TRUTH

Ginormous Jackfruit! Smells like stinky feet, tastes like Juicy Fruit gum! 

I am so happy to hear about all of my friends back home receiving mission calls. I am so proud and happy to be surrounded by so many amazing people that have been good examples to me my whole life. I love you guys!!!!! 

Most of all....CONGRATULATIONS TO MY SISTER AND DANNY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so excited for you guys!!!!!!!!!! I can't believe you're getting married!!!!!!!!!! THAT"S AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) I'm a lil hurt you couldn't wait another year and  a half for me to get home though ;) 

This week we had many challenges such as sickness, dropped appointments, miscommunication with our investigators and members, and many other things, but I also realized just how amazing it is that I'm here in the first place. I am a 19 year old boy all the way across the world in a Muslim country.....it truly is a miracle that I have this opportunity to serve the people here at all. When I hear experiences from other missionaries, members, and experience things for myself, I become more and more grateful for the gospel. 

Most importantly, I realize that we certainly still have miracles! I know that gratitude truly is something that helps us understand Heavenly Father's impact on our lives, and I know gratitude leads to repentance and change. As I pondered about all that I am grateful for, all that I'm trusted with, and all that I have been promised, it lead me to a desire to change certain parts of my life that were straying from the path Christ has set for us. 

As I was reading through a talk my sister sent me a few months ago called Truth, I pondered more about what I'm doing rather than what I know. It points out that truth is more than just a set of facts. Lawyers take the same facts and make multiple, completely different ideas from them. As we study the gospel and these "facts" that are contained in the scriptures, we must become doers of the truth, not just knowers. We must be willing to follow, consistently, what we are commanded to do. I know that as we do these things we will become spiritually and physically happier and more peaceful. 

This week, we really focused on helping our investigators and members understand the importance of the Sacrament and repentance.I wish I had studied and understood the Sacrament better before I came on a mission...there is a talk in the January Ensign called An Hour to Watch With Him. What I learned from that is that the hour we have each week at Sacrament Meeting is just like the hour the apostles were asked to wait and pray for the Savior. It is such a small amount of time that has the potential to change us so much. 

As we truly remember the Savior for the one hour during Sacrament Meeting each week, we will be able to better feel the Spirit throughout the rest of the week. We will know how the Lord wants us to change and who he wants us to reach out to. I know that repentance and change is a happy thing, and I'm grateful that we all have the opportunity each week to partake of the Sacrament and recommit to follow Christ. We are loved!

I know that this life is the time to prepare to meet our Heavenly Father. I know that we are so blessed to have this gospel, and with that blessing comes the responsibility to share it with others and to use it ourselves. We are given so many tools, opportunities, and experiences that can help us be happy and progress if we are willing to humble ourselves and use them. I know this gospel is the only true way back to our Heavenly Father on this Earth, and I know that each one of us has been invited to partake of this goodness. 

I love you guys so much, and I'm so grateful for the many prayers and your wonderful stories! Thank you for sharing your miracles with me! Have a wonderful week! Love, Elder Lloyd