Hey, I'm in Indiana: Humilty . . . . oh and Transferred!

Well, it's finally happening. I'm leaving the Clear Creek ward O_o People joke a lot about how long I've been here, so it's weird that I'm leaving. It's weird because my trainee has technically been in more areas than I have.

We usually get the call Sunday night about whether we're staying or going, but they started late, and we didn't get called 'til early this morning. I had dreams about it. So Sister Tolman will be staying and training a new missionary. And I will be a Sister Training Leader--which is kinda like a zone leader for sisters. Because I've been here so long, the missionaries are joking that I'll get sent to IU campus, which is still in Bloomington. I kinda hope that it really happens. So, I'll either be there, Purdue, Indy, Logansport (Rochester), or Carmel, I think.

In other news, M got baptized on Saturday! He's so wonderful. In sacrament meeting he played "Silent Night" on the piano. Way to go 13-year old basketball stars that can play the piano!

In district meeting on Friday, I got to do a training on Humility. As a mission, we've been focusing a lot on Christlike Attributes. And I've been thinking a lot about complacency in the Gospel and as a missionary. These are some of my thoughts that I shared in my training: Humility is an attribute of power. Christ was powerful because He was humble. Because His will was swallowed up by the will of the Father, He did what God would've done had he been in the flesh. Similarly, if we do what God would have us do, we can be much more powerful than we could be on our own.

How do we know what He'd have us do? He's given us commandments, and leaders that are inspired by revelation. Obey them. Obey the personal revelation you receive. Our sole task in life is to keep the commandments and apply the Atonement when we mess up (redeeming power), and to help us keep them better (enabling power). We are promised that if we come unto Christ, He will show unto us our weaknesses (Ether 12:27) If we can't think of anything we can do better, then we are not coming unto Christ. My purpose as a missionary is to invite others to come unto Christ, but I cannot do that successfully, if I'm not coming unto Him myself.

As a missionary, I have a more comprehensive list of commandments and counsel than normal people. When I regularly and earnestly repent for the things I do not do as well as I should, or for neglecting the rules I know I should keep, then I am enabled to do better. What an awesome process He's given us. The same way we've been given to cleanse ourselves because of our weaknesses (inability to keep commandments) is the same process which enables us to become more like Him--faith, repentance, baptism/sacrament, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and doing all over and over again. And it all starts with being humble enough to accept His ways and thoughts as higher than our own, and reflecting that acceptance in our actions. Keep the commandments. Live the standards and counsel that we are given from scripture and leaders that have been ordained by God. (For missionaries, this includes "Preach My Gospel" and the white handbook)

I hope everybody had a wonderful Christmas :) I sure did

And here's some pictures :)

Saying good-bye to P. He's too funny.

A district picture: It's not bad considering it was sitting on the stage on a timer: Elder Esplin, Elder Zeyer, Elder Brown, Elder Rasmussen, me, Sister Tolman, Sister Astle, and Sister Jones. We've got a great district.