Lessons Learned

     These past few days have been ones of reflection about what I have been thankful for during this time I have spent serving the Lord on my mission.  While the list may go on and on, there are a few which stand out the most, to me at least.  To start, I am thankful for my family and all they do to help me while I am out here serving a mission.  Just the immense amount of love and kindness they show me on a weekly basis by merely writing me letters attests to that.  Second  on that list is just the gratitude of being able to serve here in Washington DC for the short amount of time I get to spend here and just being on a mission in general.  I keep getting told by some of the members of my congregation that there is a difference between me as a missionary and those who just go to school right away.  Both are wonderful pursuits, but one is an act of charity for our fellowmen through giving the Lord two years of our time in order to share the joy that comes from the Gospel with all of those who are open to hear it.  The rest of my thankful list stems from being out here on a mission.  I would like to share with you one of the experiences for which I am so thankful to God, which has helped me to learn and grow closer to the Savior every day.
     The other day my companion and I were teaching a less active member in our ward and just visiting so that we could discern what they needed.  Somehow we got on to the subject of companionship inventory from Preach my Gospel, which is when we as a companionship just talk to each other openly about how we are feeling towards one another, which can help us both improve.  We decided that we would hold a companionship inventory with them so that they could better understand why we value this small amount of time so much.  When it got to their turn to try it, they decided to speak to me.  What I learn from them is very touching to me.  They explained about the difference we have in our thinking, and ways to help me improve our relation with one another.  As our appointment went on, they continued to share vast wells of knowledge and experience with us and we learned so much from and about each other.  So much that I am currently still thinking about what they said so that I can improve not only for this individual, but for everyone else I come in contact with.  I am so thankful that they were willing to share their knowledge with me as so I can improve upon what they taught to me last night.
     Now, why is this the hand of God in my life now you may ask?  God works His miracles in many ways and it is often though the hands of others.  For example, there was a statue of Christ damaged in a bombing back in WWII.  The artisans of the area were able to repair it all except for His hands.  With that, they made a plaque that said "You are my hands."  This statement is so profound to me and reminds me of a scripture in the Book of Mormon, Mosiah 2:17: "And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God."  With this experience, I have been blessed by God with the chance to improve and come closer to Him through this knowledge I have obtained, thus I see the hand of God in my life today.