Nov. 26 - WHAT ARE YOUR DESIRES?

Hey family! I hope that you enjoy the thanksgiving pictures! It was super fun as my missionary family...wasn't as tasty as moms cooking, but when you have to make pumpkin pies from scratch, are eating Bolivian empinadas from Sister Campero, and your mission president is wearing an Indian head dress...you must be in Ukraine :)

Also, congrats to all the babies and moms, and family, and all. Its an exciting time of life for us all.

As the weeks go on its crazy to think how fast time flies...and I feel like I say that in every email, but it really does. This week I was able to try holodets which is essentially the gelatin, frozen chicken noodle soup that is so famous (or rather infamous) in this part of the world. It was pretty...well lets just say that I am grateful for the fact that there is always bread and additives on a Ukrainian table ;) We actually have incredible members here in the area, and as we try to get to know them better, our relationships improve and sooner rather than later, we are spiritually fed...and physically too ;) I did try to make your rolls for thanksgiving this week and they so weren't as good, but still reminded me of you.

Thanksgiving was indeed fun with all of the Donetsk zone, a ton of turkey, and odds and ends...it was pretty good for the fact that missionaries filled all the cooking assignments minus the turkey. So much fun! We really have incredible missionaries here in our mission...best in the world for this mission in my opinion. ;)

For anyone, there are things that we want to accomplish in this life. There are desires and dreams that we all have, but the question can sometimes be how we turn desires into determination and then to destinations. This last week for the beginning of the week I was pretty lazy, really didn't want to do my best, and as a result, I wasn't my best. Be your best self and do not settle. The Lord needs us to be who we were meant to be by submitting ourselves to him and giving our desires to him. He knows best. Set goals that reflect your desires, plan how to accomplish them, determinedly execute those plans, and then reap the rewards with the Help of the Lord. (aka PMG ch 8 ;) ) So then the question becomes "What are my desires?" Whatever they be, remember these two doctrines: (1) the Lord has given us the incredible power of choice to chose when our desires may be less than what they should. (2) The Spirit is there to plant righteous desires into our hearts. Align your desires to your destiny!

I Love you all

Elder Claypool