Desire

Hello friends and family from the STILL wintery Spencer, Iowa.  Sounds like things are still that way back home as well, so we can all enjoy this long winter together.  Well this past week was a pretty great week.  Being a missionary definitely has it's set of challenges, but the blessings and miracles that occur far outweigh any trial that I face.  As Paul said, "I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."  I know that this applies not only to our eventual resurrection and eternal life, but also to the mission and the trials that turn into blessings.  Not that I've been having tons of trials lately, but just a thought as I look back evaluate the present.  One man we've been working with and praying a lot for is Ron Thompson.  He is the husband of a member, and he is a really sincere guy.  He knows that the Church is good and that the Gospel is true, and he wants to be a good example for his kids.  He's been taught many times before, and the biggest struggle he has is giving up alcohol.  So, we've been making a plan to help him quit, while at the same time replacing that habit with a gospel lifestyle.  He is coming along slowly but surely.  But yesterday was a miracle, he came to church!  It was really exciting, because he has a hard time coming and sitting still.  He said he really liked it, and he is still trying hard to do his best to live the Gospel.  One thing that I love about the Gospel is that Heavenly Father is always willing to give us a chance to follow Him, even when we've forsaken Him in the past.  I know that even though Ron has had chances in the past that haven't been as successful as him or his family would like, that it doesn't mean this time will be the same.  People can change, and when they can catch the vision of who they can be, the Atonement will work wonders in their life. 

    So my spiritual thought this week is on desire.  Desire is one of the most important principles of the Gospel.  In fact Elder Maxwell said that the most important education and training we can have in the education of our desires.  Why is that?  Well what we consistently and most desire, eventually, will be what we become.  If I want to be a happy person, I need to want to be happy more than I want to be sad.  If I want to be a good musician, I need to want to practice more than I want to watch TV.  If I want to be like the Savior, I need to want to do Christlike works more than I want to give in to the natural man.  Alma 29:4 states that God grants unto us "according to our desires..." and in fact "decreeth unto us decrees which are unalterable, according to our wills..."  That is an amazing thing to realize.  It also applies to being a missionary.  We need to desire to help people receive the Gospel more than we desire to just keep to ourselves.  If we don't have a desire, that is alright.  We can have a desire to have a desire.  We do this through prayer.  As we express to our Heavenly Father this desire and pray to be given a desire, He will give us things we can do, and as we act upon them our desire will increase.  I've had this happen many times as a missionary, where I really just don't want to work or talk to someone, but as I pray for it and act, the desire always comes.  I hope we can all have a desire to follow the Gospel and to share it with everyone.  I love you all so much and hope you have an amazing week.

Godspeed,
Elder Chandler Kendall