Mission Week 48, Arequipa Mission Office

This week was great! I was able to get a lot of studying done and the office work has been going smoothly. It has been a great learning experience. I have learned more than anything to say no. It has been so interesting to see how everything is important to the lord on a spiritual level. In doctrine and Covenants we read

D&C 29

34 Wherefore, verily I say unto you that all things unto me are spiritual, and not at any time have I given unto you a law which was temporal; neither any man, nor the children of men; neither Adam, your father, whom I created.
Here we can see how the lord could view something like money as something spiritual. I know that god does not need money however he is worried about how we use our blessings that he has given us. If we have spending problems its probably because have some unbalance in our lives that is affecting our ability to feel the spirit. Its amazing to see how the lord works through each and everyone of us, however, if we are not ready and prepared to be instruments in the hands of god we will sit and watch as blessings fly by like clouds in the sky. We cannot be passive in our gospel lives and we must act on the invitations that we receive from the spirit of god! Well this week being valentines week I have focused my studies on the important topic of Love. Not the shallow feeling of attraction that we feel as we see a fairly attractive person of the opposite gender walk into the room, no, I am talking about Christlike love. The love that each and everyone of us should have for every single person that we pass. Firstly question, Do you love god? How do you show your love to god? 

John 14: 15
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

John teaches us how we show our love to god in the most simplest way possible. Obedience. I love how we show respect and love to our heavenly father through our obedience. We always love to teach this lesson to people who have problems forgiving other people. Now if you truly love god you must show him through your obedience to ALL of his commandments. Just a chapter earlier john gives a new commandment from god,
John 13: 34
34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

To show our love to god we must show our love to others and not conditionally. We cannot say we love god and hate This person or that person.
John 4: 20,21
20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

In this very special time we all must think of the way we can show our love to god. We must love others. Whether it be cleaning up trash along the road or helping a neighbor weed their garden, we are showing our love for God. If we choose to sit and listen to a friend in need of friendly advice we are doing exactly what our heavenly father would do if he was here. If we hope to show our love to God, we must let our actions speak for our words and we must come to realize that God loves all of us, so we must love too! I hope all of you have had a great week and enjoy this day of love! (The pure Christlike kind)