August 17, 2010

Howdy,
Fantastic week---lots of good stuff happened! First, on Sunday we had a guy ask us if he could take the lessons. He is not a member and just married a member. They don't even live in our boundaries, but they won't go to their ward 'cause her ex-husband is there. So for the third time on my mission I will be poaching people to teach from other area's. I'm alright with that, though, and so is our Mission President. It's the other missionaries who get miffed sometimes, lol. We have our first lesson Wednesday night.

The second great thing is we got to listen to a member of the Quorum of the 70 yesterday. Elder Ringwood who is married to one of Elder Nelson's daughters and is from Roosevelt area spoke to us. He spoke on three laws that are in play as you live the Gospel. He likened it all to missionary work, both investigators and us missionaries, but I will be general. The three laws are as follows: obedience, sacrifice, and consecration, in that order. He spoke of how desire kicks off the first law, which is obedience; then he told us how to get people to move through the levels and go from one to another. So say an investigator we are teaching has started praying and going to church---they are living the law of obedience. Then say they give up some of their time to serve a church calling or a mission---it then lifts them to the law of sacrifice. Now here is the neat part; nothing they outwardly do can lift them to the law of consecration---they can do all they want, but if their heart is not in it, it is then still sacrifice. This is why the Christlike attribute of charity is the greatest of all and without it a man is nothing, because charity is the Pure Love of Christ and if you have the Pure Love of Christ then you will do the right things with the right frame of mind---not 'cause you're told to or obligated to do something, but 'cause you know your choice is in line with God's Will and that knowledge makes you happy.

Think about it: what can we give God that he doesn't have? 10% tithing... no he doesn't need our money, our efforts... not really 'cause if we don't do it, he will get someone else to; any of our resources... nope, don't forget He is God... all we have to give, all we can do for him is surrender our will and turn our hearts over to him, just as our ultimate example Christ did in Gethsemane saying "Thy Will be Done." This is the most pivotal thing I've learned on my Mission; not just yesterday, but I've been piecing this together for 17 months now. To change the world you can live the law of sacrifice, but if your smart you'll live the law of consecration instead, 'cause then you change yourself while your at it and the difference between the two is charity, the Pure Love of Christ.

I didn't plan on writing all that---usually I just get on and type whatever has happened, but sometimes my thoughts creep out and it kinda feels good to get them on "paper". I do that sometimes, too, when I get frustrated. I write down just what I'm thinking it really helps 'cause then I can see and read my thoughts and they don't bounce off the walls of my head.

One of our recent converts is going to stake conference with us on Saturday, as well as a new member fireside... they are always good.

Well, love y'all and I'll see ya around.
Love,
Elder Schroeder
Reported by Mom