It's More Fun in the Philippines:
- Elder L. Whitney Clayton of the Seventy and his Wife came to speak to us this last friday. It was a very uplifting event, and I'm so grateful for the words which they shared.
- We hiked a Batulao Mountain in Nasugbu with a few members. Check out my photos for some good stuff.
When I was younger, I remember always looking up to missionaries as if to think they were in some way super heroes. I thought they were without faults and always knew what they were doing. However, now as a missionary myself, I realize that this is very rarely the case. In fact, I rarely know what it is that I must say or do; rather, I go into situations feeling like Nephi as he said, "I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do. Nevertheless I went forth...." I do my best to stay confident and trust in the Lord, but it isn't always easy. In unison to the difficulty of staying confident and faithful, I wish to share one experience that proved to me this week that the Lord blesses His children as they trust in Him and follow Him. Saturday night I received a text that there were no assigned speakers for the following day at church and I was expected to speak the following day. As night had already rolled around by this point I decided I was better off getting some rest than I would be staying up preparing. Sunday morning I woke up and offered a prayer for the Lord's guidance as I would be speaking at church, and with that I grabbed a few notes from my studies on "How to find opportunities to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those around us?" Ultimately, I was unsure what entirely I would be saying, but when the time came for me to speak I stood at the pulpit confidently and began what would end up being the best Sacrament talk I have ever given. When the meeting concluded, many of the people in attendance approached me and thanked me for the words I said and the clarity in which I expressed eternal truths. One even went as far as to say that my Tagalog was even easier to understand than many of the Filipinos that give talks (HA! I doubt it!). The Lord has blessed me greatly as I constantly strive for righteousness and improvement. At the end of the day, I share this with you to show that just as the Lord has blessed me he can also bless you. All it takes is a desire to improve and a willingness to act on the promptings of the Spirit.
WEEKLY CHALLENGE: Grow a desire for improvement and begin working toward those desires by setting goals and praying for guidance. However, don't feel bad if you feel inadequate or lacking confidence as you first start out. Simply put your trust in the Lord and remember to allow yourself to be a beginner, because no one starts as an expert.
Elder Hemmert
Lemery, Batangas
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