blue skies

Dear Everyone,

Mom mentioned that she hoped we have blue skies like the ones that you have been enjoying up in Utah. The truth is that this time of year is the reason people live in Arizona. It is almost unreasonable how comfortable the weather is right now. It is definitely a counted blessing to feel the warm sun and the cool breeze.

I am with an elder who is preparing to go home this next Wednesday. He served in San Luis last year for six months and is now serving as a zone leader in Yuma. Consequently, he has taken the opportunity to visit San Luis various times on companion exchanges to say goodbye to his converts and friends in San Luis. This is his last day emailing and he says the term to describe it is "surreal." I am thankful I have a long time before I go through that surreal experience of going home. I definitely to not feel ready, nor do I want to come home. There is so much still to learn and do—I hope I can make good use of my time.

As you all go through a longish winter and I enjoy an Arizonan paradise, I think of the other blessings I am enjoying as a missionary. Our world is in a difficult situation. We can't help hear of the crises and of all the news that is happening around the globe. As a missionary, while wintry blizzards rage around, it seems so unfair to calmly enjoy an untroubled life. This elder next to me is about to ship off to the storm, and the interesting thing is, I'm not even sure if he remembers that he lives in a dream. Like all the Arizona natives around, we climatize to our surroundings and somehow make good seem bad and bad seem worse. Though we are so blessed and so protected, we find reason to complain and wish we were somewhere else. The grass may look greener on the other side, but chances are in this case it's just astro-turf. I hope that no matter where I am, I can be grateful to be there. Though I will someday come home to suffer, I am glad for the challenges that lie en route to help me learn and grow and overcome. As bad as the cold around us is, I know we will be taken care of. Consider the lilies in the field, they grow and are clothed by the Lord. Consider the birds in the sky, they fly and are fed by the Lord. Our worries, though legitimate, must be taken into perspective. If we have done the Lord's will to the best of our ability, we shall not fear. Let us keep faith in the promises of the scriptures and the teachings of our modern prophets. Our goals should be focused on the simple ends of preaching the gospel, redeeming the dead, and perfecting the saints. I know the gospel is true and that the Church is the Church of Christ on the Earth. I never imagined myself being so happy, or being who I am and I am so grateful for God's mercy and love in changing us into better people.

The work goes very well in San Luis. We are making big steps in improving the member missionary work in our branch, and it looks like a new branch mission plan and a new branch mission leader will be my last marks made on San Luis. We have found many new investigators with real, sincere desire to learn and know the will of God for their lives. We are continually blessed and the only unfortunate thing is that I am likely being transferred next Wednesday and my work in San Luis will end. I have loved being here and have grown oodles. San Luis is an agricultural town and I have learned that it is a cycle of sowing and harvesting. Much has been reaped while I have been here, and as for sowing, I have done the best I could, or near it. I pray the harvest of my labor here will be great and that the glory of the Lord will go on and on without end for the people here. My blessings are great; God is good.

-Elder Sam