We had a really great week. I've been doing a lot of thinking about
what a good missionary is and how I can do better. It's difficult to
work with companions, because you are often put into this Garden of
Eden situation. For example we need to keep the rules of the mission,
but at the same time there are ways you can keep all the rules and
still protect the relationship of you and your companion. That has
been something I really struggle with. I'm really the type of
individual that when we can't do it the best way, why do it at all.
There are so many different ways to be a missionary and being the best
missionary you can be always involves working with your companion.
Elder Conaway and I are both pretty bull headed. That said we are
blessed with the ability to teach effectively with not much
preparation. It's not that we don't try to prepare, it's just that we
get anxious when we think too hard about what we are doing.
Well this week it was really exciting, because we set two baptism
dates in our area with potentially three on the way. I'm really
excited. One of the dates is for an unbaptized 10 year old, and for
whatever reason he and his family want to be baptized before Elder
Conaway and I leave. I don't know what we did, but it was remarkable
the change that has happened to the whole family.
Heads up long paragraph
As a missionary the work we do is a lot like trying to grow a garden.
When you get a new companion, or new area, it's like moving to a new
patch of ground. Sometimes the changes are just moving over one row
and you can plant the same and nourish the plants the same way. While
other times you move to a completely different climate, and the way to
plant and manage the crops changes dramatically. Through all of the
real changes we experience with missionary work two things remain the
same. The first is our efforts. No matter who you have or where you
are working the greatest measure of your effectiveness is how hard you
work. That can influence greatly the number of people you help. But
no matter the number, your efforts are the real measurement of
success. Sooner or later as you apply these efforts to the
metaphorical field, plants will start to grow as you continually work
harder. The growth highlights the second force that remains the same
as a missionary. That is the will of the Lord. Just as the course of
a plant's growth can not be accelerated beyond it's natural limits so
is missionary work subject to the will of God. You can quantify and
measure your efforts in how obedient you are, or how many people you
talk to, but none of these external measurements will show success in
terms of the gospel. As a missionary, success is seen when despite
how effective you are miracles come as a result of your faith and
effort in the work. When you see people listen and treat their
families with greater love and respect. When you can see others show
love, compassion, and charity to those they do not know, then you can
see how successful you have been. I'm grateful for these miracles that
you can see when you look for them.
In other news: It's getting hotter. For a couple days I tried
sleeping on the floor, but it wasn't very comfortable. This week
Elder Conaway and I developed a cool game that involves a ceiling fan
and rolled up socks. It's like dodgeball only dodge the sock as it
gets hit by the fan.
I've got a wonderful week coming up and it's going to be Super
missionary Weekend =General Conference!!
love you all,
Elder Will Davidson
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