So as an update, things are going really great in Tamworth. Our investigators are all taking really strange paths( some quite litterally) Mike is in Hongkong right now, so teaching is on hold. I love teaching him though, he wants to be a member... He just need to strengthen his personal testimony first. We had him reading the BoM each night before he left to HK. We have really great lessons with him. In one particular lesson I received an answer to my fast midway through the lesson and I shared that with him. It was a really powerful experience! I've really come to appreciate the power of fasting on my mission! The first week I came to Tamworth I was asked to give a talk on it, and I've seen the blessings come from it on multiple occasions. It is such a powerful tool of the gospel!
It's a great way to get our minds into the missionary mindset. I find that fasting with a purpose brings your closer to Christ. If you act on that Christlike love you feel, you will bear your testimony though your actions. You will serve those around you and show them greater appreciation, if you follow in this pattern it will lead you to confidently sharing the gospel verbally. So again, fasting is a great tool.
I find that to be the case with most things in the gospel. They're all tools, and the more time we spend finding out how to effectively use them... the greater we can fulfill our purpose as individuals and children of our heavenly father.
I've seen that the relationship between discomfort and comfort is very linear. As we do things that are uncomfortable, that we know are good we begin to become more comfortable doing good things, and we begin to become more comfortable with ourselves. I've come to appreciate that our souls know what we need. I can see that in the people here. Most of the people we talk to are missing something, and they know it. Yet they are so hardened that they do everything they can to deny that this is what fills those cracks. To be honest I think English people are some of the most sincere people in the civilized world. It's amazing how many people here don't believe in God because of the cruelty of the world, and how much people do to try to stop those issues. The English are very happiness oriented, and it's sad to see how callused they are. Because the people who do join the church here are incredible, I mean absolutely incredible. I think frequently the people with the best perspectives on life are those who have very little. It's surprising to see how many of those same perspectives thrive here.
Anyways I was saying, desire proceeds action and action proceeds growth. That's why we set goals as missionaries, and follow up. The pattern of progression in life lies in making and keeping commitments. That is why we do what we do with investigators. But this is so applicable with ourselves. As missionaries we try to become more effective each day, and do so by setting daily weekly and transfer goals.
Too commonly people (definitely happens with investigators) see the lack of closeness with what they want and let that discourage them from acquiring their goals. With investigators, it's understanding the church and feeling the spirit. I've seen that when they focus on how far away it seems, they lose their desire to find their answers. We should NOT let the distance from our goals dampen our desire to achieve our dreams. Positivity is the driving force for action, which is the driving force for change. I'm coming to appreciate more and more every day how positivity reigns triumphant over reluctancy every time. I can see the difference by looking at different missionaries. Those who are here for a specific purpose and are positive learn and do so much more, than those who are not.
I've seen that missionaries get homesick when they think of home, and yet they don't stop doing it! It's helped me realize that we can judge our actions by our desires. If they don't line up, then either our desire is insincere or our actions don't measure up. I've learned a lot since I've been on my mission! My favorite thing I have come to understand better is the Commandments. We are commanded to do things that bring us happiness, that is God's purpose to bring us to a state of eternal joy. Likewise, this desire is reflected by what he commands us to do. He doesn't command us to do these things because He is vain or selfish, but rather that it is the ONLY way we will achieve our purpose. We have been given means to understand everything in the gospel and all the things we need in life. All we have to do is refer to the basics and apply them to our situations. The gospel is so simple, and so is life. I hope everyone is doing alright :) time to go now.
Love you all.
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