Sept. 14, 2015

Lost Ipad

 

About the lost Ipad: I know, how could I? The one cool thing I get on my mission and I lose it! But it taught me to be a little more responsible. And I get made fun of by all of the other elders too so I’ve been humbled. So I guess I have quite a bit to catch you all up on. These past two weeks have probably had the most happen than any other time on my mission thus far. For one, I had my first baptism. And two, I’m training. So you can imagine how much stuff I had to do. But it was so awesome. I’m learning that the Lord qualifies the called and doesn’t call the qualified. Because I know for a fact that I wasn’t qualified to train, but I was called, and He is turning me into what He has called me to be. If the Lord only called the qualified there would be very few people on this earth with the Priesthood and there would be very few callings made.

That’s not how He does things, He trusts us and then gives us an assignment and lets us grow and learn. He will help us along the way of course, but He will definitely test us and try us. He knows our capacity’s as individuals and knows just how much stuff to throw at us at once. But the thing that seems to always touch me is the blessings. I don’t think you will find one place in the scriptures where the Lord gives us a commandment and then doesn’t promise blessings in return. He will, without a doubt, bless us for everything we do right. And sometimes I may say, "Well I invited Johnny to church and he told me to get lost, that wasn’t a blessing". But wait, maybe it was. Maybe He was just giving me an opportunity to grow and learn. And if Johnny’s immediate answer was, I want to get baptized, that probably would have done me much less good than the rejection. Do we look at trials as punishment or as opportunity? Do we look at work as stress or as things we can achieve? And I hope we all look at the more opportunistic answer of the two. It’s all in the way we look at things. If our hearts are hard we will be sluggish to recognize the Lords blessings, but if we are continually keeping a fresh hope of goodness and a positive outlook we find less to gripe about. It’s funny how often it occurs to me that the Lord really does bless me with more than I can comprehend. If you ever pity yourself, stop it. Because if you trying your best to handle whatever life throws at you, you are doing what you should be doing. We should never say, I didn’t ask for this, or why does this always happen to me? Just say, I know the Lord is teaching me something, what is it? Do you guys ever pray about trials you are having and thank Heavenly Father? I know I don’t do it very often and I should do it more. Because trials are like math equations, we don’t know the answer, but the Lord does. He can give us the solution to solve that equation. And if you just ask for the solution to the problem He will give it to you. We will probably have to try a few different formulas and so forth but we just have to start. And in the end, you’ve learned something new to take with you for the rest of your life, along with the blessings He has promised you. So honestly, why fear tribulation? It’s not easy, but it’s not scary either. Like D&C 58:3-4 says, after much tribulation you will be crowned with much glory.

We cannot comprehend with our natural minds the things God has in store for us. And do you think He will just give it all to us in heaven? No, I think we will have to work for things in heaven just as we do here on Earth. We will have to learn just as we do here. But I’m glad it’s like that. I’m glad we have the opportunity to keep growing and to keep learning. Knowledge is becoming very valuable to me as I’m out here. I see how much knowledge does for me. I used to hate studying things but now I just love soaking in all of the scripture and books we have to read. It’s like having a shelf full of friends. Each story teaches me something as well as triggers emotion. I hope you all are reading and learning daily, especially from the scriptures. And if you’re not, you better start. Because if knowledge is the only thing we can take into the next life that would be a real bummer if all you knew was the basics to life. How about you learn something new? We should always be exercising our minds and trying to absorb as many things as possible (only good things of course). Try challenging yourself to memorize things. Memorize a quote you like word for word and you see that you not only feel a sense of accomplishment but you will also have one more thing for you to keep. Our stake up here has made a list of 7 simple things. they are: 1-Read the scriptures daily as an individual, 2-Read the scriptures daily as a family, 3-Pray daily as an individual, 4-Pray daily as a family, 5-Attend the temple once a month, 6-Hold family home evening once a week, 7-Attend church once a week as a family. Those seven simple things will make a dramatic difference in your life. I hope that you all are striving to do those things. We have a family that’s blended in our ward and we taught them last night. The mother has been really stressed lately with how crazy the kids are and how the father is always getting upset and so forth. So one of the members asked her, are you doing the seven simple things? And she said, some of them. Well, she needs to do all of them. If she sits down with her family every morning to read and pray it will make a difference. Maybe the kids will be still be rowdy but she will have peace in her heart. And I know that to be true. You just have to start and make a commitment with yourselves to continue to do these 7 simple things. That doesn’t mean life will be easy but it will become more manageable. So accept that challenge ok? Thanks. I just want to say I miss you all so much and I love you dearly. I’m keeping you in my prayers every day, Keep being awesome. Love you.

     -Elder Schneider