Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Strive to be the best you can!


Hey mom!

 

Mike Dieter is coming to church again! If I remember correctly, Michael Guirsco and he and I wanted to start a band back in the day...good time ;) Ask him for me if he still plays the drums! And please give him a huge hug for me and tell him that I love him.

 

The weather actually isn’t too bad here. It’s been pretty warm...but then again, I don’t have a thermometer to check, just the amount-of-time-it-takes-until-my-face-is-frozen-meter ;).

 

This last week the holidays were almost completely over with New Year's, Christmas, Old New Year’s (by an ancient calendar they used to use), and so many fireworks. Seriously everyday was like the fourth of July for a while ;) Investigator wise, we lost Tamara the other day because of her daughter who is against us meeting with Tamara. It’s just so sad to see the devil at work. However, our member Loodmila, with whom we were working with Tamara, is not giving up and going straight to the source to talk with the daughter. We'll be praying for the conversation. Other than that, we started meeting with Alexander and Alla again since they are back from the holidays (and Alla on the last lesson recognized that she felt the Holy Ghost before in her life when praying! Its small, but still progress!), Sergei and Andrei are both learning English with us to make up the time while we don’t have English class...guess the Lord puts people in our paths for a reason!

 

This last week was a little better in regards to my patience and attitude but I still need some work. It’s amazing how much I truly focus on myself and how much the stress and hardships I have really only come out of my own selfishness. That's what I’m working on this next week.

 

This last week also, amidst the crazy stresses and fun times with a ward Book of Mormon party and being with Sister Semonova all day (due to the incredible package you sent me!!!! Thank you so much by the way especially for the blanket and PMG! You are seriously the best mom! and twins too ;) ) I was really able to learn more about missionary work and what that really means. Service needs to always be our focus. When we serve others, naturally Heavenly Father gives us success. This last week we literally just went around trying to serve people and not just try to get their contact. I can testify that that is what the Savior would do. He was just there with the goal to help all and make all know that there, yes, is a way, but more importantly that they were loved. I feel privileged for this opportunity to become more like Him...He was incredible.

 

I love you all so much and know that the Savior really is the only way to happiness. If we want to be really happy with out that empty feeling that comes when the temporal happiness is gone, take on the form of the servant, Strive - don’t try - strive to be the best you can, and then in studying and acting like the Savior, rely on his grace to actually accomplish it. This is what I’m going to strive to do, because I don’t quite know this to be true in my heart. I will though.

 

I love you all so much and pray for you!!

Elder Claypool

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