To: Jolene Wright
Sent: Thursday, September 29, 2011 8:53 PM
Subject: "Where you are it is always good weather, ALWAYS"
There is in the mission field the tendency to be discouraged. Sometimes a missionary will tell me, " I have had just a miserable day. Everything has gone wrong, and I am discouraged. It just isn't going to go right. I feel very depressed." Should that be you, I would say, " Well, I am glad to hear that. At least I know you are normal.! DId you know its not either normal or healthy to be on cloud 9 all of the time?" -Elder Packer
Some would say that I ( elder wright ) am happy and on cloud 9 all of the time, but this week has showed to me that I am compleltly "normal," haha. It has been a long week here in West Point. Walking 6-10 miles a day, on the streets for 9 hours straight with no chance to have a break, sweating from every pore, in 100% humity, and maybe if we are lucky by the end of the day having a chance to talk to 1 person ( not always positive ). This definitely will get old really fast. But on monday as I was walking, a familiar story came into my head, and as I walked on the streets I just died of laughter. I was thinking of one of my favorite talks. I want to share a part with you now, that helps me to keep going, each and every day of my life. " Have you ever seen an angry driver who, when someone else makes a mistake, reacts as though that person has insulted his honor, his family, his dog, and his ancestors all the way back to adam? Or have you had an encounter with the overhanging cupboard door left open at the wrong place and the wrong time which has been cursed, condemned, and avenged by a sore headed victim? THERE IS AN ANTIDOTE FOR TIMES SUCH AS THESE: LEARN TO LAUGH. The next time you're tempted to groan, you might try to laugh instead. It will extend your life and make the lives of all those around you more enjoyable!" -Elder Wirthling. So lets recap a few incidents in which I had to use this fantastic antidote in my life this week. 1. Lets start with monday, we had district meeting from 1130-1230 and than Elder Chang and I had finding planned for the rest of the day. That means we would be walking the streets for at least 9 hours. Well, the end of the day came and we had a great day, then I thought I would talk to one last person before I went in for the night, try and give him his salvation and what not. Well, instead he gave me his cup of boiling hot coffee which indeed stained my suit ruining it. laughed. 2. Going up to my previous area of service trying to help those missionaries recover recent investigators that have left since I left. We had a lesson with me and the new missionary, well the investigator, my best friend, called me that night and said he will never in his life see that missionary again. Laughed. ( broke my heart but I know Heavenly Father has a plan for him. Right now I am not sure what it is, nor is he ) 3. We had a typhoon this week and were locked in our houses for a full 24 hours, no food, no water, laughed 4. I was walking down the stairs as we were finding in my last suit that I owned. Slipped and ripped the pants all the way from the crouch down to the ankle, that was a fun hour walk home, laughed. 5. A man thought it would be funny to spit in my face, laughed 6. We were contacting a lady who is from Hong Kong. I'm talking chinese and she says in chinese, " I don't understand english. " Well mam I'm speaking chinese! LAUGHED. Those are just a few of the many incidents I had an opportunity to use this antidote in my life and I'm so grateful for it. The joys of a mission. These are all perfect moments that I had an opportunity to grow close rto many h.f., because I could have reacted in so many different ways, but where would that have got me? This journey out here is an emotional rollar coaster and I am so grateful for it. Through each and every trial, we are able to learn so much and continue onward on the path of righteousness to return to our Father in Heaven again. A mission is the most rewarding thing, yes, there is a lot of trials and hard times, but when you focus on the blessings of a mission its then that you will start to love your time out in the field. When you truely love the people with all your heart and are willing to do anything for them, it's then that you are fulfulling your purpose as a representative of christ.
" I thnk a friend is someone who will alays be around you whenever you face challenges and difficulties in your life, to give you a hand and being sincere and trust each other anytime" -19 years old
" I thnk a friend is a kind of support, there will have so many happen in everyones life and can share the things with friend no matter happy or unhappy" -45 years old
" friend means to me he or she will be nice to you and want to stay with you through thick and thin, no matter what happens, they will love sharing their feelings with you and you with them" -22 years old
"I think real friends understand peoples situations, they trust each other. They are like family outside of the homes, to me sometimes friends are one way Jesus Christ will show his love to us because no body can survive in this tough world with out family but because we don't always have families Heavenly Father will put friends in our paths as we go to work, church, and school. Its just one way Christ shows his love for us." -17 years old
"Somebody you treat like family" - 19 years old
"Friends mean the world to me, really. Sometimes like family. I feel so relaxed and comfortable with him or her. No need to pretend. ALways so friendly towards each other. I can do what I want to do and say what I want to say and he or she will always support and love me. They wont ever judge or critize me or my opinions. We really love each other and we both know it. We are always there for each other." -21 years old
"The ultimate friend to me is Jesus Christ " - 6 years old
DnC 121: Thy friend will stand by thy side
Ex 33:11 Lord spoke unto moses...as a man speaketh to his friend
Job 42:10 pray ye for your friends ( pray ye for your enemies for one day they will be your best friends )
Proverbs 17:17 friend loveth at all times
27:17 Iron sharpenth an iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend
John 15:13 That a man layeth down his own life for his friend
What are you willing to do for your friends? I was given a chance to do a sharing on friends.. so I asked a few of my friends and above are the answers that I have recieved. What does it really take to convert our investigators, friends, families, loved ones, collegaues, class mates, and people we see as we walk on the streets? Of course the gift of the holy ghost, without we can not do anything and there will be no conversion. But how can we make them feel more comfortavle so they can feel the holy ghost easier, faster and stronger? Through our relationship with them... they are not just numbers to us as missionaries, they are our best friends from the pre-exsistance! They are waiting for us to find them again. These are our best friends and Heavenly Father is and has been preparing them for a long time. When we see them, we need to do the best we can to help them remember us, one way is through sharing our testimonies with them because it will bring all unto their remembrance. Through our testimonies they will hear bit and pieces of their own testimonies they once had and still have! Friends are so important in this world. As a missionary I have come to realize the importance of friendship. A lot of missionaries come out into the field and want to get the highest numbers, set records, and beat everyone elses numbers. I have come to find out for myself thats a bunch of bull crap. That is not why we are here. We are here to find our best friends, to love and support them through their lives. Sometimes, they don't need to be taught the gospel day after day, sometimes all they need is your example. Sometimes all they need is your friendship. Thats where conversion starts with some people. Everyone is different but as I was flipping through the childrens hymn book I came across a song, I'm not sure the melody or tune of it but the lyrics hit me. I will share them with you now. "1. I'm much to young to go abroad to teach and preach the word of god, but I can show I know it's true, quite simply by the things I do. 2. The people in my neighborhood will judge the gospel bad or good by how I act at work and play, and not just on the sabbath day. 3. I'll take my friend to church with me, where I will act with dignity, my revrence and my happy face will tell him its a sacred place. 4. In EVERYTHING I do he'll see I am what I profess to be, Then when the elders find his door, he ll say " come in and tell me more. " Sometimes through our actions in our daily lives people are being converted and can feel of the holy ghost. Learn to laugh, and love everyone for who they are. Be the friend someone needs you to be. This email is all over the place, but remember come what may and love it. Hong kong is great now that we are allowed out of our apartments again haha! love you all and keep up the great work!
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