Dear Family,
Sain uu? Where did the last week/month go?? It's been a big refresher to hear about you guys and your week. In my mission setting apart President Bangerter stated that "your family will be blessed in their endeavors" while on a mission. And now more than ever I have been amazed at the outpouring of blessings that the Lord constantly seeks to give to His children.
This week we had the other 2 Selbe Elders transferred to new areas and Elder Quinton and I are now the only 2 Elders in the ward! So as of Friday we've been working to get to know the new investigators/members that Elder Haas and Elder Buyanbat were working with. We were also blessed this week to find 3 great new investigators throughout the week and then 3 new golden contacts at Church. The 3 new investigators all attended church with a little bit of help on our part, have started fellowshipping the members, one of them even met a member who they had known from years back. That along with all of the great new people we met was confirmation that the Lord has been hearing my prayers as we strive to find those who are prepared to receive this Gospel! So that will bring a lot of strength to our work in this coming week. This week I've also been trying to work on really accepting the Lord's will in all things. Sometimes Heavenly Father gives us experiences that are simply meant to help us to stop being stubborn, and just trust and come to Him. Work in Selbe has been a real roller-coaster ride that way- but we're being obedient, striving our best and Heavenly Father is blessing us for that. So there's good, bad, everything-in-between and I'm grateful for that! We've had a couple of new member families who have gone from getting callings and really growing in the Gospel to now avoiding calls and canceling appointments with the missionaries and home teachers. We don't know why yet, I really love these two families and that's been on my mind a lot lately.
Thursday we had Missionary Leadership Council at the Mission Home! This included all the district and zone leaders in the city as well as President Clark and the assistants. It was a really good opportunity for all of us as leaders to really focus back on the basics. Especially in our zone I've seen the power and unity that comes from mastering the basic principles of leadership and service and the problems that come as we lose our focus on these things. Earlier that morning the Ford's headed home and the office has seemed empty ever since! We talked a lot about the upcoming Mission Conference in the middle of March. We've decided to have a talent show at the end of the conference and one of the new American Elders, Elder Stranski and I, are going to be singing an Alex Boye song and playing the guitar! If it works out we're going to try and get 2 guitars so we can both sing and play. As long as we both kick the sore throats we've got it'll sound really good! Today I ran by the mission office and scheduled a temple recommend appointment with President Clark. My recommend expires this month! One, I can't believe it's already been two years; and two, I can't wait to get back to the temple! After being in Mongolia and seeing the struggle and sacrifice to get to the temple the thought of it being so close to our home is hard to grasp. It's a blessing that can't be taken for granted! In these last 2 transfers we've run into many people, investigators and others, who are stuck in life because of a vice/trial/or hardship. That idea of giving up or giving in to a difficulty is not something that should be in the mind of any Latter Day Saint, because of the hope we have in Jesus Christ. Seeing this and comparing it with my life has helped me all the more to bear my testimony with conviction that true success, happiness, and salvation come through our Savior. I love the way that Mormon stated it:
"And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise."
Faith in Jesus Christ is the principle of power that gives us hope in our lives. Christ has given the way, and has given the invitation for all to follow Him. The hope and the power to change that come through Him will help us to overcome any trial, find joy in the most difficult circumstances, and give us the peace that comes from knowing in whom we trust.
Love, Elder Jolley
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