Be Diligent!

March 13, 2012

Dear Family,

         Woah Mom! You even wrote me from Disneyland?!?!? That is devotion! I can’t believe Wiew is in America now! That’s crazy! I am so happy for you guys and so anxious to someday go back to Thailand as a family. I hear so many wonderful things from my friends that are there right now. I almost died when I got that picture of Noi and Sister King! Craziness! One of my favorite Sisters, (Carper) is now serving in Bangkok as well. It’s so fun to think of them being in the same places that we were.

         Well, as you know, we had the privilege of hearing from L. Tom Perry. It was so amazing to be a part of that and to learn from him. Sister Totau and I sat on the second row and she gave the closing prayer. Afterwards he shook her hand and said, "You have a beautiful spirit. Let it shine!" I am so blessed to have such a faith-packed companion. I don't know if it’s a Tongan thing or just a "Sister Totau" thing...but in everything she does she is sincere. You can tell she just really REALLY loves people. She has the biggest heart. I love it!

         So that is what we have tried to do this week is to "let it shine." Sister Totau only has one transfer left and President Weston has been calling a lot to get stuff figured out for her flight home. It has given me some time to think a lot about diligence. When I arrived here on my mission, a missionary told me I had the "greenie fire" and that someday it would "wear off." I thought about this a lot. It bothered me. I am by no means a perfect person. I have made mistakes! LOTS OF THEM! But it seems when I am at the lowest of everything and feel as if I have nothing else to give, I find happiness in the gospel. I have felt a peace that can only be found by humbling myself to God’s Will. By relying on the Atonement and having a daily realization that everything we have been given, is from God. (I say daily because that’s how often I need to be reminded! Haha) I have felt this crazy awesome

comforting feeling and know, without a doubt, that my Father in Heaven loves me. I like this quote by Howard W. Hunter, He said, "What does the Atonement have to do with Missionary work?.... Any time we experience the blessings of the Atonement in our lives, we cannot help but have a concern for the welfare of others... A great indicator of one's personal conversion is the desire to share the gospel with others." And so... if we are truly striving to better ourselves. There will be no "wearing off." If we are truly seeking to be better and to be closer to our Heavenly Father we won't have to worry about how to "motivate" ourselves or to "push" ourselves to get outside and share the gospel. We will WANT it. It will be natural.

         I have just been thinking about that a lot. What happens to a

missionary to make them not want to work. To make them lazy? I think what happens is that they stop progressing. I studied this morning about diligence. "Diligence is steady, consistent earnest and energetic effort in doing the Lord's work." That is my goal this week, and for the rest of my life to be diligent. I have noticed the times I am not diligent are the times that I am selfish. I start to think, "Do I ALWAYS have to be the one to motivate?" "Why can't I just take a break and let someone else do all the work for a minute?" I need constant reminders that although the Savior fulfilled His assignment utterly alone... we don't have to. I forget sometimes when I start to feel bad for myself that I can rely on Him.

         This week was awesome! We picked up a new investigator. He is 10 years old and his mom is a less-active member of the church. She hasn't been since she was 16 years old. We taught about prayer and his mom was in and out of the room taking care of her other 3-year-old son. The lesson was simple and we were surprised at the questions he asked. He is a GENIOUS! But at the very end we bore our testimonies about prayer and that we TRULY do have a Father in Heaven that is listening. This ten-year-old boy started to cry. The spirit was so strong! It’s amazing the things that children can teach you. We asked him what are the things that he cares about in life and in his exact words he said, "To be honest with you, I'm kind of a church person, I think about Jesus and God a lot and don't focus too much on my toys or junk. That’s not as important." I couldn't stop laughing long enough to tell him he was right. RADDEST KID EVER!

         I hope you survive being at the house alone with Buddy Dad. It’s starting to be a tradition that Mom goes to Disneyland without you. Don't worry, we will take a trip together next year, get you Mickey ears, it will be good. I love you all and hope you have an amazingly fun week! Tell Wiew I say hi!!!!!!

Love,

Sister Mitchell