Drawing a blank

Hey, everyone! (No, the subject was not a pun, I really couldn't think of anything to write there)

So, the week has started out alright. On that note, it also had ended alright. There is also quite a bit which happened in the week, so I shall just get right into it.First off, I should note that, once again, transfers are today (yes, it was a short transfer). Moving notices have already gone out, and no one in my district has received one. I am currently relieved, but a little bit suspicious - this wouldn't be the first time that a moving notice had not gotten sent out to a missionary who needed one. I will just assume that things will be alright though. My having not received a moving notice informs me that, for myself, not a whole ton will change in this transfer. This will mean another month in the zone (what else is new?), as well as the same companion; perhaps the district will also remain intact, including the P-Days. But, we will see. There is also talk that a missionary who had previously gone home was going to make a comeback this month; this was verified by President Fenn in our week's leadership meeting, but he did not say who. I guess that we will have to wait and see what transfers brings then. I also ought to note that this will seemingly be my third month with Elder Cole, which if it goes uninterrupted as my companionship with Elder Black did, will give him the record of having had to put up with me being my companion for the longest amount of time of anyone who has been my companion. Of course, for someone who has never held on to a companion for a full three months, that is not saying a whole ton for him, but he still gets the distinction.

Speaking of Elder Cole, his dad had sent him over a whole bunch of pecans, because those are quite expensive here in Utah. So, my companion and I agreed that I needed to make a pecan pie for the occasion; therefore, I did just that! Baking has been a nice thing for me when there is not much else to do; though the prep can be a bit lengthy at times, I make sure to get other important things done when I can, including scripture study. Having a phone has also allowed me to listen to General Conference talks and other materials from the Gospel Library app while doing such preparing. I feel that every person needs some level of food-preparation ability past using a microwave to reheat food. Whenever possible, I like to make from scratch some nice things for me and my companion - and not even just dessert-type things! Last Saturday, I had made a nice lasagna for the two of us - we are still working on the leftovers, which for a missionary is awesome! That said, there are other important things to balance it all out with, especially as a missionary. I have been trying to keep things under control in that regard, and I think I am doing well. (Unfortunately, Mom, I cannot send you the pie that I had made for Pie Night - it's already partially eaten anyway.)

So, last Saturday is probably the most notable happening of the week. Now, as most of our Saturday evenings are very much open, we often keep an eye out for things for us to do on such days - after all, it is either this or hours of sitting bored in a lonely apartment. This week, however, we had heard of a Christmas concert being put on by the Bells on Temple Square, the Tabernacle Choir's handbell choir. Though the tickets were already "sold" out (the tickets for such performances are free, but they are still required for admission), there was a standby line for us to wait in. When we had gotten to the standby line about an hour before admission, it was completely empty. We didn't stay there long either - a gentleman who we assume had family who were not able to make the performance came up and gave us some of the tickets which he had. So, we were able to go in, and enjoy a nice concert at this evening! It's amazing what music can be made by no more than a set of handbells! Of course, for a few songs they did have a couple other instruments to fill out the song a little more completely, but the sound was still very much handbell-based - and it was awesome! Such concerts are definitely worth the time and effort required to gain admission! Though I did have to leave a bit early to make it back to the apartments in time, the performance as a whole was astounding! (Don't worry, baking has not completely phased out my love of music!)

The very next day, I had quite the task ahead of me. Now, to give a little context to the situation, there are many senior missionaries on this mission. For many, this is not their first assignment to serve. Many have served missions previously. Some have previously served as bishops and in other leadership positions. And, last Sunday, it was my job to give a lesson in our priesthood meeting, and teach them something new. But, luckily for me, it isn't quite my job to teach, is it. It is the Holy Spirit which teaches a lesson in such circumstances - and boy did I need it! Ironically, that is kind of what the lesson was about - more specifically, it was on receiving revelation. Do not worry, however, that I had done what some have done, and wait until the last minute until preparing the lesson, or - heaven forbid - do nothing to prepare and spend an hour winging it. I have learned the hard way that "winging it" does not work when giving a spiritual lesson (see D&C 9:7-8); therefore, I had spent some time doing work to prepare myself both intellectually and spiritually for the lesson, and I think that things have turned out quite well. I will share more of what I had learned in my challenge.

Now, earlier this week the zone leadership did have a special meeting, mostly about the logistics required for us all to make the move over to the JSMB. Despite a little complication, which involved President Fenn not liking that what was going to be our seating layout involved cubicle walls which were too long for us to be able to see our companion's screens (this has now been fixed), the appointed date for us to make the move is still exactly one week from today (which, if today remains my P-Day after transfers, will make this a bit inconvenient, but I'll work that out when the time comes). The meeting was a pretty good one, as we not only covered this subject quite well, but we also had discussed some other issues going on in the zone, and were able to get quite a few things somewhat resolved; all in all, I feel that was a productive meeting. Once it was over, we were shown where the team was to be moved in this building. It is not too far away from where the young elders were stationed previous to October 2017, when we were moved over to the family history library in the first place. It is a very large improvement from our current location. First off, we actually get to see sunlight again! And not only that - the temple is right outside the window for us! The new design will have more adequate space for us to hang up our coats as well. We will also be right next to the mission office, making trips over there much more convenient. As you can probably now tell, I am excited to be able to make this move!

You are probably all wondering what will be happening for the Thanksgiving holiday. Of course, we will have to have special plans ready for us all, as the Church campus will be closing down for this holiday. I don't think that all of the plans are out quite yet, but currently, there is a Thanksgiving dinner being planned for the mission. There will be quite a few people providing food - it has even been said that President Fenn will be catering the event! That said, it was recently brought up that there ought to be more young elders bringing food to such events. Many elders have seen events like this as "free food", which isn't too far from the truth, but they do not often bring with them their own dishes for others to enjoy. Now, I am one of the people who does like bringing with me food (and I am sure that others enjoy it when I do so as well, on account of the dishes I bring ending up empty by the end of the night), so I will definitely make sure to bring with me a dish of some sort this time as well.

So, yeah, it was quite a big week for me. I am happy to have been able to take part in all of these things. Sorry if this E-mail is longer tan you had expected, and it had made you late for something important; perhaps I will apologize in person when I return home from the mission. Anyway, I will send another message next week. Thanks so much for the continued support!



From,

Elder Bryce Petersen



Challenge: So, as mentioned earlier, I did give a Priesthood lesson earlier this week, which topic was on revelation. Now, though the lesson was given in the context of missionary work, everyone - not just ordained servants of the Lord - needs to be capable of receiving personal revelation, as we were taught in this day and age that "In coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost" (President Nelson, "Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives", 2018). Though the lesson was not based off of President Nelson's April 2018 Conference address, I did take a couple of principles from it, including a few patterns which were set forth in this talk. It is important to note that, to know how to receive revelation, it is important to know more about the Holy Ghost, as it is by Him that we receive revelation given to us from our Heavenly Father. Though many have been baptized, and thus promised the gift of the Holy Ghost, not all who are baptized enjoy such a glorious gift - this is because to be able to experience this blessing, we first must live worthily of it (see D&C 130:20-21). Then, and only then, will we be able to have the constant guiding influence of a member of the Godhead. However, simply because we will have the gift of the Holy Ghost does not mean that there is nothing more required to do to receive revelation. This is where principles taught in President Nelson's April 2018 address come in; he had taught us - and note each of the individual requirements - that "Nothing opens the heavens quite like the combination of increased purity, exact obedience, earnest seeking, daily feasting on the words of Christ in the Book of Mormon, and regular time committed to temple and family history work." Such a recipe is the formula to follow if we want to optimize ourselves for receiving revelation. Once this is done, then we must ask for that which we most desire wisdom about. We must ask in fervent, heartfelt, purposeful prayer. Once this is done, we are to listen to the promptings of the Holy Ghost. And then, as He speaks to us, we must write our impressions as we receive them. This will be how God gives us instruction and knowledge. Once we then have this knowledge, it is our responsibility to act upon the knowledge we have received, for it does us no good to go through all the effort of receiving revelation, then doing nothing about it, for knowledge is no good until it is acted upon (see James 2:17). "As you repeat this process day after day, month after month, year after year, you will “grow into the principle of revelation.”" So, please make it a point to receive personal revelation for that which you desire the most. Make the necessary changes in your life, if necessary, to be more worthy to receive revelation, then go through the process. Once you have done so, please act, that your faith may not be dead. This is how to have the Holy Ghost guiding your life; this is how to receive the knowledge which you desire most, including a testimony of the Restoration. I promise that it is worth it - when you receive that revelation, then "it [will be] most sweet, above all that [you] ever before tasted" (1 Nephi 8:11).