This past week was full of excitement. We got to go to the most coveted place in the mission. Mammoth Lakes. It is a big tourist city. There are a set of Elders in our zone up there so we went up to do exchanges with them. It takes 3 hours to get there from Ridgecrest. So it was a fun drive. We went up Tuesday night and came home Thursday late afternoon. The exchange went really well. We were able to find someone for them to teach and a few people that may be interested. It is really hard up there because not very many people are permanent residents. We walked around a lot and talk with lots and lots of people. At lunch the funniest thing happened. We went to McDonalds. While we were there we saw this lady who was sitting there by herself and I looked to Elder Puyogao and said what are the odds that you will go sing to her i am a child of God. (Elder Puyogao has an angelic voice) (also odds are is a game that we play where the person picks the odds. Ex. 1 to 50 and on the count of 3 we say a number. If we pick the same number then the person has to do whatever was suggested.) So he said 1 to 50. We both picked the same number so he went over and sang it to her and she loved it we got her number and are going to send it off as a referral to the missionaries in San Diego where she lives. It was awesome.
Our ward also had an activity this week. It was a country dance/ pie party. (we got permission to go). It was awesome. Several non members came and we got to talk with them. It isnt everyday that you get to go to a dance on your mission. It was a very casual setting and tons of fun. Because i was from Texas everyone thought that i knew how to do all of these dance. Which i didnt. But it was fun to just be goofy.
In our area it was a little slower this week. We got lots of referrals from members which always makes it easier.
We were listening to this talk this week and i love what was said by Elder Bednar.
"In order to better understand this principle, please consider Aesop’s fable “The Hare and the Tortoise.” After being taunted repeatedly for being slow, the Tortoise challenged the Hare to a race. As the race began, the two started off together. However, the Hare ran rapidly towards the goal and, seeing that he could easily win, lay down and fell asleep a short distance in front of the finish line. The Tortoise maintained a slow but steady and consistent pace toward the finish line. When the Hare awoke from his nap, he started running as fast as he could, only to find that the Tortoise had won the race. The Tortoise is a classic illustration of steadiness and persistence. The Hare, on the other hand, is an example of a “spurter”—one who is given to short bursts of spectacular effort followed by frequent and lengthy periods of rest.
A spurt may appear to be impressive in the short run, but steadiness over time is far more effective, far less dangerous, and produces far better results. Consecutive days of fasting, ultimately, may not be as spiritually edifying as successive months of appropriate fasting and worship on the designated fast Sunday. An attempt to pray one time for several hours likely will not produce the same spiritual results as meaningful morning and evening prayer offered consistently over several weeks. And a single scripture-reading marathon cannot produce the spiritual growth of steady scripture study across many months.
The importance of steadiness and consistency in our spiritual development and progress is beautifully illustrated in the parable of the ten virgins (see Matthew 25:1–13). Ten virgins took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom. Five of the virgins were wise and took oil in their vessels with their lamps. They were prepared to welcome the bridegroom. The five foolish virgins took their lamps but took no oil with them. The foolish virgins knew they should have oil but procrastinated, were unprepared, and were shut out from the wedding feast.
The oil of preparedness and steadiness is accumulated each day through consistent, wise choices. President Spencer W. Kimball described it this way: “Attendance at sacrament meetings adds oil to our lamps, drop by drop over the years. Fasting, family prayer, home teaching, control of bodily appetites, preaching the gospel, studying the scriptures—each act of dedication and obedience is a drop added to our store. Deeds of kindness, payment of offerings and tithes, chaste thoughts and actions, marriage in the covenant for eternity—these, too, contribute importantly to the oil with which we can at midnight refuel our exhausted lamps”
This was the view from the elders balcony. It is nice and green up there and 15 degrees cooler.
Anyways have a great week.
-Elder Loertscher
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