3/25/19: Chicken Bakes Make My Stomach Quake!

Buenos dias!


We had just about the quickest week of my mission so far with exchanges. We went with 4 of the 8 Zone Leaders in the mission for 4 days straight, and it was awesome. Starting tomorrow we will be going with the other 4, so looking forward to that.

Exchanges are probably my favorite parts of leadership, so going on so many makes me the happiest camper out there. We had some sweet stuff happen and definitely more than one interesting experience. Those ranged from someone telling us that they are a prophet, a possum playing dead in the hood of Mt Vernon, and a BBQ with tons of Mexicans (Finally was able to use my spanish again)

Title Explanation: When you have exchange weeks, your diet goes out the window and Costco becomes the go-to. Chicken bakes were my main source of energy, and that can only go so far before you start feeling like your toes are filled with cheesy bread and chicken breast. This week is already looking better, straight tuna, chicken, and eggs ;)

I found some awesome stuff in my studies this week, and the first cool thing has to do with leadership. I've been thinking about who some of my greatest role models are in life, and Joseph Smith is probably numero uno. He is beast. My testimony of the Prophet of God has grown so much out here, and I was reading a cool talk the other day on how he was an exemplary leader.

This man was on the train in NY and picked up a paper to read. He found an article about a renowned Russian historian that had come and spent a year in the U.S. On his way out, this historian was interviewed and asked many different questions, one of them being, "You have been in America for a year, studying our history and our people. Tell me, which of all the Americans do you consider the greatest?”

The Russian historian answered, “You have had only one great American—Joseph Smith, the Mormon Prophet.”

Giving a reason for his statement he said, “There is only one American who has advocated a way of life and has brought forth ideas, which, if followed, would change the whole society of the world.”

Joseph Smith is the Modern Moses. Enough said.

I was focusing a lot of my study time to the word "Perseverance" this week. It's such a common term to say that our life in the gospel is a "marathon" or a "race". Neil A Andersen made a solid point in one conference report he gave recently when he said,

"Our journey of discipleship is a lifelong migration toward a more celestial world."

We need to realize that it is essential for us to make day by day changes and choices that will lead us to that celestial goal. Not one day can get us there, but a string of constant righteous decision making.

Now this is a hard thing to accomplish, but wait! Wilford Woodruff gives us some interesting insight,

"In any and every age of the world when God has called or commanded a man or a people to perform a certain work, they through determination and perseverance, and faith in him, have been enabled to accomplish it."

There's the word again! Persevere! As we do so, we are literally realizing the plan of our perfect and all-knowing Father in Heaven.

Have a great week! Love y'all!