Sunday, January 29, 2017

1-29-17 My flat burnt down, but it had to happen. Palaces await.

Don't be alarmed, our living quarters are completely fine haha.

NAMASTA hamar bahut julum pariwaar!!

To be totally open, this was definitely one of the more challenging weeks of my mission. I experienced amongst the lowest of lows, but was also blessed to be able to witness the rainbow following the storm. Do NOT take this as a bad thing at all. 

Your fingers will hurt and even blister when introduced to a guitar for the first time. The music from the instrument is so sweet and soothing and pleasant to the ears, but sometimes you might wonder if it's worth the pain you experience when you play it. When one feels discouraged and ready to give up when this kind of doubt enters their minds because the learning process seems to painful/lengthy, remember this important fact: Blisters become calluses. Calluses won't form without the skin first having been irritated and beaten, but what a blessing that irritation is to us that we can eventually continue to play and enjoy that sweet music without pain or worry.

This week was a week of paining and spiritual blistering, and thus one of growth and spiritual progression. This was a week of learning.

Let me put it this way: I am to fingertips, as Elder Datoon is to strings. Last week, Elder Datoon chucked me out of my comfort zone. This week, he locked the door and chucked the keys off the pali. I am no longer allowed to enter my comfort zone whatsoever, it seems. HOWEVER, like I said, it was a week of growth. Incredibly, even to me, I have ALMOST no problem with approaching Indians sitting on their porches with our message invitation now. The words seem almost natural coming off my tongue now, and I'm more open to the spirit's urges to approach the gate of an Indian home. Two weeks ago, the things I did almost every day over the last week would have been absolutely impossible. Heck, please try getting a hold of Elder Datoon's family and thank them for raising such a hard worker and great example. His dad's name is Joven. Anyways, this last week was pretty much just heaaps of finding every day along with some awesome visits with awesome people. 

On Tuesday we had a lovely district meeting, from which one of the insights stuck out to me. Elder Larsen gave an insight on How to measure success in the mission. In very short summary, he talked about three important people from the scriptures: Peter, Abinadi, and Corianton. 
Peter, while preaching to a multitude in the city, is mocked by the people saying Oh he's just crazy, he's drunk off wine. Peter stands up and tells them off a bit, basically saying that his words are the words of God. Peter tops the day off with a good 3,000some baptisms. That's a pretty good day in the field, I'd say. 

Abinadi is offered his own life if he'll deny the existence of a living God. Abinadi refuses, is killed, and has zero baptisms that week. Alma, who believes his words, preaches in secret. 
Corianton, who was once a valiant servant and tool in the hands of the Lord, pursues the harlot Isabel and forsakes the ministry. 
Peter and Abinadi were obviously successful missionaries. Although Abinadi himself was not able to lead such a multitude into the fold of the Lord as Peter, he planted the seed of the everlasting gospel into the heart of the boy Alma (who goes on to establish the church).
Corianton set his priorities somewhere else and fell into wickedness so he go the short end.
MORAL: Success in no ways is measured by numbers, but by commitment and dedication to the work. 

I just realized that I never got around to telling yous about Sister Brown!
Sister Brown has us over for dinner every Thursday night. She has three daughters, all of whom are active in the church, whereas she herself is not a member. She's been asked by missionaries and her daughters for years to be baptized, but she simply stated that she didn't feel quite ready to take that step in her life yet. Last week, when the sisters called their numbers in to Elder Datoon, they shared an incredible experience they had while visiting with Sister Brown. They again extended to her the invitation to be baptized, to which she didn't reply at first. She sat there quietly, but listening. After a brief bit of silence, she looked up at the sisters and said "I will be baptized." She expressed to the sisters that three voices entered her head telling her to be baptized, and she followed that impression. We're all, us missionaries and her family, WAY excited to witness her baptism on Saturday. WHAT a blessing, ay? 

Speaking of baptism, we were so blessed to witness the baptism of Sister Sunita Goundar yesterday! Her transformation since I first met her only four weeks ago is so incredible. The service was absolutely beautiful, after which she bore her awesome testimony. We look forward to following up on all the lessons with her! 

Welp Elder Datoon is finishing up, so I think I should too. In closing, I just wanted to share this scripture: Mosiah 2:22-24 There


 22 And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you.

 23 And now, in the first place, he hath created you, and granted unto you your lives, for which ye are indebted unto him.

 24 And secondly, he doth require that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you; and therefore he hath paid you. And ye are still indebted unto him, and are, and will be, forever and ever; therefore, of what have ye to boast?

There is nothing we can do that will ever fully "give back" what the Lord did/does for us. It's like a scale. The Lord performed his great eternal sacrifice for us, as well as created us, so we're indebted to him for that. That makes his edge of the scale heavier, requiring that we do what we have to to give back and balance the scale.  We can pay him back by doing what he's asked us to do: follow his commandments. That equalizes the scale for only an instant, when the Lord fulfills his promise and blesses us immediately for following his commandments, thus putting us in debt to him again. We are and will ALWAYS be indebted to God, nothing we do will ever be "enough". We need to serve him every minute of our lives (which he gave us) with every fiber of our beings. I like to relate Mosiah 2:17 (which I literally just noticed precedes the above scripture...)

And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that yemay learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in theservice of your God.

ONE small thing we can do to give back to our God for his blessings and tender mercies is serve our brothers and sisters. Serve fervently and full-heartedly your brothers and sisters in any way that you can, and I promise, just as the Lord does, more blessings than you'll space to receive.

I'm so glad everyone at home is being well-taken care of by our loving Heavenly Father! Glad all is well with schooling, work, sports, and fishing!! I'm actually way stoked to come home and go diving with yous!

I love you all soooo so much, please give my aloha to the ward and the family! Hug and kiss grandma and the babies for me please! Dad, thank you for sharing that story about grandpa. I know he's watching over all of us, no matter where we are. He's been popping into my head a lot lately, when I'm discouraged or afraid. I think about what grandpa would do or think, and honestly everything overwhelming me seems so nothing haha.

Again, thank yous all for everything!! Have an incredible week! 
Ham aaplogke bahut BAHUT pyaar karta hai!!

Elder Ishibashi

PS my "flat" is my comfort zone 

- Sister Sunita Goundar ke baptisma 
- District shirts (courtesy of S. Tupaea), can't wait to rock up to qito in this today!
-
-He had me conduct weekly planning. That was a journey 


No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.