The Pursiut of Happiness

Man, it has been quite the journey here in Ca´aguazú. This is the end of the training program, and I feel like Elder Jessop is ready for anything. He has learned a lot and will keep learning through the challenges and opportunities ahead. And Marta, the girl who had been coming to church, finally committed to get baptized next week. So he´ll finally have his first baptism! With whoever his new companion is.

It has been a very emotional week for me. We had intereviews with President Agazzani, and I talked to him about how I can do baptismal interviews better. He said something about how this experience as a district leader and trainer would make me a better Zone Leader "if" I got the opportunity to do it again. And he called me yesterday to confirm my suspicions. I don´t know where I am going, but I am sure wherever he sends me, it will be a joy to keep serving other missionaries while participating in this work.

I am really going to miss living with these three missionaries. Elder Johnson has been very focused his last week, and they helped a great family get married and baptized on Saturday. I also got to do exchanges with Elder Moffet, which I enjoyed a lot. We talked a lot about what we want to achieve in life as missionaries, husbands, and fathers. That day encouraged me to keep working hard in spite of the obstacles. Like I said, it has been a tough week, realizing how hard I have worked in this area and how fast the time has gone. 

I love watching "The District" videos, like most missionaries, and this week it really impacted me. I realized how great God´s plan is. Every missionary is different. We have had different experiences to prepare us for the mission, and we will continue to be put in situations specifically tailored for our needs and personalities. That´s why it´s stupid to compare myself to others. God has a different purpose for them than for me. It wouldn´t make sense for us all to have the same missions with the same results. The part of the mission that is most incredible and difficult to understand is that we are here to learn. Obviously, I will get to the end of my mission wishing I could start over with my knowledge and experience gained, but that´s exactly the point! My primary objective was to gain that knowledge and experience, not the external results. God has a plan. This all hit me pretty hard yesterday as we were watching those videos and I was wondering why the mission is the way it is. I realized that all missionaries have similar difficulties (companionship issues, investigators who face peer pressure, fallen appointments, etc.), so I can never complain about having hard situations. No one has an easy mission. But at the same time, my mission will be unique and especially for me. I wrote about five pages about this in my journal yesterday, and I don´t think it can have the same impact on those who read this as it has on me because of the weeks and months of experiencing and thinking about the mission. Just know that I now realize why my mission has to be the way it is. God´s plan is perfect and I am so grateful to be a part of it.

And next week in my new area? I´ll keep working to invite other people to come unto Christ. This gospel is so powerful, and it can change lives better than anything, but it can´t do anything for anyone until they decide to accept it. And as I just explained, I am still in the process of understanding God´s plan. It´s all part of the "pursuit of happiness." That phrase is starting to mean so much more for me.  One fun thing--I found two missionaries (who are now married to each other) who served with Jessica Harmon´s dad. I don´t know if I´ll get a chance to tell him, but if he reads the blog or you are in contact with him, let him now that Elder Dandaluz (Uruguayan) and Sister Lopez (Paraguayan) got married. 

I´ll have to give more details when I get back. I have so much to tell you all when I get back, and truly, the greatest part about being a missionary is the man I have become as I just trust in God and let him use me in his work. Daniel mentioned Tennis Shoes among the Nephites the other day, and I also thought of it relating to the mission. I remember that there is a part where one of them goes back in time and his dad is surprised to see him come back a grown man. I may look very similar when I get back, but I can promise you I will be a new person on the inside. I really feel like I have come to be a better priesthood holder, teacher, and leader, and I am so grateful to be a missionary.

-Elder Wesley Morgan