Week before the transfer

The Fam Bam,

 

This week has been really interesting and different because we have had a meeting pretty much every single day. It was exhausting but we learned a fantastic amount

 

One of the coolest and profound things we listened to was actually a rebroadcast of a Brad Wilcox I have seen before. I did get a lot of new things out of it this time. The most impacting thing was referring to Christ's Atonement and the plan made for us. Brad addressed the atonement in the steps we teach it: faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, and baptism. receiving the holy ghost and then enduring to the end. He said some of these things that evoked some of my thoughts. 

 

Without faith there is no desire to change and come to Christ. This being the first step is essential. The more and more I think about this Gospel the better I understand the need for faith and why it is faith rather than knowledge that we are to walk by.

 

Without commandments there is no bar or standard to measure our change or repentance that is needed. We need set guidelines to see our progress and make the necessary goals to come unto Christ. We need to know where to go before we get going.

 

Without endurance, or keepin' on keepin' on, there is no way to imbed and internalize that necessary change to prepare to meet God. We need the opportunity of endurance to helps us better understand and realize the importance of all these things and because of that learn about God. When we do that we learn more about ourselves.

 

He said, "without practice you can never become a pianist" or in other words without going through these trials we can not become the thing we need to meet God. We do not become the pianist. That is why this whole earth phase was and is necessary for all of us.

 

Learning about this stuff from so many different sources, circumstances and viewpoints is something I have really enjoyed. We also have the opportunity to learn from a guy who was one of Steven R. Covey's primary partners, Elder Ritchie. He has a lot of knowledge I get to pick at for two years. He evoked something that I have heard before but have never felt the same. I feel different because I never have desired success like I do now in all parts of my life. "Be the change you want to see" Be Bigger, Be better, Do more. I have already tried to apply this to myself more and more. I am trying to lead by example even though I am a newbie.

 

I am excited to keep working and I still love and miss you guys a lot.

 

Love you all so much, spread my love where I can not.

 

-Elder Jonny Bigelow