It's Been A Long, Long Time

Hello everyone, it was a pretty good week here! Finding was really slow, but we had a lot of other great things happen! 

We had a lot of member meals this week, someday with lunch and dinner. A little full by the end of the day, but that's not a bad thing. We also had Japanese one day and that was more filling than anything, then dessert after that. 

One of the biggest issues were had with finding was that we honestly didn't have that much time to do it. That's not a bad thing, clearly, but it hasn't set us up the best for this week. 

Even with all of that, we have received many miracles in the form of references. We received 2 from the sisters of the other ward, and they have been super prepared. We have already put one on date and plan to meet with the other this week. We also found someone just on saturday and talked with him yesterday, and it went super well. He wants to learn a little more before baptism, but wants to change his life.

For a spiritual thought:

I have been thinking a lot about lives changing, including my own. That's the main focus of the mission, the whole point. To invite people to change their lives for the better through His church and repentance. Most importantly, to become fully personally converted to the Lord ourselves. 

As I have made pretty clear, perhaps more than I wanted to, missions are very difficult. That's for many reasons: Salvation not being easy, Adversity in all things, but I actually am watching a Book of Mormon video right now about Alma the Younger's conversion. In his difficultly, described as the "darkest abyss" with "eternal torment," God told him that all have to be born again of God. That doesn't just mean baptism, even with the Holy Spirit, but rather a lifelong change. A change that comes, just as in the experience of Alma, after dark times, after hard times.

I feel that I have focused so much on the difficulties of my mission that it seems like I don't enjoy it. Honestly, some times I don't, just like everyone. Slow days and days that seem like they're not successful is not on anyone's "favorite days" list. The truth is, though, that I love it. Every day there is a joy I can't describe, a miracle, mercy, or little sign that God is behind it all. There's nothing I would trade for it, nor anything I would do instead of it. 

Sometimes it's really hard to focus on your attitude more than your surroundings, to find joy in any circumstance. Perspective is really all that matters, and I have put a lot of the perspective on the negative of these, really just to get it out and keep it real. There's only One that has the perfect perspective of our lives, and knows how to align us with it. We just need to align ours with His, who knows all of us perfectly because He suffered for us completely. It is more than just faith, or baptism, or repentance that leads us to God, it is staying true to it and becoming better every day, not matter how small the steps. That is enduring to the end.

Love you all, reach out with all of your amazingly wonderful lives that I know you have!

Id con Dios,

- Elder Puzey

For pictures:
I prefer this on the walls
Right before sucking down my 5th straight flan







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