August 5, 2013

Holy smokes looks like you guys had a super busy week! Montana and Dads birthday look like a blast, I am super jealous I couldn't be there! Thanks for all of the pictures though! I love to see everybody! I am sure Dad enjoyed getting to see everybody on his brithday, and I know what he enjoyed most was having everyone at church with him. Such a good birthday wish! That picture of all of the kids with Dad looks so empty without me :) Haha just messin you all look so great!

This last week our zone leader Elder Edwards finished up his mission, it was sad to see him go, but a great opportunity to serve with him for the last month or so of his mission. He has a such a huge love for everyone around him. That is something that I have thought about quite abit on my mission, love! Early on in my mission I noticed that in my mission call it refers to missionary work as a labor of love. I have been striving my entire mission to always allow love to be the motivator for all of my actions as a missionary. One sentence especially stuck out to me in the doctrine of salvation broadcast. I believe it was Elder Nelson who said it "The most effective missionaries always act out of love". I know that numbers are important, but one thing I have learned is that when we put too much of an emphasis on numbers, higher numbers starts to become a motivator for our actions, causing us to be less effective missionaries. One thing we are going to emphasize strongly in our district this move call is the "why" of missionary work. LOVE! Including love for the people around us, our areas, and the gospel, as well as Heavenly Father and His son Jesus Christ's love for all of us. When we love we are happy, successful and effective missionaries. The "How" is also very important and those basic skills of missionary work will also be trained on in our district, but we don't want anyone to ever forget why we are out here and the vision of our district. We would rather it be said of our district that we were strictly obedient, worked our butts off, and loved everyone and everything about our missions but didn't see alot of success, rather than half obedient, occasionally worked hard, and liked some parts of our mission but got tons of new investigators with baptismal goals every week or whatever it is. But I do know that as long as we do the former, the Lord will bless us with all of the success that He wants us to have, and that is the happiest way of life! We are happiest when we do what the Lord wants us to do. (Alma 50:23) He only asks us to do things that will allow us to be happy!

Peter is getting baptized this saturday and we are all super excited! I will be sure and send some pictures next week. Please keep him in your prayers as he continues to prepare for his baptism this week! Love and miss you so much!

-Elder Ripley