Dear Elders and Sisters,
I am busily preparing for this week’s zone
conferences. I love seeing you and learning from you each time we meet
together. I really look forward to discussing with you what we can do to
improve and to hasten the work. I remind you to prepare by studying the talk
“The Consecrated Missionary” by Bishop Geráld Caussé. This talk was translated
into Chinese and mailed out to our local missionaries last week. Everyone
should have a copy in his or her native language by now. Please come prepared
to share what you learned as you studied this talk.
This past week I received many wonderful
emails from missionaries. I especially love reading the things that you learn
from your personal study. I thought I would let you learn from one another by
including some of my favorite quotes from your emails:
"This week in my studies I have been
focusing a lot on the basics. BOM and PMG. Something that especially stuck out
to me this week was in the 6th chapter of PMG about Christlike attributes.
Doubt and fear are the opposite of faith and when we have faith, we can work
miracles. I really believe that faith and hard work is what it takes to see
miracles out on the streets and in lessons. Faith and hard work will bring the
spirit, which will bring about conversion in others, which is one of the
biggest miracles."
"This morning I read in Ether 2:25, which
says, "And behold, I prepare you against these things." I think in
many instances the Lord doesn't "prepare a way" that will remove our
challenges, but rather prepares us (instead of preparing our surroundings or
circumstances) to face our challenges and gives us the strength to overcome
them."
"This week in personal study I was reading
out of the book of Mormon. There was a verse that said often god will call
people and they will resist and say that they are not wise enough to be doing
this. But god doesn't call people because they are wise. He is all knowing,
there is nothing that he doesn't already know. So when he calls us to do
something our knowledge isn't what matters. What matters is that we are willing
to work and that we will be diligent in keeping the commandments and in serving
the lord."
"In my scripture study this week I have
found a lot of answers to questions that were inspired by teaching. Most of
these questions were about how I could clearly communicate a principle that I
knew to be true, but didn't know how to help them understand. As I prayed for
these answers, they came at random moments throughout the week, as I flipped
open the scriptures, sometimes listening to someone else share their favorite,
and sometimes looking for one, and finding something better. I am so grateful
for the scriptures and the clarity they bring to our lives."
"What I learned this week is the word
"Zeal". I decided to work like I am a new missionary. When people ask
me how long I’ve been here I won't let them know. I will also remind myself to
endure till the end and give all I can."
You are amazing people and I love you. See
you in zone conference!
President Blickenstaff
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