Capstone and other fun things

Hey, everyone!


So, it's been another fun week here on the mission. There are many reminders all around, both formal and informal, that I am about at the end of the line. That's alright; I have had a pretty good run. But, then again, there is still much to do, and there are a few programs which I would like to get started off in zone, which will continue to grow and flourish if I am lucky. Aside from this, there will be a few things near the end of this mission which will keep me quite busy.

So, one of the more notable things which began this last week was my beginning a new program known as Capstone, the purpose of which is to prepare a young elder to return to the outside world when his mission ends. I did work to organize a companionship exchange with Elder Hauswirth, who had come in with me and therefore is also finishing up his mission. Usually, this happens every month for the departing missionaries, but because our group is so small, as are the next couple of groups, we instead are doing these classes for the next couple months of elders, which only include Elders Buers and Hartner, whom I had hosted near the beginning of my mission. The subject of the first class was an orientation of sorts, after which we were taught the subjects of goal-setting and having a mentor out in the world to help us to succeed. There will be other important skills taught, including such as resume writing. In fact, I have another class tonight for this (Elder Buers even reminded me of this just now). I know that there will be much more great things to learn in this training, and I look forward to being able to learn them, and prepare!

Even with the end of my mission coming up, as it always has in the mission, the work goes on. I have been working hard in the zone, trying my best to improve the situation for everyone working here. My latest task I had taken upon myself was to improve the spirituality of the zone, because it sometimes feels a bit like just any 9-5 job. I have talked with the district leaders about this, but there have not as of yet come anything out of it. I do have some of my own ideas though, which I feel they may be interested in. I do feel that missionaries really cannot forget the reason why they are here, because when this vision is lost, then this feels more like a job than like missionary service. I won't be able to stay to see what all comes of this, but I hope to at least be able to make a difference in this way, and to improve how things turn out for the others in the zone. There is some which has been done to accomplish this, but there ought to be more; and I intend to do so.

I have been participating well in the choir. They had recently passed out the last of the sheet music which will be performed for the month of February, so I know that this is the last of the music which I will sing with the choir. I think that I have learned a lot in my participation in the choir, which is great. I know a lot more about how to sing - and I mean really sing! I feel that I probably could go somewhere with this! But, for now, I have a lot more to focus on than just singing my way through my mission. That said, I don't intend to leave the choir until the very end of the mission; I have stuck with it for so long already, I simply cannot leave now! And when I get back home, I will need to seek out more opportunities to do music when I get back off the mission. I will surely pick up my guitars when I am done as well; it has been quite a time since I have been able to play, and I anticipate that I will be using them quite a bit when I get back! (If only we had another young elder music coordinator who could pull off me playing guitar for some meetings...)

As for other notable happenings in the week, the zone did have a special breakfast yesterday. I don't think these breakfasts are a monthly thing anymore, as it seems they have been occurring less and less often; as a result, I was acknowledged both for my birthday, which happened last month, and my leaving the mission, which will happen later this month. I was invited to share some things, which included how much I have changed with my service in the zone (which will amount, in total, to 20 months!), and my testimony of the work which we do out here in the mission. Aside from this, the food there was great, and made it so that I did not have to worry about breakfast so much! And so it was, that after the breakfast, we returned to zone as normal.

And so, this is my week. I am happy to be out here serving, and I hope to be able to continue to endure to the end. Thanks for all the continued support, everyone! I hope to see you all again next week! (Of course, by see, I mean hear from you and write you again.)


From,

Elder Bryce Petersen


Challenge: The time on this Earth has been given to us that we may learn and grow, and to have experiences from which we can learn that which we will need to know in the world to come. Every person who follows the Gospel has his or her life guided by the hand of God, that he or she may have an experience custom tailored to help us become the men and women we were meant to become. In such a situation, God knows exactly how much time we need in this earth life to continue learning and progressing, for He knows all. So, from this concept, we can know two eternal truths: first, we are not expected to have a perfect performance in this life on Earth; prophets have warned us against the "toxic perfectionism" caused by such expectations placed by ourselves on ourselves. Second, though it may seem somewhat contradictory to the first, we are also expected to not grow complacent with where we are on the eternal scale of progression; we are expected to continue to learn and to grow. We cannot rationalize ourselves by saying, "I am not perfect; God knows this, and He will 'justify [me] in committing a little sin' (2 Nephi 28:8). In reality, the Lord Himself has said that "[He] cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance;" however, He also adds that "he that repents and does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven" (D&C 1:31-32). Rationalization is one of the most dangerous tools of the adversary, which he uses to prevent progression on the part of the children of God; "And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell." (2 Nephi 28:21). The truth is, God does have a standard, and He justifies no man in deviating from the standard; justice will always be worked out, for God is a just God. However, because Jesus has wrought out a perfect Atonement, if we will honestly repent and turn unto Him, then Christ's suffering can heal us, and we can be forgiven. Remember, Jesus Christ had suffered to redeem us, not in our sins, but rather from our sins (see Alma 11). Brothers and sisters, I challenge you to no more rationalize that which you know to be sin; instead, engage in brutal self-analysis to find where it is that you can improve; once you have found the problem, tolerate it no more! "if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee" (Matthew 5:29-30). This is where improvement happens, and this is how we work out our salvation as children of the almighty God. It has changed the lives of many; it can change you.