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| Elder Roberts and JFK |
When I first got it I was totally gonna make a joke about baptisms for the dead, which I'm sure would have been hilarious. But anyway. One of JFK's most famous speeches is when he basically just declares that America is gonna do all these things like go to the moon and other stuff I forget because I actually haven't seen or read it In, well at least 3 months. But that's besides the point. He says all this stuff and a lot of Americans thought he was totally nuts. Like, go to the moon?!? Ya right. Now, all this leads to somewhere, I promise. Probably the reason this speech is remembered is because of the line "We do these things not because they are easy, but because they are hard" and I really wish I could type in his accent, because it's a pretty swell accent, (maybe instead of adding 150 emojis Apple should get working on that.)
That line is what's been tumbling around in my brain all week, and I love that quote. Not only because it got us to the moon, but because it honestly should apply to everything in our lives. We should never choose to do things simply because they are easy. Easy things lead to minimal growth. That's why people serve missions. If missions were easy, and no one struggled and companion always got along, and people swan dived into the baptismal font every time they were so excited, and the language came in a day, etc etc etc. I really do believe that the numbers of missionaries would plummet. Because we as children of God recognize, sometimes subconsciously, our divine identity as children of our Heavenly Father. And so we have this innate desire to grow and develop. My mom had this book that I never read anything more than the cover on, but it was titled "if life were easy, it wouldn't be hard" and of course I was like well no crap Sherlock. But now, without reading the book, I think I sort of understand what it meant. I'm going to change it a little; "If life were easy, what'd be the point?"
So basically, missions are hard. And I am very grateful for that fact.
The second thought is much shorter (thankfully) and has to do with me being weird and always doing arithmetic in my head for no real apparent reason. So, the church is about 185 years old, and when my mission is over, it'll be about 187. So me being weird, I wanted to know what percentage of the church's history will I be on a mission.
2/187=0.0106951872. That's about 1% of the church's history I'll be on a mission. Now, if you do more math, a week on your mission is about 1%, in other words, if the history of the church were shrunk down into two years, I'd be serving for one week. Now, out here, weeks fly by. I honestly cannot believe it's already P Day again. So that was a real eye opener for me. And it raises the question, how am I spending my week? My incredibly short period of time that I'm allowed to serve the lord with all of my heart, might, mind, and strength?
This week doesn't have a lot to report! Other than it is official. The stake is buying a very expensive curriculum so that the missionaries can start teaching deaf how to read. Ask me if I feel inadequate. I dare you.
Other than that, had many amazing experiences with crap happening, me being grumpy about it, God fixing it, and me feeling awful about my negative attitude. Trust in God, seriously.
My MTC teacher wrote in my journal a note that said "Don't worry. Gods got your back." And he was right. And I'm so very grateful for that fact. NEVER FORGET. GODS GOT YOUR BACK.
Oh. Also. I went to NASA last p day. So that was cool. Here are some pictures.
Love ya'll.
Elder Roberts
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