This week we did lots of service and had an amazing zone
training! I've learned so much this week and can't wait to keep on
keeping on!
First, the service. On Wednesday we did not have district meeting
because we have zone training scheduled is week, so we helped Mike and
Crystal work on moving more things to the Mathews house. We were there
for about 3 1/2 hours. We moved everything from TVs to dressers to
desks to beds, you know, the normal moving stuff! We helped them clean
out a car they were selling as well. While we were cleaning the house
and car they told us we could keep whatever change we found. I cam
away nearly $5.50 richer! They also had an Zelda GameCube that someone
had given them, they didn't want it anymore so they just offered it to
me! Don't worry, I've already sent it home and my parents are in
possession of it. It was great being with them, they're some of my
favorite people I've met, definitely a friendship that won't disappear
with transfers. This week there was also a game night and it was great
to see just how comfortable Mike was there, especially because crystal
left for a little bit to watch their kid. He was just fine playing
games with and talking with all the other members at the church!
Saturday morning we met at Brother Haskell's house (they're the
family we had lunch and a nerf war with on Christmas) to drive to the
other side of ranch he lives on to cut wood for a less active member
that lives on the neighboring ranch. Mike also came to that service
project! He said his choices were to either clean the church with the
Mathews or cut wood with us. It took about 30 minutest for driving on
bumpy ranch roads to get out to where we were going to cut wood. We
made it to the spot and starting cutting around 11 and didn't come
back until 3ish. We cut and split probably a little more than 4 cords
of wood. There were some trees that were hanging over the fences that
we got to pull down. Mike and I were on ropes a good distance from the
tree while Bro Williams, the branch mission leader, cut the trunk with
a chainsaw. There's a really satisfying feeling that comes from
pulling on a rope and watching a giant tree fall over. We did that
twice and there were plenty of other trees that were felled without to
use of ropes. We're not allowed to operate power tools of any sort so
Elder Bills and my job was to drag and stack logs. Quite the workout.
I'm still really sore from all the lumber that we moved. But we were
able to meet brother Goff, the less active member. And Mike was able
to really get to know a bunch of the members even better!
Now, Zone Training! The two biggest things we talked about were
becoming consecrated missionaries and repentance. Repentance is so
cool, I'm so great full for it! Repentance allows us to access the
mercy that Christ is waiting to give, and that mercy is what satisfies
the demands of justice. In Alma 36 verses 6 and 14 we learn how wicked
Alma and the Sons of Mosiah were, justice would demand that they were
murdered and destroyed as well. But then in Alma 27:17 it says :
"17 Now the joy of Ammon was so great even that he was full; yea,
he was swallowed up in the joy of his God, even to the exhausting of
his strength; and he fell again to the earth."
That doesn't sound like justice, or murder or destruction to me.
He had so much joy, but Justice says he shouldn't be able to have joy
because of what he did. But mercy satisfies justice and allows us to
change and have joy. In verse 18 it then tells us more about that joy.
"18 Now was not this exceeding joy? Behold, this is joy which
none receiveth save it be the truly penitent and humble seeker of
happiness."
So joy can only truly come by being penitent, which means that
you feel sorrow and regret for doing wrong. The proper form of sorrow,
godly sorrow, leads us to repent. When we repent, we are penitent.
When we are penitent, we repent. The more penitent we are, and the
more we repent, the more joy we can feel! Every time we repent we
become more Christlike. Christ was always happy and filled with joy.
Becoming Christlike includes becoming happier. If we truly repent
everyday then everyday we have a greater capacity to feel joy. Thus
everyday is better than the last and so on and so on into the
eternities. I invite you all to repent! I promise I will be doing the
same. Repentance isn't bad, it is so good and so sweet and evidence
that God really does love us so much.
Here's a funny quote that I think applies perfectly to repentance.
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