Two steps forward into the fog...

Hola Familia!
So just got off the phone with the M.R.I. people and I am scheduled to have one on Thursday morning to see what's up with my ACL.  So I will call ya after that, Sister Swain already gave me permission to call haha...Apparently we aren't supposed to call anyone out of state with our phones unless their families have sprint, even for stuff like this..So last time I got the green light to call and then dialed right away not seeing the text that followed from Sister Swain about finding someone with AT&T haha..So I will see what I can do to find someone.  I know the Brickey's do and President does so hopefully they’ll be around, if not there are tons of YSA kids that have it so that won't be a problem at all.

Anyways, things here are going good.  I am trying not to think about my knee but it is kind of hard sometimes obviously.  There are times during the day when I just wanna punch a hole in the wall because it hurts and stuff.   More than anything it is a test of faith- I feel like. Obviously I hate unknowns, I have no clue what is going to happen with my knee and so sometimes if you let it get to you it can stress you out.  It feels like a lot of times in life we all have different challenges and things that are there to help us increase our faith.  We usually can only take one or two steps forward into the fog, not knowing what lies ahead.  Each step we take will reveal the path a little farther ahead so it's like the scripture says in 2 Corinthians 5:7  "(We walk by faith, not by sight:)" If you think about it, it's so true. Something that one of the YSA kids told me is "How rewarding is it if we know?" meaning if we knew the reason behind our trials or whatever then how would that be rewarding.  It takes that extra leap of faith to trust in the Lord during that trial or experience we are having even when we don't know the reason why it is happening or what else will happen in the future. If we have that "Perfect Knowledge" then there is no reason for faith, so that is why so often in life we don't know...because then it requires faith. If you also notice the little smiley face after the word "sight" it gives the biggest clue of what we need to do to be able to walk by faith not knowing what is ahead.  We need to be happy.  It is completely a choice whether or not we are happy and the best way to assure that we are happy is if we are focusing on the most important things, the spiritual things. Like the scriptures say "Spiritually Minded Is Life Eternal" obviously stands for smile! So that is going to be something I am going work on myself. Understanding that we won't always know the reasons behind our trials or the future that lies ahead but we need just choose to happy.  There is a Mormon Message that is titled "Come what may and love it" so that is what I just need to do!

We had another baptism this past Saturday for a YSA.  She cracks me up! ..But so for her baptism she had a list of things that she wanted to be done... here's the list: Flowers, Her picture on the program, a crown, and she wanted to be picked up in a red corvette...so here is what we did.  We went to the store and looked for a little red hot wheels corvette and had absolutely no luck, but on the other hand they did have a red Ferrari hot wheels car so we shot her a quick text and asked her if it would be okay if she was picked up with a red Ferrari instead of a corvette and she easily agreed (plan was to have some fellow YSA girls pick her up in their car "with" the Ferrari as well haha, creative huh?  Then we took pictures of her so that we could put it on the program.  And then we went to another store to try and find a crown...we didn't really have any luck, it's probably a good thing that we didn't know where they were at or else that would probably be a little weird, no? So I had to man up and ask the store worker where all his crowns were located at in the store and obviously had to explain myself, he happened to be a returned missionary so he got a kick out of it.  Then the morning of the baptism we went to the store and being the great flower picker outer that I am , I waltzed my way to all the flowers and picked out some pretty legit colorful ones and then bought a vase. So apparently she was doubting that we would come through with all of this but needless to say she was pleasantly surprised.  She got a kick out of the Ferrari and the crown. She loved the program, and then the flowers...oh did we get comments about those! everyone was like, "Elders, did you really pick those out?"  Anyways she absolutely loved it all and said it was the best day ever! I think it was worth the effort right? 

Little small acts of service we do each day can make people just as happy as this girl was at her baptism. 

We never know who is going through a hard time and who just needs to be smiled at or lifted up.  It's something that we should try and do each day,- help someone in need!  We need to ask ourselves the question from that one song that says "Have I done any good in the world today? Have I helped anyone in need?"  As we ask ourselves that same question each day then we know that we are setting ourselves up to be the instrument that God wants and needs us to be.  That is something that I have definitely seen out here on the mission.  When we are doing what we are supposed to and looking for those small simple service opportunities the Lord always blesses us with them.  It is a righteous desire so God promises us that we will be granted it.  So keep praying for those opportunities and you will be able to help those that are really in need!
Well I hope all is going well for you guys there.  It is absolutely freezing here and snowing right now...I miss the beach ha...and keep looking for the service opportunities with a smile on your face!
Love Ya!
Siempre Crean,
Elder Creer