Another week has come to a close here on our Texas mission. It was a great week in the mission office. Elder Edwards and I are both settling into our responsibilities and adapting them to the skills we have. Elder Edwards has gotten a legal width filing cabinet this week and has been moving all apartment information into that. It really looks great and has been a big task. The middle of the month means its time to pay rent on all of the apartments for the next month for me, and it was much easier than last month. Also I have been working on new missionaries and setting up their files while also working on those who are reaching the completion of their missions and all those tasks. So we continue to learn and are grateful to see how the Lord is helping, teaching and guiding our efforts.
Taylor had youth conference this weekend. He got home tonight and was so enthused about it. They were in Nephite-era clothing for the conference and their activities based on this time- activities relating to Lehi's dream etc.
We asked Ashlynn and Mallory if the would like to go to the temple on Saturday morning and do some family-related temple baptisms. They got ready very fast and the 4 of us headed for the temple. They did the work for 11 ancestors. We were able to join with some members from a Spanish-speaking ward. Ashlynn and Mallory knew some of the girls from school. It was a very good day. Although there was some difficulties getting our records completed it still was a great time to spend with our granddaughters.
Elder Graham and Armacost came over for dinner tonight. Brad is back home which is great for Shauna and the family! And it means that the grill master is back on grill duty!
I re-worked one of my poems that had been written a couple of years ago. I really like the new version.
Be
Constant and True
A small
brook wends its way to a stream.
It becomes
a river on its way to the ocean.
If left to
itself it follows a line that usually
Takes the
simplest, easiest course.
But there
are other forces in nature that can
Radically
and constantly change its course forever.
A fallen
tree, a flood or a storm, even rocks and boulders
Are just
some of these natural forces.
When its
course is changed it may wind itself
Back and
forth along a much longer distance.
Where did
you begin and where does your journey end?
A
well-known hymn states:
“I have loved thee as thy friend,
With a love that cannot end.
Be obedient, I implore . . . . .
And be constant unto me,
That thy Savior I may be.”[i]
For us to
be constant or ever loyal
Unto the
Lord requires all of our heart,
Also our
might, mind and strength in following
His
teachings and His way of life.
Are they
written in your heart?
His
covenants and promises are sure.
It
requires twenty-four hours a day
And seven
days a week of our lives.
This
devotion helps us to always
Live “in”
this world but to not be “of” the world.
We all
have boulders, rocks and downed trees
In our
lives that can change our desired course.
Only
unlike a brook or stream, the tiniest change
In our
earthly path may mean a destination
That is
somewhere we really don’t want.
Do you have
an eternal destination in your life?
Because of
Christ’s infinite atonement
We don’t
have to carry the boulders that
Enter into
our path or stream of life.
Christ’s
gift of repentance allow us to
Rid our
lies of its mistakes and errors.
It is not
easy to acknowledge wrong and
To desire for
a new chance each day.
But we can
truly become constant and true
In our
devotion to Christ our Savior.
Forgiveness
is for those that seek it.
Do you
find forgiveness in your heart?
We can
look outside of self and learn
The joy of
service to others like He did.
In service
to others we, like a brook or stream,
Can offer
love and joy to all in our path.
We can be
His follower in serving as He did.
May we
always seek for eternal joy
And not
fleeting or temporary happiness.
He is
always waiting with arms outstretched
To gather
us, love us and forgive the honest in heart.
In
forgiving others we find rest and peace of heart.
Do
Christ’s teachings and Holy Spirit guide you?
Charlotte
P. Edwards-revised April 17, 2014
[i] Reverently and Meekly Now, Hymns of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints, Text by Joseph L. Townsend, Hymn 185.
From Facebook earlier this week:
My husband is on the piano playing "Oh, Canada" We are missing our Atlantic Canada friends!! Know that you have a special place in our hearts! And we look forward to coming back for a visit. We love our new Texan friends and are grateful to be in missionary service!
.jpg)
.jpg)
