7.08.2013

The Power of a Good Attitude


Grafton Sunset

A good attitude really does influence every aspect of your life. This week I have really been striving to have a good attitude in everything I do. I have been struggling thinking that some parts of the mission are just too hard or that I just don't want to do it, but something I learned from my cousin serving in Melbourne, if I want Heavenly Father to bless me I need to be exactly obedient, but more than that freely obedient. When the rules of a mission just become who I am, that goes hand in hand with a positive attitude. And of course because I was trying to have a better attitude Satan really worked a number on me. I was feeling blah about everything. So I turned to my Heavenly Father and just really asked to be positive. Because of that I was happy. I felt like myself. I was laughing and making other people laugh. I know I talk about this a lot, but it seems like my attitude is always something I am working on. And I am always AMAZED by how much Heavenly Father does bless me. Heavenly Father truly does care about me and I am so grateful to be in his hands. It make me think of a quote from Harry Potter "Happiness can be found in the darkest of times if one only remembers to turn on the light."(See Ash, I won't think Harry Potter is evil, I'm quoting it on the mish :) ) But I related that to the mission and to life. No matter the hard things that come, persecutions and temptations there is always happiness to be found. Like when I get a door slammed in my face, at least I got to share my testimony, or at least I got to see another of God's children today. I think that is how Jesus Christ taught others as well. He always showed how this message and the things he taught could truly bless someones life and make them truly happy. Just like Mosiah 2:41 "in a state of never ending happiness" when we keep the commandments. This week I really tried to keep happiness in the Gospel Message. We met with an investigator and we watched a video about families. I shared how my family is what makes me truly happy and knowing that I can live with them forever.

This week was the start of the New Mission as well. My companion and I really worked hard. Something we have been working on is having faith that Heavenly Father will place miracles in our path. A good attitude only helps that, and we smashed it. We had more member presents then we have ever had, more lessons then ever and more new investigators. :) This week I didn't try to say, oh I hope they will be home, or I hope they will accept our message but that, oh they will be home and they will accept our message. And let me tell ya faith really works! We saw heaps of success. One of our investigators who hadn't been home every time we went, but I just felt prompted to go and stop by, and she was home and we had a wonderful lesson and the spirit was so strong. I have learned on my mission that just as Pres. Packer said in conference, "Faith is a REAL power not just an expression of belief." Our faith truly can move mountains. Heavenly Father blessed us with so much success this week and it is because we did our part. He is always waiting to bless us, but if we don't do ALL we can we are going to miss out on heaps of blessings. The creation of the new mission truly put new drive in our hearts to go out in this time to bring God's children back to him. This week we met with one of our investigators and we were just chatting and she just spits out that she had been reading the Book of Mormon. We gave it to her 2 weeks ago and she has already read through half of Mosiah. She pulled it out and she read us a passage that she really liked and some that she didn't understand. She was teaching me about the Book of Mormon. :) She also told us that she has noticed such a change in her life since we have been meeting with her. Usually she is really cranky and doesn't want to talk to people and all things like that, but she says that she has been a lot happier and that the lessons and the friendship we have with her really is blessing her life. It truly was such a blessing. She hasn't come to Church yet but she is working on it, and Heavenly Father is opening her heart. :)

I'm so grateful for my mission. I love it. Of course I make mistakes, but something I learned is that I did what I thought was best at the time. No regrets. When I am doing all I can there are no regrets. This time I have is consecrated for me to serve my Heavenly Father, no sacrifice, just a blessing. I know this is Christ's true Church on the earth and that it is true. I know that the BOM is the word of God. Study it, Love it, Cherish it. Its the Word of God! Jesus Christ is my Elder Brother, Savior and Friend.
I love you all. I'm so grateful for you and your examples to me. Have an amazing week!
Love you heaps 
Sister Benjamin

The mission was divided the first of July.  Alexis is now serving the the Australia Sydney North Mission.  




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