1 año

Well, beloved friends and family, I will be recognizing the 1-year mark this thursday. Wow, I know. Even for me, the time has gone terribly fast. Being so focused in the work, we count time by weeks. And stopping to recognize how much time has passed only once a week has caused that the time has passed even more quickly. I have learned many valuable lessons, many of which I have shared with all of you. The mission is a huge resposibility. One area of the mission to which a missionary is assigned has several thousand people. I am resposible for carrying the gospel message to every one of them. It is a huge task, but we are not alone. As the prophet Eliseo (in spanish...not sure of his name in english) said, we have hosts of angels in chariots on our side. And as Paul said, they that be with us are more than they that be with them. It has been like the blink of an eye. I just barely left BYU. I just barely left my cell phone in a lonely box in the basement. I just barely said good bye to my friends. But as Ecclesiastes says, To everything there is a purpose under heaven...a time for everything. And now my time here is half over. I hope and pray that my service is acceptable to God. I am striving to be better everyday. To learn patience, to learn hope, faith, love, charity, and all of the other virtues listed in D&C 4, along with those virtues of Christ. A true man is not one who has advanced in his education, work, social life, or anything of the sort, but rather a true manhood is measured by his dedication to God, his recognition that as a man before the Almighty, he is less than the dust of the earth and that as a child of the same Almighty, he has a potential so great that it is beyond his own understanding. As David pondered his existance before the vast array of stars, planets, and the great heaven, we too should ponder our position before God. Are we living up to his expectations? Are we allowing him to bless us as much as He wants to? I hope so. I love everyone of you, friends, family, and people that I know. I wish you the best, and I will see you in a year.