When I first returned home from my mission I was asked over and over again by friends and family," So how was it? How was your mission?" I had trouble trying to answer that question. I had the deer in the headlights look just as I did when my dad stuck a video camera in my face and asked," Well, how was it?", after I had experienced Splash Mountain at Disneyland for the first time as a young child. My response to the question from friends and family now is the same as it was to my dad many years ago, " It was Good........".
As I tried to come up with something better than just "good" to the question of how my mission was, the thought crossed my mind, "How can I explain to you how those 2 years serving the people of Northern California have changed my life in a one sentence response? in a paragraph? or in an hour?" Or how can I explain a love for the people in California that came from daily pleading the lord on their behalf? It's impossible for me to do. But I can say that my mission has brought me more peace and happiness than any other event in my life.
To all those whom are serving as missionaries now I give a simple word of advice. The greatest advice I could give you is to have the faith to expect miracles. Whether a facebook missionary or not, the lord has "much people in this land" and he WILL guide you to them and them to you. He knows his sheep, and his timing is perfect.
About a year ago, my companion and I were serving in an area where in the past they had had very little success. I felt as if we were missing something. It seemed to me that we weren't having the success that we should have been having. I remember one night kneeling at the side of my bed after what seemed to me to be a worthless day, I asked the lord what we had to do to obtain his help. And as I knelt there the feeling came over me to review my day. So I pulled out my planner and began to review what had happened during the course of that day. As I thought about the day, what had seemed to be of no worth began to become some of the most worth while things I had done on my mission. Although no one had accepted the invitation to be baptized that day, many had heard my cry to repentance. And that was miracle that the lord wanted me to see.
Too many times we fail to recognize the miracles that happen on a daily basis. And because we fail to recognize them we get down on ourselves and as a result our faith slips. I promise you as you pray for, expect, and look to recognize miracles, your service as a missionary will become priceless to you. You will experience no greater joy than to have been even a small part in the Lord's greatest work.There is no greater cause.
-William Eccles
1 comment:
thank you for that Brother Eccles, that has answered my prayers! i hope all is well at home!
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