Do your Very Best

What a week! Well....2 weeks really. We planned for changes 2 weeks ago, found out missionaries were not coming, but igual still had changes. Then we had the Rasband Concert...So less sleep. And then the new missionaries came, so changes round 2! Plus I got sick...But it ended great with a Thanksgiving lunch with the Evans today! 

So, Elder Rasband chose to speak about a lot of things, he read the dedicatory prayer of Paraguay for missionary work. That was awesome! There are so many more people here that will come to know the gospel! And he related this to a quote the President Hinckley used to say, "Do Your Best". He explained one story how he changed the quote, and said "Do your VERY best". And that is what we need to do now as missionaries. I really like that quote. It's a great quote to live by. He explained that yes, we are supposed to do our best, that is what Christ asks of us. But there is a difference between "our best" and "our very best". He talked more, but I want to relate that topic from Saturday's mission conference to Sunday's special stake conference with the Asunción Norte Stake...luckily the stake I'm in right now! He explained 6 things necessary to build and strengthen family culture in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

1. Personal and Family Prayer

2. Personal and Family Scripture Study

3. FHE-any night or day of the week!

4. Pay honest tithe and offering

5. Serve our neighbor and help the poor and needy

6. Stand in Holy Places-homes, church, and temples

Now was this a mind breaking list? Was it something new? No! The basics once again coming from the mouth of an apostle. And that is why I know they are so important! The basics are what strengthen our testimony. It really helped me set goals (for now, but also for after the mission) to do my VERY best to fulfil these basic things all the time! If we do that, blessings will pour down from heaven! Doing our very best can apply to other things as well, whether it be sports or school or anything! Why dedicate time to something if we don't want to do our very best? So, go out this week doing your very best at everything you do, and I bet you will see some great blessings in your life from doing it!

Happy thanksgiving everyone!

Elder Zaugg

Lost keys.....

Heres a pic of us at the temple. Sorry, we have no time today! It was changes this week (no sleeping), surprise! Im still in the office!!! The only one training is Elder Ticeran. Oh, another surprise. NO NEW MISSIONARIES! There are VISA problems so we only got 1 new missionary, a Paraguayan...hopefully it gets figured out soon! And.....Elder Rasband comes tomorrow! So the whole mission is coming to Asuncion for a conference. For that reason, p-day was a shorter one today:) But Ill make it a great one next week!

Elder Zaugg

--------------------------------------------------------------------------- So, today after lunch we went and played volleyball outside. We played for about 1.5 hours then wanted to go inside and realized everyone left their keys, phones, and wallets inside the office, and it has an auto lock once it closes....we were stranded! Travis was there and luckily had his phone so we called President.....they were forever away! We ended up playing for almost 4 hours because we had nothing else to do! It was super fun though! Then elder crofts and I played 2 v 2 soccer with some teenagers and invited them to our soccer tournament the 30th! They were pretty good, but we won!:)

Be Still My Soul

BE STILL MY SOUL

Be still, my soul: The Lord is on thy side;

With patience bear thy cross of grief or pain.

Leave to thy God to order and provide;

In ev'ry change he faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul: Thy best, thy heav'nly Friend

Thru thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

I love this hymn. The words are so perfect and it truly shows the role of our Savior in our lives. He is on our side, like I said last week. Me + Christ = More. This hymn proves that equation! Whenever we have to bear our own cross wether it be grief or pain, we should remember that Christ is on our side to help us bear it. For He did bear it, over 2000 years ago. He bore his cross, and every cross of grief or pain that anyone ever has to bear! Yes, we will all face hardships in our life of both grief and pain that turn and spin us around in every direction. But thru the thorny paths, Christ will lead us to the happy ending. 

Be still, my soul: Thy God doth undertake

To guide the future as he has the past.

Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;

All now mysterious shall be bright at last.

Be still, my soul: The waves and winds still know

His voice who ruled them while he dwelt below.

I like this verse because it shows us the confidence we should and can have in our trials. I have met so many less actives or inactives here in Paraguay. From being offended on the soccer field, to not being called to serve as the bishop in the ward, I have heard it all. But we should never forget the way Christ has guided our lifes in the past. When we are experiencing a trial, think back to the times we have felt Christ's guidance and love in our lives, and let that be the fuel to keep going. The thorny ways the crashing waves and roaring winds will all come to an end. We know this is true because we read it in the bible. While on board a small boat with his Apostles, a huge storm came in and they were about to sink. They were distraught, probably feeling like they were going to die. With one last ditch effort, they cried out, "Master, carest thou not that we perish". And then Christ did what he does. He brought peace to the winds and the waves, just like he can bring peace to our hearts during the darkest times, when the waves and winds don't seem to stop.

Be still, my soul: The hour is hast'ning on

When we shall be forever with the Lord,

When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,

Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.

Be still, my soul: When change and tears are past,

All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

This verse reminds me of one of my favorite scriptures: Ether 12:4. 

"Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, evan a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God."

The time will come when disappointment, grief, and fear do not exist. We can have hope in a better world because of our faith in God and Christ. We won't live in sorrow but in happiness--if we live his gospel. Be still my soul, when change and tears are past, all safe and blessed we shall meet at last. Christ is the light at the end of our despair and if we hold onto the hope of a better world because of Him, we will be able to push through our trials if they last one week, 2 years, or a life time. I know that Christ is our Savior and he loves us. I have experienced his love and the love of our Heavenly Father not just for me but for all his children throughout the mission. I guess I kind of use my emails as a journal so this is what I was thinking this week...something I need help on and something I hope helps at least one of you reading this. 

Love you all

Elder Zaugg

PIC: Elder GIBSON-one of the closest friends I've made out here on the mission!