A Month Of Hard Work.

Hi family and friends! 

I realized today that while I have been writing to my friends individually, I've been forgetting to write my weekly email. Apologies for that. I also accidentally sent the email with my area email and not my mission email, so I'm sending this again. 

So it's been a month. On my birthday I'm leaving the office, but my replacement is coming this week, so I've been hard at work trying to wrap up loose ends to prepare everything for him. I had my final transfers day as a secretary on the 8th, and they went as smoothly as possible. I'm really proud of how it went on my side of things. I've been tackling the occasional phone troubles, but more than anything, I've been trying to figure out how to return the leftover phones I get from the returning missionaries. The rules I've found concerning that are that I shouldn't have more than 10 phones in the office at a time, but because I didn't know how to return them they ended up collecting until I had way more than 10. Yesterday someone finally came to collect the phones, and I'm proud at having used my networking and language skills to coordinate it. Now that is one less burden for my replacement. The other burden I've been trying to get rid of for him is the history of the mission. That is also something I've had to figure out on my own. While I always knew that I had to do it, I didn't know how to make it, so I had to figure out my own way of making it. I also was hit with the unpleasant surprise that no one had done the previous months before I came, so I've had to work on the entire years history. Luckily though, I've nearly finished and I feel proud about how it looks. I'm excited for when my replacement comes and for helping him do better than I did. I'm trying to learn a much as I can, so I can help him not make the same mistakes as me.  

On the more spiritual side of things, I've been spending a lot of time meditating over how I've grown and improved over this past year and a half. I almost have 19 months in the mission, and looking back I can see all the many ways I've grown. When I was in Las Brisas we would occasionally get out receive phone calls, and I was always so intimidated by them that I would say a prayer to ask for help in answering or making them. I was never any good at phone calls before the mission, and having to do it in another language daunted me. Now though, I make several phone calls a day and discover that I enjoy making them! I can truly testify of the power of prayer in invoking the power of the Lord in my life. When I need help overcoming an obstacle, I pray to Heavenly Father for help, and I find that he helps me succeed, or at least learn from the experience. It's something I've learned in the mission, but will apply often afterwards as well. While it hurts to grow, and it's frustrating to not be able to do something at the level desired at the start, I find that it's worth it to keep going, because soon enough you'll realize that you've reached the level you desired, and surpassed it. I'm proud of my new Spanish language ability, as well as my new expanded knowledge of the gospel. They feel like great blessings I've received, and I want to keep growing and using them forever. Truly, the promise in Ether 12:27 is true. God will make your weaknesses into strengths, even when you can't see how the could possibly become strengths. This week we had another multi-zone conference. I only have about 3 more left in my mission 😨. As I was listening to the talks and jotting down notes, I realized that both President and Sister McClellan used the same scripture - D&C 6:36 - in their messages to the mission. I was the one who designed their presentations with them, so I new that even before the conference, but I hadn't stopped to consider the significance of that verse. I had a sudden spiritual moment during President McClellans talk, not because of what he said, but because of the verse that he shared. I suppose that I too often read the scriptures, but not often enough ponder what they truly mean, or what they truly mean to me. I think I too often gloss over them and don't try to internalize them. D&C 6:36 says: "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not; fear not". It's this year's youth theme. As a sat and pondered that scripture, I started seeing the truth of that message and how much it applies to me right now. Sometimes, or oftentimes I feel daunted at a task, or doubtful of a success, or fearful at the consequencd of some action, and I forget to look unto Christ, and do all that is implied with looking unto him. This week, we as an office put a goal to have every area in the office baptize on February 9th. That's awesome for the other three areas because they all have people with baptismal dates planned. We, however, are the only one not quite so prepared. This week I've had to look into Christ with more intent than before, and focus more than ever on our missionary purpose. I hope to bring good news on February 9th, and I will do all in my power to help influence the outcome there, but I am also willing to accept the will of the Lord, and the agency of my fellow man in playing into what will finally happen. I'm happy to be here. I'm enjoying the challenges and growth I'm seeing every day. I'm so grateful that I decided to serve a mission, and that I made the decision to keep going, even when I felt sad and anxious and stressed and unable to keep going. Now I'm happy, and I'm excited for what the future holds. My greatest desire for the rest of my mission, is that I will get to train a missionary, and share with them the great love I felt at the start of mine. Thanks everyone for taking the time to read this! I love you and I thank you for your prayers. They brought many miracles into my life, so thank you.

 - Élder Grant