Rain, Sleet, or Snow - Out One Month

Aaaaand it's snowing in Fonda, New York. 

...yay...

Don't get me wrong, I love the snow.  It's pretty, it's fluffy, and it means that the two biggest meals of the year are just around the corner.  But let me be perfectly clear and rather bold for just a moment in saying that snow kinda sucks.  The mission is still great and I can bear with the cold, but now there's all this cold white stuff on the ground that just takes all the fun out of things.  Gone are the days that I can sit down on a park bench after knocking on doors for an hour.  And I knew that when I left for the MTC that my mission would be a proverbial 'trial by fire' for me to see what I'm made of physically and spiritually.  But the term 'trial by fire' almost sounds welcoming when I'm faced with walking in the snow all day.  

Fonda is pretty small...hence the stupidest stoplight in the world.   

Oh and I received my Thanksgiving package...The hand warmers are going to come in might handy - thanks MOM!

But on to the spiritual side of things.  In all of my lessons there are two things that are always brought up without fail.  And I find them to be the two things that bring about the most change in ourselves if they are done consistently in our lives. 

Number One: Jesus Christ.  Not a lesson goes by that we don't look to our Savior for an example.  He is the perfect example of how we should live and act.  As much as I dislike common sayings, the question 'What would Jesus do?' can really change the decisions we make.  If we try to think like Christ, then we will love, act, and serve like Christ.  And though that is a goal we can't obtain, it shouldn't stop us from trying. 

Number Two: Find things out for yourself.  Elder Ayre and I tell everyone we teach to study out the principles we've taught and pray to Heavenly Father for guidance.  We could drag them by the hand to the baptismal font if we wanted to.  But how would that benefit the people we teach?  The people we teach need to know for themselves that what we teach is true, Elder Ayre and I already know the truth of what we teach, and we received our knowledge by studying the scriptures and prayer.  So why should our investigators, or anyone else, find out differently? 

There's a scripture that I read this morning in my personal study in 3rd Nephi that combines these two things perfectly.  The scripture is in 3rd Nephi 17:2-3 which reads:

 2. I perceive that ye are weak, that ye cannot understand all my words which I am commanded of the Father to speak unto you at this time.

 3. Therefore, go ye unto your homes, and ponder upon the things which I have said, and ask of the Father, in my name, that ye may understand, and prepare your minds for the morrow, and I come unto you again.

Jesus Christ himself councils that we should ponder the messages from his life.  What more of a reason should we need to do so? 

I know that through consistent study and prayer we can gain knowledge and wisdom.  Out here in the mission field I study in the scriptures for at least an hour each day, and it has blessed me with greater clarity of thought and understanding of life and our purpose here.  

I challenge everyone else to do so as well.  

Have a great week!  

--Elder Gailey