July 20, 2015

Hi people!

This week was great!! No doubt...I am missing my homie, Elder S. But I am excited to be with Elder C from Panama! He is a stud! 

 On Tuesday night I headed to the temple with my temporary companion to spend the night there in a hotel and arise bright and early at 4:30 for an early morning temple session! I love the temple! There was only a small group of changes in the mission on Tuesday night so we all got to go to President's house and have breakfast which was neat. They talked to us for a while there and gave us a training for the better part of the day, told us who our companions were, and then we were on our way back to Panorama! 

   The taxi we went in ended up taking quite the route...I thought he was taking us down a deserted path to leave us to die...we got stuck in hole for a little while...it scuffed up his car pretty bad! I felt really bad...but he didn't seem to care. He just told us not to worry about it because he already has tons of dents and scratches. Haha!

 

   We had an activity as a ward this past week which was AWESOME! It was just a little welcoming activity for the new recent convert! Love her and her family so so so much! Everyone who came had a chance to present themselves. Just your name, where you come from, and if you could go anywhere in the world...where would it be. Everyone had the typical answers...Italy! France! Utah! And then the convert rolled around...and she said if she could go anywhere in the world...of all the countries, cities, towns, and places...she said that she wants to be in the sealing room in the temple of God. 

WOW.

It really hit me. How grateful I am for her example and for her vision and priority. It is my prayer that we can all think like her and have our vision be 100% focused on the temple. It should be the place we desire to go OVER ALL.

 

   We passed for a family who recently lost one of their daughters. One of the most touching things I have ever felt is being blessed with the opportunity to share testimony on that of eternity...on that of eternal families...on that of God's loving, family-based, and forever together plan. Nothing better. As I fought back tears and felt my spirited pounding heart...my testimony was once again strengthened on the divinity and realness of God's eternal plan. I KNOW that families are forever. I KNOW that eternity with the ones we love is what awaits us.

 

Let's see...

   There was not a whole lot of craziness this past week. With having a temporary companion until Tuesday and not getting back to our sector with my new companion until late Wednesday night and with the zone conference on Thursday it made up for a pretty peaceful week. I think we are going to get to eat Iguana or Guinea Pig pretty soon though...so stay tune!! ;)

 

   I sure hope things are going great for all of you! I pray for you all each and every day! I am so grateful for your constant prayers and the millions of blessings you are all sending my way...I hope you are receiving equal and more in return. 

 

   My dad asked me a question a little while back that has been stuck in my mind and caused me much thinking and quite a bit of changing.

 

   What was HIS mindset? (In reference to our Savior)

Every time I think about "mindset" I can't help but think of slamming weights, sweat, and buckling up my chinstrap. It was the most commonly used phrase going into my senior year of football by Coach Steve Murdock. Coach Murdock's "change your mindset" liner got me up after each big hit, every dropped ball, and helped me overcome every physical and mental fall. I very quickly learned that a positive mindset brings forth positive results...and a negative mindset just the opposite.

   The examples are so clear in the scriptures. The Nephites who separated themselves, including Nephi who had the mindset of "I will go and I will do the things which the Lord hath commanded me", are the ones who keep the commandments, build a temple, and prosper in the land.

It is the murmuring or "negative mindset(ed)" Lamanites who are cursed and become a scourge unto the Nephites. 

But more than anything in the world...I am amazed at the mindset of someone who did a whole lot more than slam weights, break a sweat, and buckle up a chinstrap. The weight of the entire world was slammed upon Him, He sweat and bled profusely, and buckled up to give His little siblings life.

   Just moments before His Atonement, the Lord says, "I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day WHEN I drink it with you in my Father's Kindom."

"WHEN" I drink it.

Then shortly after..."...after I am risen again, I WILL go before you..."

"I WILL GO"

 

Mindset is a "WHEN" and a "WILL" thought process. The Lord's mindset is clear and faithful.

 

I WILL FULFILL MY PURPOSE.

 

"And Pilot asked Him, art though the King of the Jews? And He answered him saying, Thou hast spoken it."

He is too humble to say it but has the perfect mindset to know it. 

I am a King. I will fulfill my purpose.

 

Let us all change our mindset to a "WHEN" and "WILL".

A child of God like you has no time to question divine potential.

 

When you have your personal Pilot (Satan, struggles, doubters, haters, and all other branches of negativity) asking you about who you are and questioning your potential...

Simply reply to yourself...

 

"WHEN"...with a WHEN I inherit the Kingdom of God perspective.

 

"I WILL"...with an I WILL overcome the darkness.

 

And a "I AM A KING" or "I AM A QUEEN"...with definite determination to fulfill your purpose.

 

Be STRONG and of a GOOD COURAGE...

 

Be POSITIVE and of a GOOD MINDSET...

"And the Lord thy God will be with thee; whithersoever thou goest."

 

So go tell yourself you can! Because it's true!

For thou has spoken it...

Elder Noll

Elder Noll's new companion - from Panama

We got to meet Jess's companion at his homecoming :)