HI. What a beautiful day. The sun is shining
here and the dust is blowing, and it awesome! I Just want to say HAPPY FATHERS
DAY, belated one day. Dad I love you, and it is good to hear that you were
taken care of by that wonderful wife of yours who I call Mom. I am so happy
that even Skyler and you were able to go and fish like men! ahaha. Did you
catch anything? Ah, what am I talkin, of course you did! How could you not when
you go with the experts. =)
Yesterday, as we were riding in the matatu,
they were listening to the radio station, and there was a talk show going on.
What I heard really touched my heart. They were giving time for all of these
people to call in and wish there dads a Happy Fathers Day, and there were some
accounts where some of these people just had all of these good things to say
about their Fathers, or mothers for some of those that did not have fathers. It
just made me think about how special it is that we have the opportunity on this
earth to have such wonderful men in our lives, and just to have this beautiful
family that loves us, and that we can love back. I was really thinking a lot
about each one of you yesterday, and how much I really do love and appreciate
you. I am so glad that my loving and perfect Father who is in Heaven, sent me
to such a caring and supportive family that I can be with together, in the
gospel, for all of eternity...that is what it is about. Those were and are just
some of my thoughts.
Yesterday, I was writing in my journal, and
just thinking through the week about what has gone on, and what we have been
able to get done in the Lords service, and all I could write was simply just
how grateful I am about everything. I think that on the times that I do actually
write in my journal, that is all I can write, and my testimony. This whole
week, that is also something that I have really tried to focus on, gratitude. I
was saying a few weeks ago that what I wanted the most was to be more loving
like my Savior Jesus Christ, and be able to show charity as He did. I found
that as I strove to gain such, I was becoming filled with gratitude and
thanksgiving for all that God my Father in Heaven has given unto me, unto our
family, and just to those that I have been able to meet through my life. I want
to continue to love as He did, and I know that as I do, I will be able to
become less selfish and become more selfless. What a change of heart I continue
to desire for. I think that affects all other aspects of my life, and the work.
Hand in hand with all of the other attributes of our Savior Jesus Christ, I
know that I will be able to accomplish the tasks and the change that I continue
to desire. This life is about continuing and making the best of every bit that
is given to us. See the light, and follow it.
This week has been full of great moments and
also of some disappointments. We only were able to extend about 3 of the 12
Baptism Dates that we had planned sincerely to accomplish. It hurt to see these
friends of ours not progress, and it was frustrating, but those that we did
have the opportunity to share with, and extend, we found really were prepared,
and ready for the Gospel message in their life, ready to act. Those others will
still be ready, but we will let God also do His part, the part that we cannot
even come close to playing. Yesterday at church we had one of our friends that
we have been teaching for some time, and other missionaries had been teaching
for some time, come to church. Her name is Catherine. It has been about two
years that she has been trying to understand this message more fully. WELL, she
just wanted some time to meet us. She is in her thirties, and she has a
daughter. She is single, and she is really a great person. She does all she can
to just follow the Bible and what it teaches, she knows all of the churches
around, and let’s just say, she is ready for the True, Full Gospel message. It
seems that as of late she has really been having some challenges in her life
that have changed the direction of her thoughts. She has taken in the daughter
of another broken family around, and that makes two daughters now that she is
providing for. She was asking for advice from us....and we again extended
baptism...and she almost fully accepted, but something is holding her back. She
sees that so many of the things within the Church are right, but she needs to
know that it is truly the Church of Jesus Christ Himself, and not just any
other church out there. I love that I got that specific chance to testify to
her of what I know to be true, and see her being overwhelmed with the spirit.
It was amazing, and I just know that she will be baptized. She told me she
wants to be baptized before I leave...so CROSS FINGERS!....and of course we
will continue to pray. I would encourage that all who ever needs a direct
answer from God, just to pray to Him, and listen with full intent. It works. It
is true. Enjoy your week! Love you.
Elder Andreasen
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