I get to... (1/14/14)

Dear Family and Friends,

Another week has come and gone here in the Philippines Laoag Mission. We are currently in the middle of a mini-transfer. There was apparently some sort of issue with the exit visas of a bunch of the missionaries and so they are going home now instead of in 2 weeks like it says on their release dates. All of us in the field got a two week extension back when they changed the MTC times to adjust to the new arrival dates. So the 4 now leaving are on their original release dates, but the word from the travel office in Manila is that this is the only time that this is going to happen. The missionaries have been asking us every time they see us what their release date really is. It is nice to know that really we don't have to worry about that since it is all taken care of by the Church. The Church has made sure that it is easy for the missionaries to focus on the work. 

This week has been once again full of office work. It is so hard to strike a balance sometimes, but we work hard at it. I have come to realize the importance of having the right perspective on the trials and difficulties that we all face in life. A few transfers ago I was talking with some of the trainers about things that I had to do that day. Mostly it was office errands and traveling and it was looking like it was going to be an exhaustive day. It was one of those days that I felt I just had to get through so I could rest on the other side. As I started to list off all of the things that were on my To Do List, one of the missionaries stopped me and said "You don't have to. You get to." I realized how right they were. Everything that the Lord gives us is an opportunity to learn and grow. The difficult and the easy, but most especially the difficult. We are to learn while in this time of probation and how can we learn without the learning experiences. In the pre-Earth Life, I am sure that we all had the "I get to" outlook and not the "I have to" one. We got the chance to choose our Savior and prove our faith and loyalty to him the war in heaven. We get to come here to Earth and receive a mortal body. We get to have families and have the Church in our lives. And we get to help others to receive those blessings also. Through our love and efforts, others will one day get to return to our Heavenly Father. That is the whole purpose of the plan of salvation. No one had to, we had the choice and we made it in favor of the plan presented by our Heavenly Father. To get to is one of the greatest blessings that our Heavenly Father has given us.

So this week, I got to teach two lessons, both on the same subject though with very different outcomes. The topic was missionary work and in the second lesson, which was to Sister F, the Spirit testified to her of the importance of missionary work and the great blessings that it brings to the lives of all of God's children. She was willing and eager to take the new copies of the Book of Mormon and look for those around her whom the Lord is preparing to hear the message of the Gospel. She has already had some missionary experiences, and is excited for more. The first lesson was to a less active member and they were unfortunately less receptive to the message of helping all people hear and accept the gospel. We now know what direction we need to take our lessons with him now, so the time is not far when he will be willing and ready to help us.

I know that the Lord is with all of us. This is the final dispensation before the second coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ and now is the time for us to push the work forward. The results are astounding when the efforts of full time and member missionaries are combined. That is how the work was designed to work and it is the only way it can work. So I want to invite you all to pray for a missionary experience the night after you read this and then look the next day for when that experience comes and take it. You will be amazed at what happens and the Lord will bless some one through you. Mahal kita! Keep the faith!

Love,

Elder Ryne Wood