Life's lessons

How goes it? So missionary work is crazy... this week went by really really fast. I'm really grateful for the opportunity I have to serve. My companion is super cool. He is all business, super smart successful kind of kid. I'm really learning alot about accomplishing the goals that we set. I am still serving as a Zone Leader in the San Francisco West Zone. We are seeing alot of success as a Zone! The mission president told me that he uses our Zone as a model for the other missionaries and an example of what we can accomplish. But it has little to do with me.. the missionaries in our Zone are working very hard and the Lord is really blessing the area. I'm just grateful that I get to be a part of it. So this last transfer has been a struggle for me but I feel like I am just now overcoming the trials and learning what the Lord is trying to teach me. SO now it's on to the next lesson and set of trials.

There are two main points that really stuck out to me this week. First: the blessing of serving others! I am really grateful for the opportunity I have to be a part of peoples' lives, I know that I am here for only a short time and I have realized that the greatest impact I can have on these peoples' lives is to help them live the Gospel. I have a firm testimony of the power of commandments! As a missionary and Representative of Jesus Christ we have the authority to invite others unto repentance. When we seek out opportunities to serve those around us, to help others in their righteous ambitions we will be blessed. There is nothing like service.

Secondly the thing that I have come to better understand is the principle of 'Accountability.' We are accountable for our own actions. When we realize that we are personally responsible for our own lives no matter what the situation or circumstance, it will change the way that we think. As I pray to our Father in Heaven and ask for people to teach or ask for a blessing that I will be successful I am asking for responsibility. When opportunities are given to me by my Father in Heaven I must do all that is in my power to ensure the safety and success and well keeping of that opportunity. And if there is failure I must acknowledge and accept that it was the level of my commitment and choices that I made that led to the failure.

I invite you to seek out an opportunity to serve someone this week. and next time something goes wrong try not to blame anyone else - just say " it was my fault" "I will repent and do better."

One last thing - always remember there is always room for improvement. No matter how well things seem to be, you can always improve. So many times in life we become complacent with the way the things are. We say "well I have worked pretty hard.. thats good enough for me" - we can work harder, we can do better, there is more that can be done. So many times we here the words "Good job" as to imply that we have completed the job or that we are satisfied. We should be in the mind set of "Good effort" implying that there is still potential to progress and that there are still possibilities to improve. We need to be in a mind set that - when given the proper resources we can accomplish anything. We are eternal by nature we have endless possibility and potential. My companion is never happy with the result. At first it was really hard on me. I thought "wow, how can you please this kid??" After hearing a talk from Elder Wilson from the 70 it really hit me. What more can we do?

Anyways thats the personal insight from this week. I hope all is well