So I'm pretty excited about our friend Jacob; he fasted on Sunday and has been reading and is excited to meet with us. It's refreshing to see someone who understands the merit of the gospel and the claims we're making. Sharing the gospel is way easier than sales-- I feel like the restoration if understood is so thought provoking, and the Book of Mormon is such compelling evidence.
This week I was thinking about home a little, which was kinda weird. I'm excited for my next stage, but I'm not ready at all. I love being a missionary and teaching. I wish people had questions more. I feel like a lot of people that the average missionary spends time with are people who are acted upon, instead of those who act. They just kind of go with the flow-- they're willing to chat and do what the missionary says because they don't want to disappoint them. It's very disheartening to me-- it's so important to stand for something. Choose what you want, and stick to it! If you have no foundation, it's so easy to be blown about by every wind of doctrine.
There's a Pokémon called ditto that just shifts into whoever it's with at the time. I feel like a lot of people are like that. They'll meet with us and be all happy and willing to learn but then go home and not keep their commitments. Not even think, "Oh that's against the commandments I was just taught about." The problem is the people that are committed to something and are bound by their word are often closed minded. They've already found a belief system or a moral code, and so they are unwilling to entertain new ideas. This makes my role somewhat difficult and has caused me to think more and more about why the Lord calls missionaries.
In this day and age the internet allows every earnest seeker to really discover what our message is. I'm becoming more and more convinced that my mission is just for me-- to help me become an eternal disciple of Jesus Christ. God can do his own work. He knows who's prepared for the gospel, but he calls me because He knows that by my service, my testimony will be strengthened. My capacity to serve has increased. My willingness to obey and my desire to keep covenants are the primary goal. The Church is just a vehicle to deliver the gospel of Jesus Christ and help people live it. I think the mission is a vehicle to help young adults become steadfast and immovable in keeping the commandments of God. There are other fruits for sure, but having a people that are "armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory" is the primary focus of these latter days.
I hope you guys will quit being wishy washy and choose to have faith in something. Faith is a principle of action! Don't be acted upon! Only by developing consistency can the Lord trust you. Quantum physics reveals that depending on how its observed, light can act as either a particle or a wave. Don't be like light! I don't mind if you're a particle or a wave but if you're going to be a particle be a particle always-- even when it's hard. Even when it seems like being a wave would make you happier. This world will make something of you if you do not choose to make something of it. I testify that God will make more of you than you can of yourself. All that's left is to choose to do so. That's the whole point of this life, to just choose what you want. It's a giant buffet, and God will let you get whatever you want. Find out what you want and then eat it! I want to be happy, I want a family that loves and serves each other. I want to be free from the pain and misery breaking God's laws brings. I love you guys!
-Elder Dahl
1. Bowling
2. Funny picture
3. Goliath working out
4. Canes
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