Becoming a Consecrated Missionary

With Elder Walker who is a missionary from Sariah's ward (a friend who used to live in Spokane, but moved to Idaho Falls last year). Max met Elder Walker when he and Tanner drove down to Idaho Falls to go to Sariah's prom. Fun to run into people you know on the mission!

Having breakfast at Pres. Ahlander's with the newest incoming missionaries. The missionaries who came from the Mexico City MTC last transfer didn't get in until the afternoon, so they missed the "New Missionary Brunch" at the president's house when they first arrived. I think it was really thoughtful of the mission president to take that into account and invite them to the next one so they had that opportunity, too.

(From Nikki) I'll start with tidbits from our weekly “housekeeping” email (where I ask him questions I need to be answered or give him information he needs):

1. He’s gained the weight back he lost while at the Mexico City MTC. He didn’t have any “extra” weight to lose in the first place, so I was a bit worried about him when I’d heard he’d lost about 10 pounds. No worries now. ;)

2. He’s not been transferred. Max: “I am in the same area and ward and with Elder Maldonado for another 6 weeks at least. After this next one it’s likely that I will stay and Maldo will go somewhere else and I’ll just get a new companion. We will see, though.”

3. He already knows his likely return date. June 27, 2016. Max: “One of the English elders who started his mission when I did said he already had his return date and so I would probably be leaving that same time then.”

4. Max: “I am so sorry that I have yet to mention this, but I have already gone to the Las Vegas Temple and done a session! Sorry I kept spacing to tell you that. We get to go every three months to the temple so I have 7 more temple trips till I come home.”

5. Max: “I got the music you sent. Thank you so much! I really appreciate that. I talk about it in my letter, but I am trying to consecrate myself and so I needed good music to listen to and you were a miracle for me! I love you! I am trying to humble myself and take in his (Elder Maldonado’s) advice. The thing is he keeps telling me that I need patience and it is true, but I am truly working as hard as I can to change myself. I have started to focus more on the mission and my investigators. I am truly trying to become "one of the two"(reference from a talk we sent him about how two consecrated missionaries are better than 100 mediocre missionaries) like you talked about. It is really hard putting everything I have on the altar of sacrifice, but I am trying. I am going to try as hard as I can to be obedient, to be Christ like, and to be consecrated. I pray for all of you guys with all my heart every night and I know you do the same for me. I am trying to lose myself in this work and when I do, next thing I know I’ll be back home with ya. Love you guys!”

6. Max: “Oh something I forgot to mention in my letter is that I got to eat breakfast at the president’s house this morning with the newly arrived missionaries for this transfer because I didn’t get to when I arrived. They have a super nice home and it was really nice!”

October 6, 2014

Weekly Email

Ok, so much happens every week. One minute I am feeling as high as ever, and the next I've hit a new low. It is so emotionally exhausting.

This week I really had felt like I needed to try and start consecrating myself as a missionary. I had a few comforts through this first transfer that weren't necessarily bad but they were distracting me from giving one hundred percent to the mission. One is that I had been writing a TON of letters. It would be the first thing I did in the morning after working out and before personal study and then I would even write during lunch if I was stressed. While it wasn't an awful thing to do, it was a distraction and so now I am limiting the time I am giving myself to write. I will definitely still write and I still would like to hear from you guys, but I need to put all of my focus into the work that I am doing here. 

So I am trying so so hard to humble myself, to be more like Jesus, and to feel the spirit. I am genuinely trying to be a better missionary. To be a consecrated missionary. I watched General Conference with an intensity that I never had before. I listened to every word and I watched a couple of the talks in Spanish to practice the language.

Let me say that we did get a baptismal date this last week and that I felt the spirit so strongly at conference! I have felt that my testimony of Jesus Christ as my Savior has grown tremendously as I have been out. It is truly only upon the rock of my redeemer that I can get through these trials. I feel that is what the Lord is trying to get me to do. To have my only anchor in life be Christ, because he cannot fail. That is my goal. Not to rely on letters, or memories of my past life, or fantasies of the future to be what gets me through this mission and through my life. But that I need only rely on my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to overcome all my challenges and all my obstacles.

It is a hard process to build this testimony. In order to be like him, we need to spend our time walking the same paths he did. We need to feel a little of the despair and pain that he felt. I am definitely feeling some of the anxiety and stress and fear, but it is nothing compared to what he felt. Please keep me in your prayers. I do want to hear from friends and family, but know that I am trying to limit myself on writing letters so it might be a while before I respond. I love you all.

This is hard stuff. I am trying, though. I am trying for you guys to make you all proud, and for my Savior to prove my love to him. I know this church is true. I know this is where I am supposed to be. As hard as it is sometimes, I know I will look back at the end of the 2 years and know that I needed to go through everything I did. I ask for your thoughts and prayers to help give me the strength I need to get through this. 

Con todo mi amor,

Elder Alley