Watch Me Burn....Literally

Action Shots :)

This is what we do.

Looking for the elect.

Where are you you? 

Watch me burn...literally going out in flames. 

Look what the Vegas sun is doing to us. haha Oompa loompa missionaries ;)

June 6, 2016

I don't know if you guys remember a while back when I talked about how at a Zone Conference our AP's were trying to get us pumped up to do missionary work and then talked about a pastor who said he likes to light himself on fire with the word of God and then people come to watch him burn. Well, I had always had this image of ending my mission with that kind of intensity. And this past week I found out that I will definitely be burning up my last couple weeks because it is scorching hot down here!! We got into our car after walking around a neighborhood one time this week and the car thermometer said 122!!!!

One big thing from this past week was that I had my last MLC (Mission Leadership Council) of my mission. It was my 15th one. Wow, it's been a while. It was kind of bitter-sweet. A majority of the meeting was listening to President and Sis. Ahlander giving us their departing council. They focused a lot on how we need to continue becoming true disciples and how that is a lifelong process. President Ahlander at the very end started talking about how we need to treat the new mission president as nice as we’ve treated him and he got choked up a little as he was sharing that. It was a tender moment.

We also did two back-to-back full day exchanges. On Friday I went with Elder Nicholls from Kentucky into the Spanish Rainbow Vista Ward. We had a super eventful day! Everything from testifying against anti-material, to walking on burning black top streets and melting the soles of our shoes, to teaching some older Hispanic gentlemen in a super super sketchy area. We taught a guy in his house and then went immediately next door to teach a guy on his porch while a couple gang members almost broke out into a fight right next to us. It reminded me of the good ol days back in the Bonanza East Area with Elder Martinez & Elder Walker:) On top of a fun day, Elder Nicholls reminds me a TON of one Tanner Hardy! He's the closest thing I've had to having Tanner back in my life since I left. 😁

Then one of the AP's Elder Fernstrom came with us in a trio for the day on Saturday and we had a blast together. We taught K her last lesson and next week she will be getting her interview for baptism and then on the 18th is her Baptism Day!! #Stoked

So it was an awesome week. The thing that has stuck out the most to me has been the importance of becoming. The relationship between To Do and To Be. There is an awesome talk by Lynn G. Robbins entitled “What Manner of Men and Women Ought Ye to Be?" that you should go listen to. Focusing on what we need to Be will help us change quicker than just focusing on what we need to Do. However, you can only become what you want to Be, by doing the things that develop that trait. Ultimately, we all want to be like our Savior, so we just need to do what He would do all the time!

This upcoming week we are giving a Zone Training Meeting on Tuesday and my last Zone Conference is Wednesday where I will be giving my departing testimony. I have my departing temple trip on Friday and then exchanges on Saturday. It's going to be an awesome week!

-Elder Alley