Thoughts on Doctrine

    One thing that I've become obsessed with is doctrine. What doctrine does for us and what the purpose is. By doctrine, I mean the foundation behind everything that we do, the reasoning for our actions.

I memorized 2 Timothy 4:1-8 the other day because I love these last verses that Paul writes. One thing that he says stands out to me. He's talking about the last days, and how to be a good evangelist in times when people "turn away their ears from the truth, and are turned unto fables." He says that we are to "rebuke, reprove, exhort, with all long suffering, and doctrine." I love how he instructs us to rebuke and exhort people with doctrine. Doctrine is what will change a person's nature. Understanding doctrine leads to a love of God and faith, which changes a person's nature. Fear just changes behavior.

So in this last district meeting, I decided that everything that we do as missionaries as we learn should be focused on better understanding doctrine so that our natures change. We have a goal-setting session in district meeting every week, basically 10-15 minutes where we review last weeks goal, after looking at our district total key indicators, and set goals and make plans for how to increase our numbers for the next week. It would be easy to set a "behavior changing" goal, like "everybody find 7 new investigators this week" or "hand out 15 copies of the Book of Mormon." But a focus I've been working on is setting nature changing goals, ones that help us understand doctrine and therefore help us BECOME more like Christ instead of just ACTING like him.

So yeah that's fun! I realized that I was super excited and always studying at the start of my mission. I read the whole Book of Mormon, I read doctrine and covenants, I studies for an extra 45 minutes in the morning and then for an hour during lunch and dinner. It's harder to study now, with everything as a district leader, but I want to get back into that routine of always having the scriptures open and reading. 

   Jesus Christ lives. He guides us every day. He leads this church. It is his work. He knows each of us and does everything that he can to touch and bless us. As long as we have faith and look for the miracles in our lives, big or small, we'll see them.

So this week's poem is short because ain't nobody got time for long emails when we have 2 hours to write everybody we know back home.

Miracles

We see them every day,

As we look into the light.

Our life is never gray,

As we're living in God's might.

His hand is all around us,

In every little thing.

We need not make a fuss,

So thanks to God we sing.

The miracle of family,

The miracle of joy,

Not one of these come haply,

So thanks to God employ.

Love you all!!!!! Hope you have a great week :)

We found a Wisconsin license plate. Enough said. 

Being fed dinner by some generous church members.