Make Prayer a Joy not a Hassle

February 3, 2015

Peculiar Rocking Chair

Dear Friends and Family, 

   Where can you begin when so much has happened? I will mention that this week was extra special and I learned much that cannot be relayed by words, but I hope maybe the feelings can be felt in some measure. This week Elder Cook visited the mission, and we had an entire mission conference including Elder Halstrom and Elder Blouth (area 70) and the mission president from the Jackson Mississippi mission (that is where Kaden Hartman is at). This was a big deal and it was pretty exciting to see everyone! To hear, see and hug an apostle in real life was definitely a privilege that I will cherish. Lots of what I learned was from Elder Halstrom, something about what he was saying answered my questions that I had coming into the meeting. The best way to be perfect is to think of Christ, and the best way to learn is to always have questions! It is simple the things I learned but it surely changed me and gave me new incentive to change further.

woot the rush pics I promised #USU

    When it comes to change though, I will not be transferred this time around, and neither will Elder Barker, we are staying here and our district only lost Sister Neely and Elder Smith. All is well and good, hopefully we can see some baptisms in this transfer! We will be tracting like we always do, knocking doors, hoping that some good old miracles will start happening. I am happy to say that when life gives you lemons you should always read your scriptures and then pray. Don't make lemonade cause that is what the world wants, they want you to be like them, but don't conform, be better, have faith, be the followers of Christ you are designed to be.

   I always love to love and the Lord knows that, he will give me opportunities all the time to say some small thing. He will always give all of us opportunities to share the gospel and show others how much we love them, never pass that up, always qualify for the spirit of kindness. 

   This week I went to church in DeRidder because we went on exchanges and I was with Elder Sargeant, he is one of the sweetest nicest guys I| know. Big nice giant, with a lot of heart and from good ole Idaho. I got to experience a ward for the  first time in a long time and it just so happens it was on fast and testimony meeting. I had already promised the Lord I would go and bare testimony to my branch so when the bishop invited the missionaries to come testify I couldn't really say no to that. The best black preacher in the LDS church resides in that ward, he taught priesthood and his name is brother Bell. The best most inspiring teacher, I thnk, anyone will ever meet. I enjoyed that lesson and It was a perfect addition to the powerful testimony meeting. 

Pray Always

the fam crest/emblem #wecool 

    Remember Christ the Lord in all your doings, remember to be humble and strip yourself of all pride. As soon as you let that universal and most grievous sin into your heart, then a great fall will begin to take place. Being humble is not being weak or merely passive. It is actively following what God has commanded of us. He wants us especially to repent, it is the second fundamental of this gospel. It is followed only by faith, because it takes faith to change and change is repentance. When we learn how to repent and to not give in or give up, when we learn to ponder the scriptures in our heart as themes for our daily lives, then the power we all have designed into us is made manifest. Don't ever think Faith is merely just a word that confirms our belief or gives us hope. It does do those things, but it is so much more than that. It can and will bring a testimony to a level of conversion, it will make prayer a joy not a hassle. I love this gospel oh so very much, I know it is true, I know that repentance is a process we can achieve. It is the process of perfection. I know it is through Him who was Jesus, that we begin to learn all that is and ever was. Love one another, and be who he is to you, for someone else. 

Love fervently, Elder Joshua Dean Rush

MC colors in my rubicks cube, just for fun