Faith=Happy

This week we worked our tails off. We had a couple of ZTM Meetings and we had a little bit of office stuff, namely picking president up from the airport, but other than that it was a week of work. We saw some miracles and learned a lot. The Lord’s work has got to be done with His spirit, His way or it’s not His work. When we try to interject our own ideas without asking for his help, usually it just goes south. Just a little excerpt of what we learned this week. 

Spiritual: Recently in the mission the whole focus has been around baptisms. We have focused on finding, teaching and now baptizing. It’s been a huge deal. Since we are committed to carry that culture throughout the mission, we decided that we needed to baptize. It’s been like a hunger that has been growing. We have started salivating just thinking about white clothes. We actually had a sit down talk and just said that we needed to baptize this transfer. We feel that the Lord will support this goal and we felt like it was the right thing to do. So we started to work. We visited a ton of part member families but minimal teaching opportunities arose. We visited a ton of former investigators but again minimal teaching opportunities. There were a couple of gems we found in a couple return appointments, but this was not the miracle we were looking for. This started to really get under our skin this week and we started letting this obsession drive us to negativity and unfortunately a lack of happiness. This all came out Saturday night when we play some basketball with a bunch of investigators and less active members. We got there and despite our efforts, not very many people showed up. I was pretty frustrated at that point. We went home and planned for the next day and I caught myself feeling dark and not filled with the spirit. It was depressing. While we were praying for the Lord to confirm our plans for the next day, the thought came to me that true faith is manifest in a positive outlook in the future. Faith in Jesus Christ is filled with light and with hope. It’s not an enduring, draining resistance, but a light excited view on what is happening next. It’s also not a gleeful fleeting, spasmodic happiness that is gone within a couple of days. This faith sustains us and lifts us to overcome trials and discouragement and to move on stronger. As soon as we changed our attitude to one of faith and hope, the next day we met with Sergio. The man who we gave the blessing to a couple weeks ago. He was so open and humble and expressed his love for God and the blessings he has received from Him. It was a testimony to me that faith in Jesus Christ, appropriate faith, has power. Jesus Christ has all power. He lives! He suffered so that He could help us! I Love Him. 

Funny: President and Sister Mella went to an Ipad training in SLC this week. They told him he had to go back to California by Thursday. So he got the latest possible flight into San Jose Thursday night. I don’t blame him! He looked so refreshed coming off that plane! We were there to greet him. We had a card that said "Glen and Elizabeth Mella" And I was holding a couple of leis so when they got off the plane we greeted them with a "Welcome Home! Aloha!" and then drove them back to the Home. I love them so much. :)

Where I am at: We are finding a lot more people to teach. We are working a lot more with the ward and trying to help them in their missionary efforts. Things are great here! We have a pretty free week so get ready for some more miracles coming next week! Just us and the work here. We are excited to keep it going. I love you all!