4-16-17 "Nothing draws you closer to the Lord, Jesus Christ, than a desire to change."

Namaste hamaar pariwaar wananavu sara!

Aaplog kaise hai??

Again, not very much time today because we're meeting with the zone leaders early so they can take us to the LDS college campus for combine qito with the Suva North zone. 

We watched general conference on Saturday and yesterday, and HOW awesome were those addresses? I wanna make this letter home especially fulfilling (I hope you'll find it fulfilling, haha) so I'll just share thoughts and impressions I received during the conference sessions! I brought my book this time.

I really liked in Elder Renlund's talk when he talked about how the savior handled the adulterer brought before him. He went on to say that, though the savior certainly does not CONDONE adultery, he did not condemn the adulterer. "Go, and sin no more." He simply implored her to change her life. Weekly, I work with people who either don't think they're ready or worthy to hold/exercise their priesthood or to be baptized or whatever. It's SO easy to see people's faults, and I reckon that's because every single living soul has them. Faults, whether physical, mental, spiritual, or social, often lead to feelings of shame and guilt, SO they draw their attention to someone else's faults so as to shroud their own. Regardless, every single one of us has our fall throughs and short-comings, but no matter how big or small they are, we are no less valuable in the Lord's eyes. As shared by Elder Joaquin E. Costa, there is not a soul on Earth who has not the potential to change their lives. Our responsibility as a part of this eternal family is to SEE this potential in everybody we meet and to HELP them to reach that potential. I loved his quote: 

"Nothing draws you closer to Lord, Jesus Christ, than a desire to change."

Everyone, being flawed and challenged, should desire to change, and what a great work it is; what a great work we've all been called to to help our faltering brothers and sisters to make that change and come closer to our savior.

THIS BEING SAID, I've come to see my need to repent. I'm not sure if yous have noticed that I've gotten into the bad habit of chastising people that don't do things the way I reckon they should be done. I'm really trying to humble myself and let the Lord humble me. I learned in conference that one who humbles themselves and asks for forgiveness/mercy is better off than they who rebuke those who need it. 

One quote I believe was shared by Elder Yoon Hwan Choi just reminded me so much of grandpa:

"When I get tired of walking, I could always run!"

It was also a nice little reminder that attitude really is everything. I've also gained a strong testimony out here that WORK is the antidote for being tired of or stressing over the work. How that works, I'm not certain, but it does. When you feel yourself slowing down or losing motivation, fight and work harder, and I testify that the desire to work will return even stronger. 

In the priesthood session, Elder Bednar shared something that hit home pretty good for me. He talked about how missionaries are not called to areas, they are called to labor. He emphasized the first two sentences on the call letter. My letter said this:

Dear Elder Ishibashi,

You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Fiji, Suva Mission.

I was called to SERVE, I wasn't called to Fiji. I was assigned to LABOR, IN Fiji.

He talked about missionaries who often get disappointed or discouraged when their missions get reassigned. To me, that's a pretty random subject to talk about on a world-wide scale, so it meant a lot to me that it was discussed because I could relate (even if it was for just six weeks). I've expressed my love for the Denver North, Colorado Mission and especially the Tallyn's Reach ward countless times to yous. I know undoubtedly that I was there at exactly the time I had to be. I was blessed with an incredible ward with such loving and supportive members. My companion prepared me beautifully for the trials I'd face for the next two years, and put it all into a goofy light that I could understand and know I could overcome. I've determined that I would not give up that transfer in Colorado for one in Fiji or anywhere else. I was called by our loving and all-knowing heavenly father to LABOR, first in Colorado, then in Fiji. Where we go does not matter, only what we do and how we do it. President Uchtdorf later said that we as children of God are entitled to nothing, so everything in our lives should/will happen according to the Lord's will. It reminded me of Gordon B. Hinckley's story from when he was on his mission in London. He wrote his father about the hardships and unfairness of mission life, especially in his particular area. He expressed a desire to leave his service and return home. In response, President Hinckey's father sent a letter with a very simple and very bold statement of advice: Forget yourself and go to work.

I've tried to apply this myself, and I've come to learn that when you humble yourself, fulfill your responsibility to the best of your ability and leave the rest to heavenly father, that he will consecrate your works and guide you. I hope some day to go about my missionary labor with my companion with the boldness of James and John and the diligence of Alma and Amulek.

This is the basis of my spiritual observations from conference, I REALLY liked it. As for the work, Shryna has accepted the invitation to be baptized on the 13th rather than the 20th. She's having a bit of trouble with her talatala (pastor), who tells her that she's 7 Day and should be baptized 7 Day at the age of 12 rather than 10. In this case, all we can do is invite her to continue to rely on the Lord and be sensitive to His promptings. I made it clear to her not to make a decision based off what Enosi says or even what we say, but to leave it entirely to God. She has such a sweet, genuine, and humble spirit. I reckon she'll make an excellent Young Women's President one day.

I'm glad everyone is doing well, thank you so much for the letters and pictures! Everyone is looking way good! Man, Nina's voice has changed since I've come. Now it's so mature, you don't even sound like a kid anymore! You're growing so fast and so beautifully, keep exercising that AWESOME voice of yours, it sounds so good! Then there's mom and dad looking like they're getting younger.

Please give my aloha to the Watson and Laie-Ishibashi ohanas!

I'll be heading out now. I love you all so much, have an incredible week! 

Ham aaplogke bahut pyaar karta hai hamaar pyaari pariwaar, achaa hapta raho!

Khyaal rakna!

Elder Ishibashi-Fiji 

 

-Reunited at zone conference! He got a bit taller I think...

 

-Post-conference

 

-So here's what happened...

I went to the front to put my camera with the others, and by the time I came back the group, the front-row had already been taken up. I pleaded for a floor spot, but my fellow missionaries had to break my heart and exiled me to the back row (where the Goliaths dwell). Now all of Fiji knows I'm 5'5.