Well, hello everyone. I hope all is well. Things are fine here in Ghana. We have lots of interested people, lots of walking required, my sheets did not contain a bat today, and two branches in Cape Coast got put into the Stake yesterday so that is awesome. I still have a horrible internet connection and the power is possibly going to go off at any moment. Some things never change. I like my companions - one of them really saved me this last week while I suffered with "runny tummy" - that's our lovable name for being totally stomach sick in Ghana (YUCK). And, then again, sometimes my companions are just always there! Wow - this week I felt like I could have used some alone time and those of you who have served missions will know exactly what I mean. But, we take the good with the bad and keep on walking. Now I better get to the meat of my letter before the switch gets flipped.
This week I was reading in a talk (
love others as he has loved you) it was a talk in the last conference. And there was a line that stood out to me it read: "love without service is like faith without works; it is dead". As I read this line one of my favorite lines from a hymn came into my head: "and I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me". Now I wish to put those ideas together in the best way I know how. Christ never sat down and showed his love through texts but he did show His love through work. We have to do the same. Stand up tall and show someone you love them, this is a life that we have to show others our love for them, it's a commandment to love everyone. So start serving! For me this has been very difficult in my life. I have never been good at giving up time or energy. Mission has changed that and I hope it will continue to be different throughout my life. But I am still not working hard enough, so I am coming to all of you for help....Please help me by standing up tall, yourselves and serving those around you. And, then, when you do, I want to hear stories about all of you at home loving one another. That way I can get ideas and motivation to do the same.
To be honest, it will never be easy but the way I look at it is Christ has asked you to be a part of His army, He has come to you one at a time giving you the sword of truth, He offers His protection and power to all who can lift that sword up high. Now He turns to you and I. "Will you take my sword into battle against the evil and hate of the world?" he asks. His hands are outstretched with a sword, a sword you know will be your only defence and offence against the evil things of this life. "Please take it" he says "I want you to be safe, I made sure you could get this power, this sword, this gospel. Now please use it". He suffered so we could all be saved. The sword of truth has power because through him we can be kept safe. Take it with strength and never back down. Take the hits you must, but deal out as many as you can, through your actions and your love, you can defeat all your opponents!!!
I love you all and I ask you to hold the sword high and decide to stand tall.
Now onto another story: a farmer plants two trees both of the same type of seed. The farmer tells them to bear fruit. Many months later the farmer comes back and sees that one tree has borne fruit and the other has not. To the one that gave fruit, the farmer cuts the fruit off. As he left, the tree that had made the fruit looked at the other and said "why would the farmer hurt me, why am i in pain for doing what is right"? The other tree laughed and said, I didn't make fruit and I didn't have anything taken from me." The farmer turned and said, I will return again to collect soon, be ready." The trees stood confused. They talked and the one who had lost its fruit decided to grow more again for that is what it was asked to do, the other laughed again saying" how are you so stupid? "If you just stop working so hard, you don't get hurt just stop growing." The farmer came back and saw the the tree that had borne fruit had done so again, but the other had yet again neglected its purpose. He harvested the fruit from the plentiful tree and then faced the bare tree. "You are no longer doing what is asked, you are not serving or helping anyone. Now I must use you for the fire."
This is a story I had to come up with in the middle of a lesson last week. I used it to show that the servants of God do not have it easy and we cannot expect to skate by without working hard for our Savior and our God. When we serve, we have to sacrifice. But it means we will be saved from the fire in the end.
I love you all so much. This week has been pretty normal, except my companion taught me a far better way to wash my clothes so now they will be even cleaner. I cannot wait to have a washing machine when i am finally home!!!
Love to everyone -
Elder Edison
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