Dear All,
Every week the same keyboard is before the same fingers of a missionary and a man not the same as the one who pounded out a message the week before. Everything changes and nothing changes. It's the life of a missionary and therefore the life of an attempted disciple. The week of the past is not so relevant as the week of the future and yet there must needs be significance communicated through a weekly slapping of keys and racking of brain. Significance. What a fascinating term. It's what missionary life is all about, Is this effective? Is this worthwhile?
It is about first finding the significant in your own life, grabbing hold of it and making it MEAN something. I fear I'm not being clear though, so me permita tentar de novo.
Missionary work is the continual struggle to gain and communicate meaning of significance. It is communication at it's most basic form when done right, which is to say that it is communion. It is first the struggle to obtain for yourself a witness, a significant communion with the spirit that changes the heart to the extent that we forsake the world and it's flashing lights and descend into the lone and dreary world, pursuant to communicating to others meaning of significance.
What then, are we to term significant. All that is significant really flows from God. Everything else is flavor. Significance is that which edifies, uplifts, instructs, and, above all, CHANGES you. Which is what the gospel is all about.
I found significance this week in studying the atonement and accepting imperfection. Perfection is required, and the means of obtaining it is provided through Christ. The part that is found lacking in most of us is effort. The effort to partake. That's really all that life is: an effort to partake of the Atonement. But to do that, we must recognize the person of Christ, His mortality as well as His rise to immortality while under the duress caused by our carnalities, and accept it as significant. As something worth CHANGING for. And that's where most of us disconnect from significance and wander into pursuits of insignificance. Forget or never experience communion with the Spirit and therefore never prioritize our lives into things of significance and insignificance.
We teach and continue to teach those who are willing to embrace significance. Some aren't. And that's all there is to say about it.
The week was significant. It is fascinating to speculate that the conversations you have with some people will be discussed at judgement day. There's quite a burden that comes from the knowledge, which is why we must rely on the Spirit. All things I'm trying to work on.
Highlights of the week included asking several investigators how their lives would be negatively affected by following the example of Jesus Christ and being baptized. We all concurred that it would indeed not be detrimental to their lives. Action is the lacking element in their individual equations at the moment. It is action that is the essential part, which makes the situation problematic. Embracing significance and not merely observing that it exists.
It was a week of fascinating lessons. Elder S. and I are clicking more than ever and we taught the gospel of Jesus Christ using Primary (the children's program of the Church) songs. There's a lady who is the most solid investigator ever and she's has a baptism date of the 14th. Then we were told to give her to other missionaries far away. It's a story. Facepalm. J. is also progressing really well after this week. L., too, is getting there. We had a great and super spiritual lesson with her last night.
We also went to the temple visitor's center this week with C. and J. It was a great experience and there's the temple and it's just so wonderful, those really are so much more than just buildings. They truly are the houses of God.
There is a great talk by Elder Holland called "Therefore What?" That's the question I would have each of you ask this week as you go to your various pursuits of significance and lesser significance. Ask yourself, "I believe _________________ (fill in the blank). Therefore what?" What actions come from your belief?
Live life embracing significance.
I also have been reading in the New Testament about Jesus Christ's atonement. There is nothing of more significance, nothing of more worth, nothing of more beauty and simplicity and love than a God kneeling and praying to His Father, paying a price of spiritual torment so great that His flesh bore witness of the agony. What does the atonement mean to you individually? If you don't know, find out. For all else is insignificance.
The mission is great and President is an all star. The work moves forward, the Lord looks onward. All is becoming.
Love,
Elder Molinaro
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