June 2, 2014

This week I learned an important lesson. One that the Lord has taught me before but I had forgotten. That lesson is gratitude. Being grateful for the things that I do have and not wishing I had more. This whole past month if you noticed my key indicators (meaning my lessons) have been a little low. Not because I haven't been working as hard or not being obedient. But the lessons and the progression of investigators have just not been coming like they used to. Every lesson I have been feeling the spirit. So, I know that is not a problem. Investigators who promised to their Heavenly Father that they would come to church just haven't in the past couple of weeks. Prospective IBDs have moved due to the lack of work here in San Quintin. We have been getting punted right and left. It felt like everything that was out of my control was not going the way it should. I had been getting down on myself as I tried to figure out what I was doing that could be changed. I thought maybe I should change my circumstances. It all had a culmination yesterday when I had great hopes that families would come to church, only 1/2 a family came. I just didn't know what to do. Yesterday's fast was for me to learn the will of the Father and for me to learn what I needed from these disappointments and hardships. At the end of the day, I started praying to strengthen me beyond my own strength. The thought came to me that all of these hardships are for me to learn, and one thing that you need to learn is to look at the things that you do have and not the things you don't. It was like looking on the other side of a mirror. The fact that I only had 2 investigators come to church looked like the biggest blessing to me. The fact that I have had lessons was the sign of his grace and love. I realized that this is His work and He is guiding it. So from now on, I am going to look at the blessings, I am not going to burden down myself with the things that I do not have. I love the Lord and no matter how hard it gets I will continue to work to bring souls unto him. I hope that everyone will look at life this way. Because happiness really is a choice.
Everyone go do a little service it will cheer you up I promise :)
Love
Elder Bigelow