2016-10-10 New Companion and General Conference

Kumusta po! 

My new companion is Elder R-! He is the nicest guy ever, and a fantastic missionary. My Tagalog has been stretched so much in the few short days we've been comps, we speak it all the time which is a huge blessing, and a huge trial. My teaching techniques have been supplemented so much, and I think the biggest thing I'm learning from my companion is to love people. To ask questions, listen with love, then ask more questions. It's been a week of growing for me! Not to mention General Conference.

 Taking a lunch break in between Saturday Sessions. I learned so much from general conference, and I'll leave it at this. That the words they spake are inspired of God, and one listen through isn't enough, I can't wait until the printed comes out because that's how we can really study it, then it's back to waiting until next April! I've gotten really 'missionary nerdy' for different things, mostly for General Conference. And it really gratified everything I wanted from it. It was also cool to see Elder Schmutz at the stand, after having talked with him face to face for a while! 

 Doing some more notebooks at the P- family!

Just a quick spiritual thought about grace. Or as David Bednar puts it, the "strengthening and enabling power" that we can have through the Atonement. To me, grace is what happens after we give our all, then ask for strength. It's how we become more than we ever thought possible. From Jesus the Christ I learned that Christ was not omniscient, but that He was able to know things beyond the capacity of a normal person, such as knowing others thoughts. This means that every time He made it to a point where He needed divine help, He would ask through prayer to The Father and get an answer. 

Christ had a perfect relationship with the Father, their wills were aligned and so Christ also had perfect faith and understanding that He would receive what He asked for. My goal right now is to align my will with the Father's and to develop my specific faith that it will be answered. The other part of grace is doing everything we can as a mortal being, then asking for strength instead of asking for the problems to just be solved. God's plan is perfect, and He has given us independence so that we can grow and learn, but also support when we have reached our limit. I testify that grace is something that is available to everyone, every child of God. Kneeling in prayer and humility for strength can be the best solution to every problem.

I love you all, thanks again for reading!

Elder Fish