Life's a Marathon or Something Like That

Well team, it's that time of week again. 

This week was much more positive than last. We had stake conference yesterday, which was awesome. President Simmons, the stake president, talked about the hastening of the work..."hastening for what?" Oh you know, the second coming! He talked about how doing the Lord's work (missionary work) is how we'll have oil in our lamps at the coming of the bridegroom.

That got me thinkin' about consecration. It's easy to feel like your consecrating everything to the Lord when your a missionary. I'm giving all my time (besides what I need for myself to live/function/not be gross). I gave up all the possessions I care about to focus out here. I gave up most of what I tend to like to think about (don't worry, it's nothing sketchy) for the sake of those we're teaching and serving among. But then I thought about one of my most treasured possessions. My comfort zones. I gave up a good chunk of that just coming out here and doing fairly standard missionary work--talking to strangers, making phone calls, wearing skirts in public places, etc.--but there's still so much I cling to. If I sacrificed my comfort zone completely, I'd be a much better missionary.

If everybody sacrificed their comfort zones (for the sake of following the guidance of the spirit) they'd be much better people. You're never going to reach your toes if you are satisfied touching your knees. We run into a lot of people who say their very comfortable with their religion. Nobody should be comfortable with their religion if it's really inspiring them to be better. I am extremely confident in the complete truth, power, and authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints--but if I'm living the way Heavenly Father would have me live, I would rarely be comfortable in it. It's like training for a marathon by never running more than a mile because it doesn't feel good to run more.

Why should we be satisfied with a 5k, when Heavenly Father is encouraging us to run a marathon?...but that's probably a terrible metaphor, 'cause I really hate running and would never want to run a marathon...but I do like receiving blessings, and I do love Heavenly Father, and I do love His children, and so I do hope that my training for my metaphoric marathon pays off, and that I can run a little more every time. And breath a little harder, ache a little longer, and sweat a little more than I would otherwise. Because it will be worth it. It's not so much what we do in this life, but what we become. And our attitudes in doing will greatly effect our becoming.

And that's all I've got for today, but thank you muchly for the support and prayers. 'Cause they're needed.

Love,

Sister Bowen