We have a phrase
that sometimes gets used as missionaries and it goes something like "Teach
People, Not Lessons." The idea is that people are most important and,
while you may have a specific idea in mind to teach them, you should not let
that become the sole focus of everything. This is important because in
missionary work because it really is all about people. On the other hand, our
mission president asked us an interesting question: "If you aren't
teaching these people lessons, what are you teaching them?". With that in
mind, in this zone interview president Hughes had everyone teach him a short 3-5-minute
lesson. He did this to make sure that everyone was teaching in a way that would
make people feel comfortable and understand what it is that we are teaching.
President Hughes is very concerned with people, how they feel, what they go
through, and how to best help them. I have learned a lot from him as he has
explained to me what I can do to make people more comfortable with my presence.
Personally, I feel like these skills will make a nice difference in my life in the
coming years. Life is good.
God really wants to
help us, He really wants to forgive us, He wants us to feel peace in our lives.
I want to you look at the last few weeks or months or even years. Were you
peaceful? Did you experience peace? Was it an overarching feeling? Or a
seldomly felt experience that never seemed to stay? God wants you to have peace
in your life today. I recently gained a better understanding of the peace of
repentance, what God is willing to give us, and what He expects of us. We have
an expression in the mission which comes from Sister Hughes: "Repent in
real time." If you make a mistake, why would you sit around feeling bad
about it? Just get back on the bike and get going to where you are going.
This mindset will
change your life. You will be affected by the grace of God and you will feel a
peace in your life that you can’t explain. I know that we worry about things, I
know we experience different things, but my life can’t be that different from
yours – and if it worked for me, chances are it will work for you. Keep up the good work and never give
up. As for the not
good work we all do, focus on the things that you want and where you want to go
– everything else falls into place. Keep on keeping on.
I love you all and I
really hope that you will be able to apply that in your life. I believe in you
all. Life is good here, I pray for all of you. Keep it going.
Love
Elder Faulkner
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