Faith to Move Mountains...

Hey mom, thank Aunt Gina for the letter and make sure that she knows that I love and adored every minute I had with Austin, Tyler, Savannah and her family. They mean a lot to me.

Elder Lukashuk was baptized and then literally 2 weeks after he was called by the Assistant to serve and then by President to confirm it. His family is pretty broken with his mom not even knowing he was baptized (he left home at 16) and his dad is indifferent about it. He doesn’t talk with his brothers (2) and sister. He is trying to make amends and improve his family circumstances.  

 

As for this week......... ;)

 

This last week was a week much like the island we were on last Christmas: virtually zero flat ground on the whole island. That’s how the week was, either up or down...but I’m starting to realize that that is the way life is. We did a lot of service being with a less active as he had to go through kidney dialysis multiple days and hardly could walk or move on his own. Then, after a very busy week with helping Brother Filamonov (the less-active). I had an interview with President Campero just like we all do every now and then. These last few weeks have been very humbling, no the interview was pretty humbling to say the least. President was very honest, but I don’t think he realized the effect of the interview on me and just what it did to make me think. President talked about a job that he had at General Motors as an engineer and the first day on the job. He was so overwhelmed by the magnitude of his work that he didn’t know if he could do it. And then he said something that stuck with me: "You can eat an elephant 1 bite at a time." I don’t know what happened from then till now, but I feel like the ever so small change has taken place in me, and because of my choice, I am moving forward. I’m striving to pray more sincerely, accept correction from my companion and seek it (super hard! ;) ), truly love, want others salvation, and exercise faith. I've always thought that faith to move mountains was meant to be this grandiose level of faith that only prophets achieved in this life; a level of faith in Jesus Christ that was so huge, the result was accordant. But this week, and this week was full of miracles (as have other weeks been because of my companion's faith), I am beginning to learn what I believe Christ meant: faith the size of a mustard seed is truly the smallest particle of faith we could have. It’s not large. It’s not impossible. It is the faith sufficient to choose the right when that next choice is placed before you. Step by step, choice by choice, bite by bite, shovel by shovel, this tiny speck of faith is enough to move mountains because it moves us forward. This faith is pushing all doubt out of our minds and knowing that truly God can do all miracles according to our faith. We found people this week. We found more new investigators in the course of Saturday and Sunday then I have ever found in my entire mission. I have never been happier. I have strove to be faithful and say regardless of all in front of me: "Yes, we can." The best part is, we all have the capability within us to exercise that particle of faith and move the mountain in front of us. That’s what I can testify of, because I saw it in my life the last two days. And remember that in the process of moving a mountain, the progress on the mountain is not as important as your orientation: always facing uphill.

 

I love you all so much! And as for Ukrainian winter...well it’s more like spring! For now... ;)

 

Elder Claypool