Week 17
Dear Everyone,
This week has shown me a lot. I’ve had great experiences and
things have been made clearer to me as I’ve done my best to desire to know
them. I really have seen how our Heavenly Father reveals things to us “line
upon line”. I only wish I had more time to spend in the scriptures. There is so
much information, doctrine, and revelation to be found in the scriptures it’s
really amazing.
A scripture that has stuck out to me recently is kind of what
I’d like to share about this week. In general conference, Elder John C. Pingree
(who literally just visited our mission) gave a talk and in that talk he shared
this verse of scripture, “if you desire, you shall be the means of doing much
good in this generation”. That really struck me when I heard it and it was
shared again in a talk this past Sunday. We can play a role in bringing about
“much good” and it all starts with our desires. If we let that desire work in
us and we act on that desire then we can accomplish so much. “The Lord has more
in mind for you than you have in mind for yourself!” Isn’t that exciting? I can
speak from my experience that it can be exciting and it can be really hard too.
It is super humbling to follow someone else’s plan for you rather than your
own.
That is something that is hard for me to do. Letting someone else take the wheel is not very comfortable for me. But if I trust who’s at the wheel it makes the world of difference. Before I even came out on my mission I had to develop a greater sense of trust in my Heavenly Father. We have an investigator right now named Garrett and he’s opened up to us about his struggle to believe in something he can’t see and touch. That opened my eyes to understand that this life is a time to demonstrate the faith that we have in our Heavenly Father and His plans for us. To become as little children and be led by Him. One of my favorite hymns is “Lead, Kindly Light”. Some of the lyrics are “I loved to choose and see my path; but now, Lead thou me on!...Pride ruled my will.” I really did and still to a degree do love to choose and see my path laid out before me. And I can say that pride did rule my will because I wanted to lead myself. But when I realized that by following my own path I wasn’t where I wanted to be, I was humbled just enough to start taking steps in a direction I knew my Heavenly Father wanted me to go. Because of those steps, I am where I am. I truly believe I am where I need to be. And I believe that I can bring about “much good” because I desired to have something better. I know that God has more in mind for me than even I have in mind for myself. I don’t want to follow a path that will lead me away from those things He has in store for me.
Also, like what was said by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, in this General Conference, “if I know the way home [but] am walking along it drunkenly, is it any less the right way simply because I am staggering from side to side?” I’m not perfect at executing everything the Lord asks of me but I’m doing my best. And I know that I will be “judged according to [my] works...and the desires of [my] heart”. That gives me a lot of hope because my desire is there. I’m looking forward to learning the lessons that Heavenly Father has for me and I know He has a lot of lessons for all of you to learn as well. The great thing is that He needs us all to help Him fulfill His purpose to bring His children back to Him. We all play a role and we’re all important to Him. Have the desire and the courage to “be the means for much good”! Thank you to everyone who has sent prayers, letters, and emails my way! They all mean a lot and they make my day! Have a great week!
That is something that is hard for me to do. Letting someone else take the wheel is not very comfortable for me. But if I trust who’s at the wheel it makes the world of difference. Before I even came out on my mission I had to develop a greater sense of trust in my Heavenly Father. We have an investigator right now named Garrett and he’s opened up to us about his struggle to believe in something he can’t see and touch. That opened my eyes to understand that this life is a time to demonstrate the faith that we have in our Heavenly Father and His plans for us. To become as little children and be led by Him. One of my favorite hymns is “Lead, Kindly Light”. Some of the lyrics are “I loved to choose and see my path; but now, Lead thou me on!...Pride ruled my will.” I really did and still to a degree do love to choose and see my path laid out before me. And I can say that pride did rule my will because I wanted to lead myself. But when I realized that by following my own path I wasn’t where I wanted to be, I was humbled just enough to start taking steps in a direction I knew my Heavenly Father wanted me to go. Because of those steps, I am where I am. I truly believe I am where I need to be. And I believe that I can bring about “much good” because I desired to have something better. I know that God has more in mind for me than even I have in mind for myself. I don’t want to follow a path that will lead me away from those things He has in store for me.
Also, like what was said by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, in this General Conference, “if I know the way home [but] am walking along it drunkenly, is it any less the right way simply because I am staggering from side to side?” I’m not perfect at executing everything the Lord asks of me but I’m doing my best. And I know that I will be “judged according to [my] works...and the desires of [my] heart”. That gives me a lot of hope because my desire is there. I’m looking forward to learning the lessons that Heavenly Father has for me and I know He has a lot of lessons for all of you to learn as well. The great thing is that He needs us all to help Him fulfill His purpose to bring His children back to Him. We all play a role and we’re all important to Him. Have the desire and the courage to “be the means for much good”! Thank you to everyone who has sent prayers, letters, and emails my way! They all mean a lot and they make my day! Have a great week!
Love,
Elder Anderson
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