June 1st 2014

We had a really great week this week. On wednesday we went on trade offs with the Assistants, and a new Assistant has recently been called. His name is Elder Talamaivoau and he played defensive end at Utah for 4 years. He's twenty seven, and about the same size of Goliath. Look him up, we probably watched him play. He talked about playing with Austin Collie and stuff. He's cool. Samoan. First Islander as an Assistant in a long time. Haha. 

Elder Dauniika and I are getting on pretty well, he finishes his mission in two ish weeks (June 17th) and then President leaves 12 days after that. 

We have had a lot of experience where we have just been in the right place at the right time, and we've been able to teach people what they needed to hear in order to help them. Out here, where there are less people and a great distance to 
cover, we really have to trust that Heavenly Father will place us where He wants us to be. We haven't done anything extra special, we've just tried to be good missionaries and then the Lord's taken the rest over. I'm really loving it here, and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. 

I've been thinking a lot as of late about the importance of a family, and we are really blessed. Think of it! Both sides of our family are members of the Church! And both sides (Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents, Cousins) are active, and nearly everyone on both sides has gone TO THE TEMPLE! YEAH! Our family has been blessed a lot. It is a huge blessing to be born into the family that we have been, and to experience the blessings of the temple. 

Up North, I've been hearing a lot about genealogy and ancestry work. It's helped me recognize the importance of doing family history and temple work. It's all the great redemptive work of the Lord, and we have such easy access to the temple. A stone's throw away, and if it's a big stone then we could hit more than one temple!

Last zone conference Elder Kevin W. Pearson of the Pacific Area Presidency said that repentance is a process of re-alignment to God's will for us. So obviously serious sins and transgressions are out of alignment with God's will, but so are attitudes, behaviors, habits, and actions which may not be labeled as "serious transgressions". Thus the need for daily repentance, a daily alignment with the Lord's will for us. 

Elder Pearson also talked about what struggle, and defined "struggle" as "being caught between two commitments". He said that missionaries struggle because they are caught between who they think they are, and who God wants them to become. Missionary work is hard when missionaries are trying to be who they think they are, rather than letting the Lord take over. And that's something that I'm trying hard to work on. Sometimes I can have pretty fantastic expectations for myself, some of which are likely out of line with who Heavenly Father wants me to become, and it's hard for me to "serve two masters". 

I've really been trying to let go of some weaknesses I have of comparison and competition, and as I've done so I've started to see just how ingrained in me these weaknesses really are. Some weaknesses I have tend to flow over into a lot of my thinking, and it negatively effects my actions. But it has been really nice to see the connection between how I am feeling and the thoughts I am having. I am happy when my motives are for the Savior and for others, and I am miserable when my 

motives are to raise myself up. It's a night and day difference. And, like, I've noticed how being a prideful punk effected me at home, in school, sports, and with my relationships with others, and I don't like it. I really want to develop humility and love, and let go of 'KT Tibbitts' and who I think I am and who I think I will become.  My quiet competitiveness, or comparison, or pride, or call it what you will, really hurt me and others, and I think a lot of heartache would have been avoided if I had had more humility. It's kind of stinks to look back on now, but repentance and forgiveness are becoming more meaningful to me. I'm thankful that I have an opportunity to change and become more Christlike. 

So one of our members gave me a pair of brand new shoes because mine were smashed. *answered prayers*. 

I'll write more next week! Love ya!