He remembers that he was working hard to get his CD done, had a fun trip to Moab UT with his brother and cousin, and running around getting ready. He says he felt he knew "just enough", like to just get to the MTC. He feels like he will apply everything he's learned on his mission in his life when he gets home.
Now I feel as though I'm doing the countdown again. Only 375ish days left!
The work is going forth in Poland, as always. He has been serving in Szczecin for most of this year now and loves it. Transfers will be coming up soon and he's hoping that he gets to stay there. It's still hot, though the weather is cooling off a little. They bought two fans, which run constantly, but do little to cool them off. He says they're always running around, working hard. "I love it!"
He loves the new members of his branch! He has such wonderful things to say about them all. They have one investigator right now who is sick and having a tough time of things. Lance says this man is one of his all time favorite people and hopes he will continue to meet with the missionaries, despite the adversity.
The Spirit and truth are inseparable!
Lance also included some pictures of the festival that was going on a couple of weeks ago. No pictures of him or his companion, dangit, but these are cool, none the less!
As usual, I updated him on the happenings at home. Though to me it may seem dull in comparison to what he experiences daily, he loves to hear all the details! He doesn't receive too many letter or emails from anyone else, so I try to keep him in the know of what is going on with friends and family.
Since he got the voice recorder, he has been preparing and sharing with us a "spiritual thought" every week. This week's thought was mainly about prayer. He says one thing he has learned is that effective prayer requires effort. He says it's important to focus on what you're needing. He shares some steps that have worked for him.
1 - Pray with a purpose and faith. Ask yourself, why am I praying? What do I expect to get out of this?
2 - Pray with sincerity, real intent, with all the energy of our heart. He refers to the story of Enos (see http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/enos/1?lang=eng).
3 - Give serious thought to your attitude. Think about your words and stay focused.
4 - Thank God for all you have and ask for His help. He wants to hear from us.
5 - Rely on the Spirit. Let the Spirit guide. Then write your thoughts down in a journal or in notes.
6 - Give an accounting of your day. What you accomplished. Showing that you care and that you acknowledge Him. And announce what you want to do tomorrow.
7 - Use the scriptures in harmony with prayer. Scriptures are the window to revelation.
8 - Act on your prayers. Think, meditate, study it out in your mind. Have faith and hope that God will answer. Keep your eyes, ears, heart, mind open and write it down so you don't forget...
2 Nephi 28:30
For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom: for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have.
He says it can be summed up in this scripture found in Moroni 10:4
And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
He also suggests we revisit a talk given by M. Russell Ballard called "Be Anxiously Engaged".
(see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbBeg_mRrvA)
Be anxiously engaged.
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