Another week in the mission field is over. I have to say that this one was one of the better ones. There is a man in our ward who was baptized in May of 2011 and he went through the Temple for the first time on Saturday. He invited us, and we got permission from President Jergensen to go. It was a wonderful experience. I learned a lot more about the Temple this time through. The Nauvoo Temple is wonderful! The missionary who baptized this recent convert is still serving in the mission, and we called and told him that the recent convert was going through. He said he would come. We didn't tell the recent convert and so it was an awesome surprise for him to see the missionary who baptized him. We also went to Latter-Day Harvest, a bookstore in Nauvoo, and I got a calendar for next year and a mini Book of Mormon.
Last week was also Halloween. What do missionaries do for Halloween? Well, in the IDMM (Iowa Des Moines Mission) we have to be inside our houses/apartments by 6pm unless we're with a member, then we can stay out until 8pm. The ward had the Trunk-or-Treat at 5:30 so we were able to go and talk to some members and nonmembers and less-actives there, and the members are super nice and I had a coat pocketful of candy to take home. But we had a member drive us home. Elder Flint cut my hair and we planned and ate dinner, then went to sleep.
I want to say that I have a testimony of Companionship Inventory. Companionship Inventory is when you talk to your companion about strengths of the companionship, personal and companion goals, and what the companionship can get better at; it happens at least once a week. Elder Flint is very patient with me and a great trainer and he has helped me work through a lot of things these last 3 months. This last week he had a breakthrough realization about how to be a better Disciple of Christ. He helped me along for a few days and I finally found the first truths I needed to find to be a better Disciple of Christ. I have gradually been able to change and break patterns of telling myself and others "that's just who I am. I can't change that." We can change. That is a beautiful truth of the Gospel. Christ came and suffered for us so that we can change.
Changing isn't an instantaneous thing, but there can be spurts when we realize we are changing. We must change, "For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father" (Mosiah 3:19).
It's possible. It's NOT easy. But when we do what the Lord wants us to do, it is possible. "For with God nothing shall be impossible"(Luke 1:37).
The great people of the world have realized that. But many haven't. I have just began to comprehend the beauty of change. I hope you can too! We all can if we just follow the Doctrine of Christ. Realizing that Through Christ we Can be cleansed from Sin, to have Faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, to Repent, to be Baptized by immersion for the remission of sins by the proper authority, to Receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and Endure to the End. Please read 2 Nephi 31 for one of the most beautiful discourses of the Doctrine of Christ given in the scriptures.
I love you all, and this life is a test, let's make sure we use the right handbook for life (The Book of Mormon) and follow its precepts (2 Nephi 28:30) so we can pass.
Until Next Week,
Elder Zachary R McKenzie
Iowa Des Moines Mission
D&C 6:34, 36
Doubt Not, Fear Not.
Faith in 400 for Christ in 2012
Faith in 400 for Christ in 2012
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