Letter Home!
To the Shields Family,
First off, I will have to apologize for my lack of letter writing. I believe this will be my first since I left home. I won't promise one every week from now on because writing letters isn't my fave, but under special request from Momma I am writing this. So without further ado, I present, "What Elder Shields has learned in his first year as a missionary!"
Probably the first thing I have learned is how much you can get done in a day! I didn't realize all the wasted time I had back home with TV and games. When we plan effectively and work hard I am amazed just how much we can accomplish! I have also gained a testimony of getting up early. Just getting up and starting off the day with some nice exercise and still having all day to look forward to is so invigorating.
Second, is the importance of daily prayer and scripture study. Having those things in my life more to give me the spiritual boost I need has been life changing. Especially as a missionary I can feel the difference on my day when I study effectively and pray fervently. The guidance and confidence I gain is night and day to when I didn't do those things.
Third, the Gospel and the Atonement of Jesus Christ changes lives!! This one I have had the chance to live daily and see in multiple people. Most profoundly in the Dalphins and the Seols. Watching those couples grow in the Gospel was just incredible! To see where they started from to where they ended up in the amount of time they did, leaves no doubt in my mind that they relied on Christ, and He healed them and improved them. I love them. I love all the people that I have worked with, and those who I haven't also.
Lastly, the Lord prepares His children to receive his Gospel (Alma 13:24). I am but a messenger and an instrument that he uses to allow others to feel of His Holy Spirit. More and more I come to realize that the Lord puts people in our path. Felix Chavez for example, so many things in his life happened to prepare him to talk to us. The Lord's hand was in his life years before we talked to him. By us being out and working we had the privilege of talking to him and getting to share the Gospel with him. But it wasn't our charm or charisma that got him into the church. It was all the Lord had done before we met him that did that. I am convinced, if the Lord wanted me to baptize 1,000 people, He could make it happen. He does the work to prepare the hearts of the children of men.
I love being a part of this great work. It has changed my life. I hope to continue to bless the lives of others. I love you all so much and miss you dearly. But, I love this area and these people too. I will do my best to make this next year even better than the last.
Love, Elder Shields
"After all that has been said, the greatest and most important duty is to preach the Gospel."
Joseph Smith
First off, I will have to apologize for my lack of letter writing. I believe this will be my first since I left home. I won't promise one every week from now on because writing letters isn't my fave, but under special request from Momma I am writing this. So without further ado, I present, "What Elder Shields has learned in his first year as a missionary!"
Probably the first thing I have learned is how much you can get done in a day! I didn't realize all the wasted time I had back home with TV and games. When we plan effectively and work hard I am amazed just how much we can accomplish! I have also gained a testimony of getting up early. Just getting up and starting off the day with some nice exercise and still having all day to look forward to is so invigorating.
Second, is the importance of daily prayer and scripture study. Having those things in my life more to give me the spiritual boost I need has been life changing. Especially as a missionary I can feel the difference on my day when I study effectively and pray fervently. The guidance and confidence I gain is night and day to when I didn't do those things.
Third, the Gospel and the Atonement of Jesus Christ changes lives!! This one I have had the chance to live daily and see in multiple people. Most profoundly in the Dalphins and the Seols. Watching those couples grow in the Gospel was just incredible! To see where they started from to where they ended up in the amount of time they did, leaves no doubt in my mind that they relied on Christ, and He healed them and improved them. I love them. I love all the people that I have worked with, and those who I haven't also.
Lastly, the Lord prepares His children to receive his Gospel (Alma 13:24). I am but a messenger and an instrument that he uses to allow others to feel of His Holy Spirit. More and more I come to realize that the Lord puts people in our path. Felix Chavez for example, so many things in his life happened to prepare him to talk to us. The Lord's hand was in his life years before we talked to him. By us being out and working we had the privilege of talking to him and getting to share the Gospel with him. But it wasn't our charm or charisma that got him into the church. It was all the Lord had done before we met him that did that. I am convinced, if the Lord wanted me to baptize 1,000 people, He could make it happen. He does the work to prepare the hearts of the children of men.
I love being a part of this great work. It has changed my life. I hope to continue to bless the lives of others. I love you all so much and miss you dearly. But, I love this area and these people too. I will do my best to make this next year even better than the last.
Love, Elder Shields
"After all that has been said, the greatest and most important duty is to preach the Gospel."
Joseph Smith
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