Our Success

Okay where are we at..

We have three investigators with pretty promising baptismal dates this month. It's so exciting for my companion and I! We are all extremely excited for Christmas as well! No snow in sight, but we have 90 degree whether instead of 95 so that's a plus. 

My companion and I have been showing the "Light of the World" video to our English Students and Investigators. My companion always gives me this glance and half smile whenever the part I'm in comes up. We don't say anything as we do our best not to disrupt the Spirit. What's funny is that Elder Kang from back home who was in the same video said that this was exactly what I would be doing in Thailand on the day we were shooting. I wasn't really sure, but what he said rang true. The metaphor portrayed in the film, of serving as the Savior did is one that rings especially close to my heart now that I have the opportunity to serve as a literal representative of Jesus Christ. 

An experience I recorded in my journal is that of inviting. We made a goal to receive 30 numbers/contacts. Halfway through our inviting session my companion asked how many I numbers I have been able to receive. My results were half of that of my companions. I was quietly discouraged but I continued in the work. At the end of our session, we were shy of hitting 30 contacts. But I learned afterwards that I was comparing myself to the labors of both of our efforts! Regrettably, I felt a sense of relief. But afterwards, I learned something that I would have thought I already knew. I thought I understood what it meant to not compare myself to other people. But clearly I did not in the moment of my inadequacy. I felt discouraged that I was not doing my part in bringing up the kingdom! I too quickly forgot that this is not my work but the Lord's. So long as I do my best, it is enough. For he will direct my paths. The numbers do not matter. What matters is our willingness to follow the promptings of the Spirit with the entirety of our efforts. To give our all to this great work. At the end of the day, we hit our 30 number quota. Well, thanks to my companion we exceeded it. And I later learned to rejoice in the success of my companion! As my MTC instructors said, your companion's success is your success. Should one of you fail, all of you fail.

Should we always compare ourselves to other people, we will always walk away disappointed. Reflecting on it, it's funny how I was comparing myself to an Elder who has been doing this for over a year! Pride is the beginning of irrationality. Just do better today and even more so tomorrow. Enduring to the end is a personal responsibility. I'm still learning this myself. 

*I apologize for the numerous grammatical mistakes and incoherent sentences. I don't have the time to revise it.