Week Eight: 10/16/2024
Hiii! 6 more days of MTC which is wild! I can’t believe I fly to Finland soon. It does not feel like two months of being a missionary has already happened. Time flies. It has been a bittersweet week. So many fun memories from the MTC.
Spiritual Thought:
Short one this week. In D&C 117 we learn about Oliver Granger. He was a great guy who failed miserably. Granger was asked by the First Presidency to return to Kirtland to be the church's agent in settling outstanding church debts and selling property the Latter Day Saints owned in Ohio. He was faced with an impossible task and did not succeed. But…
In verse 13 we learn that “when he falls he shall rise again, for his sacrifice shall be more sacred unto me than his increase” This verse stood out to me this week because It is so great to know that the Lord cares more about what I am willing to give of myself to him than what he gains from it.
Throughout your week always remember that your sacrifice to the Lord is always more sacred than your increase. Sacrifice is always more sacred than success. May we measure ourselves by the personal sacrifices we are willing to make to the Lord instead of what we think the Lord gains from us. Because the Lord loves effort and most importantly he loves us.
Short Version of Email: Almost done with MTC. Send me an email or voice message! 6 more days left. Remember that sacrifice is more sacred than success.
Finnish Word of the Week: Apina or Apinat plural, which means monkey!
5 Amazing Things of the Week:
1: We had Elder Uchtdorf come this week to talk to us. We had a great time listening to an Apostle of the Lord. He gave a great talk about doing the small things in life you can control perfectly.
2: It has been a week of lasts. Our last temple trip in the United States, last time vacuuming a giant room together as a district with 10 vacuums, last time seeing the wonderful City of Provo, and our last Tuesday night General Authority Devotional.
3: Every week during the devotionals we sing Called to Serve which is so powerful. I will miss it along with singing in the choir.
4: Our District got asked today to be ushers at a devotional. Right after I got a text asking if I would give the prayer at a MTC Wide Devotional. How fun for me. We also auditioned again for 2 musical numbers. Hopefully we will make the auditions.
5: Finnish is hard. We have been in SYL (Speak Your Language) this week which means we can only speak Finnish. I am so cooked when I get to Finland.
Tender Mercy of the Week: I finished the book of Mormon and D&C this week. It happened to line up perfectly on the Sunday when were studying MTC wide the topic of deepening my conversion to the Book of Mormon.
Where I am Right Now: Right now I am in the Provo MTC (This section is mainly for my mom and is boring until I get to Finland)
My thoughts: This scripture really stood out to me this week. It was so interesting to me that the Lord's work is referred to as a “strange work” and a “strange act.”
The Lord's work is definitely a strange work and I don’t often understand why I am doing what I'm doing. But the Lord's work and glory will always roll forward. His ways might be strange to man but they work perfectly in the eternities.
Talk of the Week: The Tender Mercies of the Lord By Elder David A. Bednar
My Thoughts: This talk inspired me to change my “miracle of the week” to tender mercy of the week”. I love that God is so mindful of our lives and he sends us tender mercies in so many ways to help us get through those hard days. Great talk if you want to listen.
I hope your week is “paljon hyva”! Email me if you want! Life goes by so fast so enjoy the little things.
-Elder Balls
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