I've included a picture of George's baptism last week with this email, as well as a picture of me this morning at the Capital here. That's the room where the house meets-It's awesome! I thought it looked kind of epic. I took some better pictures, but I had to take them on another elders camera because my camera ran out of batteries when we got there. I'm going to copy them from him later.Elder Cohen and I taught a lot of lessons this week, I think more than I've ever taught in a single week before on my mission. We were pretty happy with our efforts this last week, and we're seeing lots of success as we continue to become better teachers.
However, sometimes it's really hard to stay focused all the time as a missionary. It's very draining mentally and spiritually if you're doing the work right. We're constantly trying to better ourselves, and there's always a list a mile long of things we want to change and do better. I believe that the scriptural advice to 'not run faster than you have strength or means' (D&C 10:4; Mosiah 4:27) suggests that we pace our progress in such a way that we can do things in wisdom and order, thus being truly effective and efficient.
As members (and ESPECIALLY as hard-working missionaries) we need to keep in mind the counsel to not be 'over-anxious' in our own respective spheres of responsibility and self-improvement and thus 'under-engaged' in the good causes that we take on. (D&C 58:26-28) Hence the needed warning that we not become 'weary in well-doing; for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great.'(D&C 64:33) It is paced progress, stepping stones, and being anxiously engaged in a good cause but with the needed wisdom and order that will take us where we need to go. There is always something more to work on, but remember that it's out of those 'small and simple things that great things come to pass.(Alma 37:6), so don't take on the whole world at once! (D&C 123:16) If we lack proportion in this life, the next few yards along the path can seem so formidable, more than they in reality are. For example, though aware of how God blessed ancient Israel to escape from mighty Pharaoh and his hosts, myopic Laman and Lemuel still lacked faith in God to help them cope with a mere local Laban (1 Nephi 3:31). They lacked proportion, and we, all too often, struggle with pacing ourselves appropriately. We must keep ourselves spiritually intact by doing all things in wisdom and order and not becoming weary of well doing! Keeping spiritually intact results in us keeping our precious perspective by seeing 'things as they really are' (Jacob 4:13).
I'm doing my best to pace myself, even though I have SO MUCH that I want to do. The Greatest of us all even had to take time to wind down! 'Jesus said to the [twelve], Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. And they departed into a desert place by ship privately” (Mark 6:31-32) I recognize that I only have so much 'goodwill' supply, and that I need to take the time necessary to regain my focus. Unhurried time seems to be worth more than the same amount of time spent hectically.
Well, that's my little golden nugget of wisdom for this week.
We have another baptism coming up this Saturday, and 2 more for the upcoming month. The work is definitely going well, and we are seeing that hand of the Lord in our work.
I love you all, and I appreciate your prayers and support more than you know.
(Special shout-out to my brother Andy!)
Much Love-
Elder Shepherd
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