2/13/17

Well it's week 6. Sometimes I think I'm not trunky but then I'm like hey guys it's week 6 transfer 10 lol. Hey guys guess what I only have this many weeks left lol. Hey guys my mission is so fast lol. *cries*


I learned a lot this week about being positive. It was a good reminder and it taught me a more clear way of explaining to myself what I already knew. I theoretically knew already that your thoughts control everything and that being happy or being miserable is a decision, but it's been hard for me to put it into practice just on my mission. My the attribute I'm trying to develop this transfer is discernment and I learned that it's actually kind of hard.
Moroni said "For behold, my brethren, it is given unto you to judge, that ye may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain, that ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night." (Moroni7:15)
So when I've read that I've thought yeah so likeit's obvious if you're listening to the spirit or not. At any given moment I can just know if I'm being influenced by Satan or the Spirit and it'll be really obvious like if I looked outside and it was blazing hot noon day sun or pitch black night time.

However, I've learned a lot this transfer about how subtle and how crafty the adversary really is. He doesn't sound a trumpet and try to tell you to go crazy and do something you would never do. Some commandments are really easy to keep like thou shalt not kill. So like just don't murder anyone and you good. Therefore Satan doesn't chill on your shoulder and be like "I think you should kill that man." That would never work. He knows that he can't outright get you to do something that you would never do. So he has to first change what you're willing to do and he does that by lies and deceit. " he leadeth [you] by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth [you] with his strong cords forever" (2Nephi26:22) So if he can have you think that you're less or that you're not progressing so that you stop progressing and become disillusioned  that's what he will do. Also he uses such cunning lies. He will tell you that you need to repent, which is true, in such a way that you feel like you never can, which is a lie. So he will point out your sins, which is something that the Holy Ghost does too, then you can mistake it for the Holy Ghost's influence. For me it's being less than perfectly humble and charitable. So both the Spirit and the not spirit tell me I'm prideful. Then if I listen to the Spirit I learn a lesson about humility, but if I listen to the adversary I feel like the most prideful person that has ever lived and I get discouraged and want to give up.

If Satan can make you discouraged so that you want to give up then you're listening to the voice of the evil one. We are taught "every man receiveth wages of him whom he listeth to obey, and this according to the words of the spirit of prophecy; therefore let it be according to the truth." (Alma3:27) If we start to listen to the adversary by becoming discouraged so that you don't progress you will receive what he then has to give you which is bad advice. When you start listening to him he will start to make suggestions. "You don't like... HAVE to go to church today. I mean..... you ALWAYS go to church... and besides.... you're don't so poorly right now that you're probably not even worthy to take the sacrament which is the point of church so why go?" Then when you start to listen to his suggestions you just are on not a very good path and the end of it is "WHY ARE YOU MISSIONARIES KNOCKING ON MY DOOR I HAVEN'T BEEN TO CHURCH IN 25 YEARS DON'T YOU KNOW I'M NOT INTERESTED I WISH EVERYONE WOULD JUST STOP COMING BY BAD WORD ETC ETC." People don't just wake up one day thinking like this.

But wait! Moroni said that I can have a perfect knowledge if something is good or bad. This is really scary! This doesn't sound like I can know with a perfect knowledge. This sounds like I'm going to be unsure all the time! Moroni goes on to say, "For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God." (Moroni7:16). The way that you can tell if an influence comes from God is by it's fruits. Does it make you feel like repenting and being devoted? Does it make you feel like you love the Lord so much and are so thankful for his blessings, or does it make you feel like you can never make it to the Celestial kingdom? Does it make you feel like you can't be as good as someone else? 

You can know with a perfect knowledge who is trying to influence you, but you have to bother to ask. I learned this week that not only are you able to tell who your thoughts come from, but that you can't afford NOT to examine every thought that comes into your mind. 

I learned a lot more this week too, but I don't know if I will be able to make it make sense or if it's necessarily relevant to share so I'll just say this: 

God lives and he loves us. Therefore He will not discourage us. He actually wants us to come home to Him. He will not tell us that we are incapable of ever coming back to our heavenly home. In fact He sent His only begotten son to suffer everything we have to suffer and show us the way. Then he speaks to us still today anytime we ask in sincere prayer. He answers our questions and he reaches out to our aid. In this way he teaches us line upon line precept upon precept the principles that we need to know to return to live with him. 

I leave these things with you in the name of Jesus Christ amen. 

Here's some quotes: 

"What's the secret to being married for 48 years?" -Sister DeHaan 

"Never give up." -Sister Seegmiller

"The secret is Sister Seegmiller gets some kind of medal in the next life." -Elder Seegmiller

"We invited her to be baptized, but she said she has a commitment to Buddha she needs to fulfill." -Elder Mills

"Our investigator is going to get baptized, but when we went to see her she ran way." -Elder Rubon

"Where did she go?" -Elder Cheever

"We don't know." -Elder Gibb

"She also had a commitment to Buddha she needed to fulfill." -Elder Ahlstrom

"Transfer calls next week." -me 

"The APs are going to start accepting money on Thursday." -Elder Mills

"Sorry we're being ghetto and making you read off paper." -Sister Bauer

"Listen if you have time to play a board game give me a call. I've got some ideas." -Sister Clark

"When our kids said they were bored what did I give them?" -Sister Clark

"hehe... a toilet brush." -President Clark

"I don't think that word has been spoken in our house for 20 years!" -Sister Clark

"I'm not here to frighten you I'm here to enlighten you!" -Earthquake guy 

"Alma the older was having a hard time when his son was being a rat." -Sister Worthen

Here's a reading assignment: 

What's something that causes you alarm or anxiety? How can you overcome it? 

Therefore They Hushed Their Fears By Elder Bednar