 801. Lindsay, the video you sent me of Maxwell jumping made me proud. If anyone is going to be breaking the Layton High high jump record I expect it to be my nephew. I can't wait for the day when I can actually meet that little guy!

Well to get into the week, we had interviews with President and Sister Badger this week. Basically, they come to the stake center and we get about fifteen minutes with each of them to talk about things. It was great. They are such incredible people. I have so much to learn from each of them and I am so grateful that I can serve with them. President and I had a great talk about charity. It is one attribute I have been studying a lot lately. I have found that it is the number one attribute that I wish to develop the most on my mission. In Moroni 7, it talks about how Charity is the pure love of Christ and in Mosiah 2:17 it states that when we are in the service of our fellow being we are only in the service of our God. What better way to show God our love than by loving and serving his children? When we are truly able to develop the Christ-like attribute of Charity, it becomes easier to put others before yourself and it becomes much easier to knock doors in the cold all day. 

 It was definitely a week that I am not too fond of. It was one of the rougher weeks of my mission in all honesty. I haven't really missed home too much until this week. Suddenly a wave of homesickness hit me. It was pretty crazy. I think that it is a culmination of things. A new area and a new companion, investigators who aren't progressing like we’d hope, and lessons falling through. I miss you guys, I miss my friends, I miss music, and I miss having time to just relax and sit by myself.

We spent the majority of the week doing a lot of finding. We needed some new investigators so we hit the streets. Not a ton of success unfortunately. I have felt like we have been working hard but we haven't really seen the results. Yesterday while I was sitting in Gospel Doctrine I was kind of stewing. I was pretty frustrated with things and this continued until after church and well into the evening. I had a pretty salty attitude that really isn't like me. When we got home from Church, I knelt down to pray for some help. When I finished the prayer, nothing miraculous happened and I didn't really feel any different. So, I decided we ought to just get back to work. After our dinner, we decided to try to stop by to see one of our investigators. When his landlord opened the door and told us he wasn't home, that discouragement came back... For about thirty seconds. We were about to leave the porch when I was prompted to keep talking to him.  As we talked to the landlord, we found out his name and talked to him about the church. Turns out he has had a pretty rough life and lost both his daughter and wife to cancer. He lives alone. We were able to testify of eternal families and the Plan of Salvation. He then became our newest investigator. When we were driving home, I felt this feeling of joy that I haven't felt for a little bit. It was one of those I want to yell out the windows screaming to music (approved hymns and primary songs of course) kind of feelings. All those feelings of discouragement and frustration seemed to disappear at the slightest sign of interest. I am not sure that this man will progress, but it was exactly what I needed to boost my spirits. I can testify that God truly does hear and answer our prayers. It may not be in ways we expect or immediately, but he will always answer our prayers.

I notice this email is getting a little lengthy so I will close with a spiritual thought of the week. You guys know my favorite scripture of Ether 12:6. "We receive no witness until after the trial of our faith." I learn that lesson over and over on my mission. The Lord "tries our faith" all the time so that he can trust us to receive the blessings he wishes to bestow upon us. Some days on a mission are frustrating and discouraging but in the end, the joyous feelings when someone accepts the gospel washes away all those negative feelings. Some days, missionary work is the last thing I want to do, but at the end of the day, I love this work. I love Iowa (well Illinois currently). I miss you guys more than I can say, but there is a lot of work to be done before I get to see you again. I love you. Have a great week.

Current LHS High Jump Record Holder,

Elder Obray