9/7/15

How are you doing? I am doing well. Life is good. I am learning so much, but I still want to progress faster! But I sin in my wish, I know that Our Father in Heaven will take care of me and guide my where I need to go.

So this week was great!  Oh, and almost everyone in this town know Lathan Flake and Grandma and Grandpa. A few Sundays ago, this older sister called me over in church... I thought she was going to give us a referral or something, but when I walked up to her... She gave me the BIGGEST bear hug that I have ever had in my life!!! And she said it was from Grandma and Grandpa! That is ILLEGAL! I am not suppose to hug (or be hugged by) girls on this Mission... I'm surprised she didn't kiss me too! I was pretty shocked, but it was fun. It is still raining like crazy here, but I kind of enjoy being drenched! It is the closest to swimming I can get! We have been teaching A LOT like always. Yesterday we taught Relief Society, and Sang for them, It was pretty powerful! THE MISSION IS SO FUN! AND SO HARD! AND SO EXHAUSTING! AND SO HEART BREAKING! I LOVE IT. 

Do you all know what else I love? You. Yep. I, also, have come to love and really appreciate the priesthood. God is so good in permitting us to receive His holy priesthood! It is AWESOME. Just the other day I was called on to exercise this power, and OH THE JOY I felt when I was Able to Feel because my Heavenly Father Honored and Authorized my Priesthood!!! The mission, so far, can be summed up in three words: I. AM. A. TOOL. THAT IS IT! That has been my entire experience! AND WHAT A JOY AND A SACRED HONOR IT IS TO BE AN INSTRUMENT IN THE HANDS OF THE MASTER! As missionaries, we do nothing of ourselves. HE works through us, if we let him. And when we and when YOU submit yourself to Our Heavenly Fathers Control HE WORKS MIRACLES! I always knew miracles were possible, but I never actually believed that I would see ONE!.... IN REAL LIFE! My testimony has grown because I feel and I recognize a power that is not my own work through me and in me. God is REAL! OH, HE EXISTS! And He LOVES us to INFINITY and BEYOND! Some may believe that submitting to God's Will, by keeping ALL His commandments is WEAK or ENSLAVING. IT IS NOT!!! It Is Completely Liberating and a sign of absolute strength!!! It all comes down to our agency to chose. LET HIM GUILD YOUR LIFE! He is willing to do it, all that is required is obedience. President Packer informed us that Sacrificing our agency, through obedience to the commandments, is the ONLY thing that we can truly give to God. Everything else is already His, and is taken and given at his discretion. And when you are OBEDIENT, you must BE OBEDIENT because you WANT to be OBEDIENT, due to your TRUE and SINCERE LOVE for God. NOT FOR ANY OTHER REASON. And to all who say that they don't want to be controlled or that want to be so-called FREE to do whatever they want... I am sincerely sorry for them. What an awful way to live and what AWESOME blessings they are missing out on. It is AMAZING to be used in the hands of our Father in Heaven. What a joy. What an honor. 

 YO OS AMO CON TODO MI CORAZON!

Elder Flake