Call It Imperfection

Hey Everybody!

 

It's been a long crazy week in Honduras.  So....  I guess I'll just go through the biggest 

things.  As I've said before, there's some big stuff on the way.... But, it's not here yet.  Next week we'll have a lot of big announcements hopefully.... Well, it's pretty sure, but GUYS it's such cool stuff.  You'll all understand.

Until then, I do have something in mind that I wanted to talk about.  I hope it will help you all as much as it's helped me. 

 

As I'm sure I've mentioned before, the mission has a way to bring out all of your weaknesses and challenges.  And something that I've learned a lot, is that as hard as you try at times to conquer weaknesses, there still seems to be those times when you fall into the old habits, be what it may.

 

So, what is to be done in these situations?  

 

What do you do when 'your best isn't enough?'   

 

Firstly and lastly - what we need to remember as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is this:  We are Exactly that.  Let's take a look at what that really means.

 

1.  We are Saints.  From the scriptures, those who belong to the organization or 'body' or Christ are refered to as 'Saints'.  As we learned in the last general conference, a saint isn't someone that is perfect, but one who is in the process of becoming so.  As I remember it, a saint is a sinner who keeps on trying.... So therefore, these seemingly unbeatable problems are nothing new in the eyes of God!  We need to remember that we all fall short of His perfect standard, but the point isn't to reach it.  The point, at this point in time, is just keep going.  Simple as that.  When you fall, repent of it, do better next time and keep going. And above all, LEARN from your mistakes!

 

2.  We are in the Latter Days.  I never fully understood this part of our name until the mission, because in Spanish, this part is translated 'last days'.  So, what can we learn from this?  WE ARE IN THE HARDEST PERIOD OF HISTORY (spiritually speaking).  Temptation is everywhere! And I don't mean just like, temptation to drink or commit fornication (although that is very strong too), but I mean the temptation to justify and thereafter quit.  DO NOT GIVE IN TO SUCH A TEMPTATION.  Do not justify your wrong action, but do not write yourself off either.  Remember that these days are MEANT to be hard, and if you're here right now, it's because GOD KNEW YOU COULD HANDLE IT.  So when you fall, get back up and remember this last point:

 

3.  We are the Church of Jesus Christ.  The truth of this statement is potent in every sense.  Everything we believe and everything we preach and everything we hope can be summed up in this one statement - We Cannot Do It Alone.  The scriptures teach that those who come unto Christ will be shown their weakness.  But, we have those weaknesses that we may remain humble.  We will fall.  We will at times fail. But the point isn't that moment of the failure - the point is what you do after.  We have all come unto Him by being part of His church - so we will be tested in every way imaginable!  How could we not be?  Christ calls us 'the light of the world' - do you think we do not need to EARN that title?  YES, we're going to be pushed, pulled, stretched, beaten and scorned, be it by others or be it by ourselves, but we have a foundation that WILL NOT fail, if we will only do that which He has asked. 

 

And WHAT has He asked?  KEEP TRYING.  When you fail, TRY AGAIN.  You did it wrong?  LEARN, then GET UP AGAIN.  We were never meant to be able to do it alone, but we have the embryo of gods within each of us.  Our very lives are a symbol of the promise we made before we came.  And what was it?  I'LL COME BACK.   Come what may, I'll get up again.  All of you back at home, if the mission has taught me anything, it's THAT.  Do not depend on your own strength.  Do what He has asked.  When it's hard, ASK SOMEONE PERFECT FOR HELP.  There's a great difference between sin and weakness.  The difference - is what we do in the moment of the temptation.  Remember in whom we have trusted.
 

I love you all.  I'll be telling you all about the most amazing things next week.  Until then - Stay strong.  Know that you're all in my prayers, and I can see those which you have given for me.

 

Elder Kristian Huff

Song of the Week:  Strawberry Swing, Coldplay.