The Definition of Successful

Hi!!!

How are all of you doing? Summers almost here, how exciting!! Well actually for me it's been here for about a month or so :) I LOVE this weather, especially the zero humidity! 

It's excellent running weather, no wonder people are always doing marathons and ironmans down here. We run 2 miles every morning, sometimes more, sometimes less. I think my running has improved just because of this weather - seriously!! 

I'd love for you to tell me what your plans are for this summer! Temporally, and spiritually 

Well, last week we had interviews with President Center, our mission President, and his wife. We have them about every four months. They are such good people. They have a sincere desire to help each and every missionary in this mission. This interview President revealed to me how companions are chosen. There is actually a board in his office (a cabinet that opens up - it's always locked but I've seen it once!) that's called the "transfer board." He told me that once transfers occur (every 6 weeks) that FIRST week he begins working on companionships for the next transfer. It's an ongoing, never ending process. He said that it takes a lot of prayer and fasting. Sometimes he goes in there when the office is closed and everyone is gone and just sits and stares at the board and thinks, and prays, and thinks a little more, and then finally acts. He starts moving around the pictures of each missionary until he feels the confirmation from the Holy Ghost that these are the two, or three, companions that should be together. He literally spends all of his time and energy thinking about us missionaries. 

I really enjoyed having interviews with President Center and his wife and the time they take to inspire and uplift each missionary. Their questions and comments gave me a lot to think about!

In my interview with Sister Center she asked me how I want the rest of my mission to be spent, and I told her I wanted it to be productive and successful. And then she asked me what I meant by successful. So this whole week I've been thinking about what that means, to be a successful missionary. 

It's interesting, because at times you'll have around 20 lessons a week and feel that you weren't being very successful or productive, but other times you'll have maybe 6 lessons in one week and feel like you've really given your all and it's been as successful and productive as you can make it. I've been wondering why I have felt like this since it seems it should be the exact opposite.

I've realized that our success isn't measured by the choices of others - we cannot control whether or not people will keep their appointments or accept our message, but we can control the type of missionary we want to be. We can measure our success by our willingness to repent and our determination to keep working. 

I have found that when being so focused on a specific type of blessing, we forget to leave our eyes open to the other ways the Lord is answering our prayers and blessing our missionary work. We will be more optimistic about missionary work (whether serving a full-time or life-long mission) when we are able to recognize and appreciate the miracles that happen daily. 

I know that greater faith and in Jesus Christ and gratitude for His blessings will allow me to recognize the ways I can be a successful missionary. And I strongly believe that this same principle applies to measuring our success in our personal lives even after the mission - our willingness to repent throughout the day/week/year and our determination to work is how our success is measured throughout life. 

Much love, Sister Martin