January 19, 2015

Janu-ary

Hola Family,

That is some very sad news about Matt Carlson... I had a dream of him this past week.  

I was home giving my homecoming talk and I gave Matt Carlson a shout out- ha it was kinda weird.  

I am sure he is having a blast in the spirit world! I am sure he has found something to make fun of there! 

I still can remember going up to snowbird with him and he would always bring chocolate milk and Twinkies. 

Tell the Carlson family that they are in my thoughts and prayers!

 

This week was very fast! 

It was amazing I believe it was the temple that made it go by so quick.  I had an awesome time going to the temple.  

After going to the temple I have an even greater urgency to help all of our recent converts and less active get to the temple.  

I like a quote from Elder Nelson in which he said, 

" enduring to the end includes the ENDowment".   

We have done great this week with building trust with our bishop.  We ate with him 4 times last week and we were able to do service with him twice.  

In return he went out with us teaching and has given us a huge list of individuals to see.  

It is amazing how effective less active work is, especially when the bishop is on your side giving you names that he has prayed about.  

Each family that bishop told us to go visit is a pmf! (part member family)  

The ward was the fullest I have seen it in awhile this past Sunday.  

We had a few past less actives turn to the active side this past week. 

This week in my studies I read all of the mini books in The Book of Mormon and started Mosiah...   

I love king Benjamin It is amazing how bold he is in his teachings.  That is something that both elder Rodriguez and i have seen as we have gotten older in the mission is that we are both getting very bold. 

One verse that I liked from the first chapter is verse 17 

"Therefore, as they were unfaithful they did not prosper nor progress in their journey, but were driven back, and incurred the displeasure of God upon them; and therefore they were smitten with famine and sore afflictions, to stir them up in remembrance of their duty."

It helped me ponder my duty as a missionary, son of god, priesthood holder etc.  I think I show my unfaithfulness daily in one of these 'duty's'... but the lord never fails handing out a rebuke! 

Whether it is just the feeling of no progress or a sore affliction they both do the job in helping me remember my duty and put me back on the path of a more complete faithfulness.  

Love y'all

ELDER FINLINSON