Hey everyone,
Another week gone by and I have no idea where it actually went. I
think that that’s how it is going to be from now on. There are so many great
moments that make all the hard times seem like nothing and after a little while
I am able to just brush them off and move forward.
This week we had Zone Conference, which happens every 3 months so it
was cool that I was able to go to it within my first month here. I find that I
feel most at home when I am surrounded by missionaries who are going through
the same trials and experiences that I am going through. I know that everyone
is a different missionary and member of the church, but it is comforting to see
that so many teens are trying to grow closer to the Lord through service.
The main focus of the conference was how our faith is used to find the
principles behind all the rules of the mission and the principles that God
has given to us. You really have to want to have a desire to be better and
closer to you father in heaven. As this wanting grows your ability to put
action behind your words increases. If you have more faith, you will have
more success. Plain and simple. Whether that is being a missionary, a parent or
a youth in the gospel, as your faith increases so will your success in following
the commandments of God. As we learn to humble ourselves and let the Lord
take us by the hand and lead us in our time of trials, our faith in his help
grows and we build upon the light we have.
A little bonus to the conference was the announcement that our
mission will be going online to use Facebook as an online proselyting tool. We
are in the process of making Mormon.org profiles and cleaning up our
personal Facebook pages. It is going to be so cool to teach people from all
over the world and people back home. I cannot wait to broaden my horizon and
really talk to people that I was too scared to talk to before about the gospel.
It’s a huge blessing but at the same time a very big temptation for
wasting time each day living back home through the posts of my friends. I am up
for the challenge though.
I have really discovered the importance we all have in being
missionaries to the people in our lives. There is more to being a member of
this church than just being an example to those around us. We all really need
to look within ourselves and find enough love to serve other people and share
with them the joy the gospel has brought to our life and the life of our
family. This gospel is more than a Sunday religion. It is an everyday thing and
we have to strive to always teach people about it or at least help the
missionaries in your ward know of the people that you feel would benefit from
the message they have been set apart to share.
Hearing stories from men in the ward that have served missions has
really helped me to realize the importance of obedience. Some of their experiences show just how
bad a situation can get if you are not being obedient all the time and
listening to the promptings of the spirit. I don’t want to look back on my
mission with regret in my heart because all I ever did was "knock and
walk". There is never a situation that we cannot change or make happen if
we truly want to.
I have reached the point where the newness of my mission has
worn off and I am ready to get down to work. I am becoming more in tune with
the spirit and finding new ways to lose myself in the great work everyday. I
keep asking myself if I was all alone would I truly serve the Lord how I am now
or am I doing it just because I want my companion to believe that I am
trying to be a great missionary. Its really challenging to stay focused all the
time, especially for me, but I am working really hard, because I know it will
help with everything I want to accomplish on my mission and for the rest
of my life.
The weather here in Arizona has been so great!! All last week
was a little humid during the day and the sky full of huge billowing white
clouds but as the sun started to go down the heavens opened up and
poured down the most rain I have ever seen in such a short period of time.
There is Lightning that lights up the whole sky and deep thunder rolling
everywhere. Its so much fun to be out riding to or from an appointment when it
hits and just getting soaked haha
This next Saturday Elder Pettingill and I have the great opportunity
to go to the Mesa temple to witness a sealing session of a member family. The
Crandells have just adopted 4 new kids and the oldest one they adopted just got
baptized right before I came out. They now have 8 kids so the sealing rooms
should be packed. It will be a great experience! One I am sure I will never
forget.
Apparently my favorite primary song is Happy Birthday... at least that’s
what my companion said I told him a couple of nights ago in my sleep. (For those
of you who don’t know, I talk in my sleep ALL the time haha) He said he asked
me all sorts of questions and I answered them very specifically and most of
them made perfect sense but then there was the question of what my favorite
primary song was and I yelled out in a weird voice "Happy Birthday!!"
and then stopped talking and continued sleeping haha
This is what has been going on in my mission and I am loving every
minute of it.
Love you all.
Elder Cole Safford
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