Elder Brayden S. Jarnagin: Week 5 (Life changing changes)

This week has been awesome! I have felt the blessings from last week pour upon me and I am so grateful for that! We taught out first real investigator Saturday and that was so cool! He had a baptismal date set for this Saturday! It was so cool to feel a love for him because he was working hard to come to the truth! I have seen blessings come as I remember that its not important what I want, what's important is what Heavenly Father wants. As I remembered this and remembered to be humble, I saw blessings in my companionship, my relationships, feeling the Spirit, the food tastes better, every aspect of life has been improved. I feel that even though I haven't been out here long, I have been learning life lessons that will change me and stay with me forever. I have learned that charity blesses others through your actions and the Lord blesses you for having that mindset of thinking of others. One thing that I have been doing since the start of my mission is asking myself one question. The question is: If I were honorably sent home today would I be happy with the way I have improved? This question has kept me working hard so that I may be the best I can be to help bring others into the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This week was the first where I asked myself this question and the thought of returning home scared me. It scared me because I felt I wasn't ready to be in the real world, where I wouldn't have the chance to be doing nothing but serving. I think these feelings are good because it helps me strive to be the best I can and to make these two years life changing and the best two years of my life. I think a similar thought process can be applied to life out in the world, a thought process of am I doing my best to do and be the best I can be? A thought process like this seems like it would bring about great changes in the life of the one who tries this. I would challenge all who read this to ask themselves are they doing their best to serve the Lord? To do and be the best they can be? This thought process has worked for me to bring about life changing changes and I know it will work for you. The closer I get to leaving the more excited I am to be out in the field! I can not wait to be serving in a week from today! I hope I will have powerful stories, spiritual stories and comical stories to share with you all when I get out there! I know that this Gospel is true and that this work is necessary to bring others to Christ. I love my Savior and all He has done for me and for every person on earth. I love to serve and the blessings it brings. I am so excited to get out there and serve all of those wonderful people in Reno!

(Elder Jarnagin flies from the Mexico City MTC on Tuesday November 10th to Reno NV. Once we hear of where he is assigned, we will post it here.)