WEEK 48 - CONTINUE in PATIENCE

Hey everyone. Yep, it's me, Elder Z.S.Weber, signing in again for another update on how life is going right now in the Colorado Fort Collins Mission. And...well, to best describe my situation, have you ever heard the old saying, "hit the brick wall"? Usually has to do with some kind of athletic event, where you're doing great, keeping pace, and then suddenly, you run out of steam and start to shut down. Yeah, well that was how I felt all throughout this week. I'd get up, start getting to work, and then some time along the course of the day suddenly lose steam, and find myself lacking in the desire to actually do the work.

It wasn't that I was undesirous to do the work from the beginning, far from it, actually. On Tuesday, in fact, we had interviews with President Brown, and I was able to enthusiastically and quickly list off some plans that Elder Hale and I had for this week, as well as several members that we were planning to work with. But, whether it's because of summer vacation and everyone's off with their families in another part of the continent, or summer activities like baseball, band, and other things take precedence, a lot of our appointments and plans fell through. Leaving us to do the one thing missionaries 'love' to do most of all--tract. And really, there's only so much tracting you can do each day before you feel yourself hitting that brick wall over, and over, and over again.

Of course, I'm not saying that I'm tired of the work itself. I love the work. I love to see people happy. To share my testimony and preach of my Savior, Jesus Christ. The good far outweighs the bad, and fills my heart and soul with everlasting joy. However, I recognize that there are going to be some weeks that are just off-weeks. Where nothing seems to go as planned, when life throws you a curve ball, when you feel like you've given all you've got, and the world asks for more. We all have days like that. It's a natural part of our human existence. The important thing when life treats us to this hard blow is to get back up, brush ourselves off, and keep going.

That's the whole reasoning behind 'endure to the end'. In 2 Nephi 31:20, Nephi tells us, "Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life." Even after everything we do, after everything we learn, we still will not have learned enough. The most important thing to learn in our lives, when trials and tribulations arise, is to bear up our burdens with patience, enduring faithfully to the end. We must learn patience, and grow in our strength as Latter-day Saints, if we are to survive the harshness of a world that will leave us hitting the wall several times a week, if not a day.

I bear my witness to this truth. I know that if we press forward in patience, enduring to the end, that we shall be rewarded with that greatest reward Heavenly Father has for us--Eternal Life. It may not be the easiest thing to do. In a world of shifting views and opinions, with opposition in all things, and where good shall be had for evil, and evil taken as good, enduring patiently and faithfully can be a painful, taxing experience. But, in spite of all the opposition the Adversary may send our way, it does not change the joy felt by doing good amidst this chaos, or the sweet, everlasting peace that is yet to be felt by reaching eternal life. It will be hard, but it'll also be so worth it. I know this to be true.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Well, that's about in for this week. Sorry that I don't have some more entertaining stories to tell today. Like I said before, this was just a really off week for me. But, I promise, next week will be much better. Well, hope to hear from all y'all soon! Have a great week, and see y'all again next Monday! Ciao!

--ElderZ.S.Weber