Family,
Elder Sparks flew up to Reno Saturday night! It was tough seeing him go. I consider him one of my closest friends in the mission. But he is doing great work up there starting a new mission. Elder Jacobs is his replacement. He is awesome! He's the oldest of 4 boys and has been on his mission for about 1 year. You couldn't tell though. He is very humble and full of love. If my love for others increases at all before I get home I have him to blame. Which I hope it does. He moved to Tennessee his senior year from Seattle so we talk about the south a bit. Speaking of the south, my heart goes out to Amber. Can you get her contact information for me?
We have had a grand week. Before Elder Sparks left we spent most of our time putting together some programs for him to take to Reno and teaching. One of the members of our singles ward was in an institute class a few weeks ago where the teacher invited each student to pull out their cell phone and text a non-member and invite them to hear a message from the missionaries. She texted her friend Alyssa and since then Alyssa has taken all the lessons and is preparing to be baptized. Her mother is not in support of it all but she will come around soon. It amazes me all the ways that people are brought into the gospel.
Not sure if I mentioned this last time but a few weeks ago we baptized the President of the Nevada Chapter of the Mongols. The next weekend they had a rally in Boulder City. The guy we baptized told us before this rally that he wants to help change the image of the Mongols. He is even entertaining the idea of starting a Mormon Chapter of the Mongols! Anyways, the city police were all over these guys that weekend in BC. They really nit-picked them with tickets for everything from J-walking to improper signaling. To show their motives the members of this bike club stayed after their festivities and picked up trash around the city. A small act that will go far. I'm sure you can read about it online somewhere.
My mortality as a missionary is become more and more of a reality to me. I have only 5 weeks left! I look back at the time that has past and am thankful I have no regrets. I look at the time remaining and lately it has been daunting. What do I do with 5 weeks? We have a wonderful ward mission leader in our singles ward who I greatly admire. He helped my understand what to do.
When I leave I will leave a legacy behind. I know this because of the other missionaries who have come long before me who I still hear about. I know that if I conger up the perfect legacy to leave and then try and force that legacy upon myself I will fail. The legacy will come naturally. And the better I am as a person, a son of God, the better and greater the legacy will be. So for the remaining 5 weeks this is my axiom: Be myself, only better. The legacy will leave itself.
I have been studying Alma lately. He intrigues me. He is very similar to Paul. Both of these men were persecuters of the church in their day. Both were compelled to be humble through the powers of God. Alma, in his iniquities, is visited by an angel who rebukes him and tells him that if he doesn't change God will destroy him. Paul, on the other hand, who at the time is known as Saul, is perhaps a greater degree in wickedness than Alma because Christ himself appears to him and rebukes him. Both men change after their experience. From all the testimonies I have heard from others who reference the Book of Mormon and the Bible it seems to me that Alma and Paul are quoted the most, respectively. I feel the reason they are quoted the most is because of the followers of Christ they seem to have the most powerful words. I feel the power of their words come from the passion they have for the gospel and how they saw it change their lives. In other words, they have seen both sides of the track, therefore, they have both perspectives, thus giving them a greater admonition to lead people away from evil.
As I have studied Alma I have noticed his testimony thus far is rooted in the actions we must take to enter into Heaven. I am only in chapter 12 but I find it less than a coincidence that already a half-a-dozen times he has mentioned to various people the importance of our action here on earth and how they effect our standing in heaven. Time and time again he warns the people they will be judged for there works. This really sticks out to me because it encourages me to not only believe, but to act on what I believe. And what preceeds this is to verify that what I believe is truth and of God.
I love the scriptures. They are thrilling and inspiring!
I love you all too!
Love,
EC
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