Act And See

1. Mangoes are the greatest fruits that have ever existed and I eat them like junk food here. Unlucky for me, I just got moved out of an area with amazing mangoes and have to suffer with mangoes that are less then sufficient for my junk food needs in this place.

2. When your companion says, "I want to buy fufu" and your first thought is "what stew will I have with it"? You know you have been in Ghana for a long time.

3. When your whole zone emails at two computers and you have a strict schedule for computer time, power going out at every five minute mark, makes it very difficult to work on things (my entire zone was limited to 30 minutes of computer time today and now that it is my turn, the power is fine and working great but I need to abide by the same time limit they had, to keep things fair)....

I still have not seen General Conference. When I do, I will definitely send something about it. 

Patience versus lack of effort is what I wish to talk about today. I have seen, recently, that there is a difference between the two behaviors, especially when it comes to revelation that can be received. Though we are told that we have to be on the Lord's time, that does not mean that we wait for instruction in every little matter. For someone like me, someone who likes knowing they are in the right from a leader's perspective, we can find this fact frustrating. I see myself waiting for revelation too often. Even in many Liahonas and talks that I have read it has always told me the same thing: We are not always given all things that we desire; more likely than not, we are expected to act in our best judgment and move forward making progress, doing good things and serving God's children. However, it took my mission President telling me that very same thing to my face to have it finally sink in. Act and see. I have talked a lot about this before, but I want to re-state it. God needs you and me to grow and if He made every decision for us, we could never grow at all.  Being in Ghana, I have seen myself grow so much because I have no one to turn to but myself, my determination and my God.  

We may decide that God would want to give us an answer but we also have to make sure we are giving our appropriate amount of effort. If we justify our laziness and call it patience on the Lord, we will falter in the end. Don't justify, but if you get told to wait, then wait. God is in control. Do not disobey what He has asked you to do. Follow through with the thoughts He puts into your heart. Act, do not be acted upon and the world will change around you and because of you.

Have a wonderful week.  I hope to have more time to write next week (if the electricity cooperates).

Love, Elder Edison