Happy Thanksgiving

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving.  I won't be consuming any turkey, as there isn't even a common word here for that.

Final exams for my English students are coming up soon--probably next week--so we will be reviewing this week.  Then I'll give the exams, issue the grades, and be finished with the semester.

We are looking forward to a baptism this coming Friday; that will be exciting.

At this point in my mission, this scripture comes to mind:

"I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work."  (John 9:4)

I'm trying to work as hard as I can.

A few thoughts from the Steppes

Alma 27:29 tells us of the Anti-Nephi-Lehites who would rather die than commit sin--they didn't want to take up arms again and kill as they had done in the past, having repented of this sin. This makes them a special case, of course, and their desire is more important than simply not wanting to sin.  There are many times when we justify sin, like when we get angry to get our way, yell at someone to stop something from happening that we don't like, or lie to protect ourselves or our pride. The reasons that justify our incorrect actions seem important to us, and perhaps the sin of our reaction seems small.  But if we remember the Anti-Nephi-Lehis, who were willing to die rather than repeat serious sin, we should remember that to suffer frustration is better than to get angry, to be humble is better than to justify our pride.  Just my thoughts today.

Stake Conference was this past week.  One sister is the Japanese wife of a ward's Mongolian Bishop. She gave her talk entirely in Japanese and had it interpreted.  It was pretty cool to listen to.  Our work here is going well and we are preparing the wife of one of our members for baptism; we hope to help prepare him to do the ordinance.  We are teaching a lot of people right now.

One note about being on a mission for nearly two years now:  I can say I know how to cook eggs tastily and correctly: omelette, poached, sunny-side up, and more!

Happy Halloween

I told six different English classes about Halloween and Trick-or-Treating this week.  It's always a fun topic for my English students.

I have some photos from the last baptism I mentioned.  Things are going well with my new companion.  I have set some goals for the end of my mission, and one of them is to be the best trainer I can be.  I've learned a lot on my mission, but I know there's plenty to learn after I come home, too.

I believe that those who serve most in the Church learn the most.  Certainly, the New Testament shows us that the Lord's Apostles learned the most during His ministry.

I was reading in Ephesians 4 this week, which includes the teaching that anger is sin. Actually, the Joseph Smith Translation clarifies part of v. 26: "can ye be angry and sin not?" Anger in times of frustration or annoyance, even a little, is natural to all of us, but through the Atonement of Christ we can put such things away and be more Christlike. We need to replace anger with Christlike attributes.

Also I was reading in Mosiah 2.  All the Lord asks of us is to keep the commandments, and if we do, he blesses us!  It reminds me of the Primary Song: "What doest he Father ask of us? What do the scriptures say? Have faith, have hope, live like His Son, help others on their way."

Have a great week!  I plan to.

My new companion, me, our newest 9-year-old member, his mom, and my other companion.