Evolving into a diamond

Hi

This week was good. We had a really cool experience this week. We were walking to the church to practice piano--(Vanhin Rogers is really good and we are going to do a lil fireside)—and we start talking to a lady while crossing the street. She said that she has met with the missionaries when she was younger and has also read the Book of Mormon. She said that just this morning she walked past our church and was wondering how to find the missionaries again. She said that she has read the Book of Mormon before and that she believes it is true. We set up a time to meet with her and we had a great discussion about how she can know for sure that it is true. She said she would read and pray and she came to church the next day and had a great time. We have a teach with her tonight and we are really excited. It was a huge example of God putting people in our path.

The Book of Mormon is true and the gospel is true and Joseph Smith was a prophet and the church is true and it is led by Jesus Christ. I would start that sentence by saying "I know...." but the thing I realized this week is that my "knowing" fluctuates. Somedays I’m sure, somedays I’m not so sure. But that is not because it is not true, it is just that I am not smart enough to realize that it is true all the time. The world desensitizes us into doubting but every once and a while, for whatever reason we can see how simple and true it really is. If we do good things, good things will happen, and if we don’t, they wont. And the church teaches us how to do good things. So if you feel like your not getting to much out of church, put more into it. It is not a magical place that gives us what we ask for, it works on the same principles as everything else: Putting in effort = more rewarding.

I feel like I am a pokemon and I started my thinking process (pre mission) out as being a circle (basic pokemon) And then, by learning more about the gospel and gaining more experience, I am evolving into a diamond (2nd level pokemon) I know that I still have a lot to learn before I become a star (3rd level pokemon) but I can now look back and see that a lot of my previous ideas were basic. I started out as a charmander and I hope to one day become a charizard. And that is what the gospel does to people. We all still have different personalities and strengths and the gospel does not take those away, it only makes us better yet still different.

I love you all. I hope you can make sense of some of this. Just know that I am sincere and there are things I have learned on my mission that have changed me forever. Thanks for everything. Have a good week. Read your scriptures.

--Vanhin Merk