February 1, 2016

So is that the new temple that they've been building in Provo? And is it an actual temple? What does City Center Temple mean? I've actually been feeling the want to go to the temple for the past couple weeks. The San Diego Temple is very nice, inside and out. The Celestial room is huge and really white. I felt this rush of energy when I stepped into it the first time. (only time I guess).  Hopefully we can go next transfer.

The Superbowl day is going to be hard haha. I still can't believe that as soon as I can't watch football anymore, that's when they go to the Superbowl. The same thing happened with Coronado. The year after I leave they go and win the state championships. I must be cursed. Nate looks like he's grown. Or maybe that's just his hair.

I hope Grandma and Grandpa are safe and I hope they have success on their mission. I know the Lord will protect them and will bless them and their family for their desire to serve. I hope Great Grandma Kidman stays cheerful and hopefully recovers. 

This week we had a long term less active family (minus the dad) come to church. It felt good because our teaching pool has been pretty dry for awhile and it was nice to see something happen. We've visited them a couple times and it's awesome just how much happier the mother looked this week. I hope their light can help the Dad come back as well. 

 

One thing about missionary work is that it's hard. Some areas are just busting at the seams with new people that want to hear the message of the Restored Gospel, but some areas just don't. Some missionaries will spend their mission in both types of areas, some might teach and baptize tons of people their whole mission, some might only baptize 1 or 2 or none at all. Is this what determines the missionary's success? I don't think it is. I think the point of a mission is not a quest of numbers or statistics, but rather a spiritual journey where you learn how to work hard, but also learn how much help the Lord can give you as you put your trust in him to make up the rest. So I think the key to a successful mission is to not base it off of the results you are having, but on the Testimony you are gaining. And you gain testimony as you turn outward and strive to be more Christlike, because that's when you feel the Spirit. So being a missionary is really all about forgetting yourself and seeing how you can leave the area you are in better than when you found it. Sometimes it's when you share the Gospel with someone who is ready to hear it. Sometimes it's when you give service to someone who needs it. That's what I've kind of learned while we have been lacking investigators. Teaching is awesome though I love teaching people. 

Uhhh that's all I got.

Love you guys!

Elder Sherwood