While I do recognize that good missionaries can baptize lots of people, I would like that bad missionaries can baptize lots of people and good missionaries can baptize, just not quite as many people. This used to bug me quite a bit. To be honest. But last night I was able to discusses this blatent problem with such successful and fantastic missionaries. While talking I realized something. After my mission, such numbers won't matter; rather after my mission the names of those I baptize will matter. Their eternal progression will matter. As long as I work my hardest and I baptize, I am completing what the Lord expects/requires of me, as well as what is expected of me from my mission president. However, the number is not particularly important. My successes are measured by me and the Lord, nobody else is important.
A few days ago I was listening to an address given by Sister Holland to the BYU Student Body years ago. In her address she spoke about being the best you, or me. We are all a piece of fabric in a tapestry and each one of us significance and importance in the eyes of the master weavers that are our Heavenly Parents. At times we believe that our color is not pretty, magnificent, or whatever, or that from our view the tapestry is not as attractive as we would like it to be. Our view is limited. Our perspective of ourselves is skewed by our views of others and the comparisons we make between the two parties. Yet, in the end, the tapestry is marvellous. It is spectacular. Every piece is extraordinary and plays its part in the piece. We need to play our part, make our hue, our color stand out. We are all different, we all have a purpose that the Master Weaver knows and sees, yet at times we cannot see our part nor can we understand the role that we have.
Anyway, at the end of her address she spoke out about comparing ourselves with others. She used a fantastic example of comparisons. She spoke about prophets of the Old Testament. She stated that each prophet had a specific mission here on the earth. I then realized that you cannot take prophets and compare one to another and say something like "Well, Moses was a better prophet than Abraham..." etc. Thus we do not have the need, nor should we compare ourselves to others. We each have our own role, our own color. We should not limit our own vision, we should look higher. Quite amazing.
This week I realized something quite interesting. I am extraordinary. I am unique. I am my own hue, color, piece in the tapestry. I know that I am different from others, but I still want my color to stand out. That is why I am developing myself more. I am fixing my imperfections, improving my quality, and becoming the beautiful shade that I am meant to be so that when I am able to look back at the tapestry I can recognize myself and see that I became the beautiful blue, the rich mohogany, or magificent green that I was supposed to be. I know who I am, I know that God has a plan for me and I will follow Him in faith. I am working hard (and I have not gotten sick this week!), I am loving the people that I am serving and I am so excited for the future of my area, for my future companions, etc.
I love you all. I hope that you all know that I think that you all are Extraordinary Children Of God. Heirs to a King. Imagine that! I hope that you all have a wonderful week this week! Be positive, be happy and make good choices. Pray hard, serve harder.
Love,
Elder B
