Thursday, December 4, 2014

Letter 47: Last Thanksgiving

Dear mom,

Man I'm so hungry now after seeing the pictures of chuck-a-rama and everything haha seriously! I miss the cousins and all too haha but it`s all good, next year. I always hated the endings of holidays when everyone went back to the same old. Being together with the family and the cousins was always the best. Then again...I was never the one preparing all of the food and all haha so I`d imagine you`re a little relieved now! Haha to be honest I didn`t even realize Thanksgiving had passed by until Friday...it was just another normal day. :)

I wasn`t able to read dad`s response but I read it today and it`s true. The update with my companion is the today we have interviews with President Kahnlein. We write him a weekly letter every week and he ended up calling me on Thursday and asking me what was going on with my companion, so I told him. He told me that he had put this Elder with me because he knew it was going to be difficult. He also said that he trusted me completly and that he wanted to interview my companion and I. So that`s what we will be doing today! Basically it`s been one of the harder weeks of my mission, oh man. I know that deep down he has good desires to serve but he just isn`t prepared. He comes from a small town in the Amazon and has some challenges with social skills. This week i`ve seen that he is always either very serious or laughs at everything. It makes it difficult to teach to work but that`s what i`m going to have to work on this change is to help him. My leaders know and i`ll see what president says but it`s just something I have to pass for. It`s interesting because we talked yesterday in church about crisis or trials and how they are what help us to grow. Really it depends on how we react, we have to rely upon the Lord but I know that he expects us to use our mind as well and do works. This would be the example of a mini ¨crisis¨, but my goal is to keep going and hopefully help my companion. 

I really like that qoute. It`s amazing how much can change with attitude or with a kind action or word. Sometimes we don`t even realize how much we have helped someone. It`s like you say, the day to day determines who we will become. I`ve found the the bigger events or the ¨once in a whiles¨ really don`t change who we are inside. Our choices on how to act everyday will determine who we become. President Monson said ¨A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step, watch your step¨. We should always be aware of what we`re doing. Sometimes it`s so hard to let the saviour into our lives completely and it`s because we don`t trust or we have trouble giving up worldly things but I know that the more we let Him in our life the happier we become. Sacrifice will ALWAYS bring a blessing. I`ll try to stay positive and grateful I promise, i hope that you can do the same. Know that you and the family are in my prayers and that I love you all! I know i`ve said it before but I really do have the best family, (and you have the best son ever, me) haha but seriously, I miss you all. Thanks for all you do mom, enjoy the rest after a busy Thanksgiving!

Love, Elder Barton