Staying in Eagle Run!

We begin this week's post with some excerpts from Adam S. Miller's Letters to a Young Mormon, which we shared with Elder McMurray this week:

On prayer:

When you pray, notice how the same thing happens almost every time. You address God and then you start to think about what you should say and then this prompts you to think about something else and then, caught up in thinking about this other thing, you forget that you were saying a prayer. Your brain browns out. Eventually, after a few minutes, you remember why you were kneeling there in the first place. This moment is the key. When, for the first time, you remember this, your prayer can start for real…. To pray is to practice remembering God. The more frequently you forget, the more chances you’ll have to remember, and the more you remember, the deeper your prayer will go.

On imperfect people and service:

The gospel isn’t a celebration of God’s power to work with flawless people. The gospel is a celebration of God’s willingness to work today, in our world, in our lives, with people who clearly aren’t….Our prophets and leaders will not turn out to be who you want them to be. They are not, in fact, even what God might want them to be. But they are real and God really can, nonetheless, work through their imperfections to extend his perfect love.

On families:

The tree of life is the family tree: God is the root of that living tree and we are its branches.

On living the Law of Consecration:

The law of consecration is an open hand. It is a certain way of receiving with open hands what God gives and returning with open hands all of the same. The law of consecration is a way of saying “yes” rather than “no” to the costs of life.  Have no doubt, these costs are high. Each of us will sacrifice everything. We will lose everyone and everything and everyplace we’ve ever been given. Even if we stay put and stay together, neither we nor they will stay the same. All of it will change and all of it will pass into what comes next and there is no going back. The question is, will we greet this passing with a closed fist and a hard heart or with an open palm and a consecrated life?

Hey, all!

Thanks for the update on how everyone's doing.  And thank you for those quotes.  Their truths ring strong and have been great foundational stones for testimony-building.  This past week has been pretty good; many returning less-actives and potential investigators are continuing to come out of the woodwork.  One of them is a very inquisitive lady who had a nasty experience with Church members in Indiana a long time ago but she's willing to be baptized soon.  It's exciting. 

Transfers happened this week; we are still in Eagle Run!  We're both happy about that. 

I hope that everyone has a wonderful week and I send my love and prayers.

Love,

Elder McMurray