Letter 07-02-2013

Hi,

It's really cold out here. A nice 40 degrees, celsius. Somehow I haven't sunburned yet. We keep the enthusiasm up to match the temperature though.

We had a roller coaster week... so many people we're teaching, but so many of them "soft-dropped" us. They basically all said, "Come back any time, we'll share a scripture and say a prayer! But we're not ready for baptism yet. Don't get too discouraged because of me - you brought me back to God, and I'm just choosing to stay where I'm at for now. I'm still open to change my mind though!" It puts us in a very tough spot. We could teach and teach and teach and teach but only have a shot at getting them back on date and working towards baptism. So we're really praying whether to drop them or not.

That's got to be the hardest part of the mission. Deciding whether or not to drop someone. Especially when our areas are so small, we'll see the people we drop on the street and outside all. the. time. We have to trust that the Lord will put other people who are prepared in our path, and so far He has - we have a lady that is on date for July 20th that showed up from a Ward Mission Process (yes, those referrals are the best!).

And so on the work moves. I spoke on Sunday again and gave my "The Lord is Hastening His Work" talk. I love giving it. I think I'm going to save giving it as my thought though so I can use it for a certain talk after my mission.

-Elder Chandler

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thought: Prayer

I really enjoyed a recent article in the June Ensign: http://www.lds.org/ensign/2013/06/improving-your-personal-prayers?lang=eng

I've always been a big fan of the Bible Dictionary definition of prayer. In the article heading "Align Your Will with the Father's", he says that prayer is an alignment process. I love that. It's something that I've been realizing more and more over the last weeks. When we pray we're given an opportunity to gain a glimpse into the perspective of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, then realign our lives to be in harmony with their's.

I think it's because of this concept that Alma the Younger was able to tell Helaman, "Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good, yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord that he will watch over thee in your sleep, and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God. And if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day." Or something like that.

Then the promise comes in the article: "When we align our will with Heavenly Father's will, answers and spiritual power will flow more freely." And that's something I need, seeing as "prophesy" and "speak (with power)" are two of the most used missionary verbs in the Book of Mormon thus far.