“Like a Fire”

I don't know what the deal is about the 3 hours on P-day that have been hitting so hard the last few days, but I feel like opening with another experience from just barely.

Having so much to think about every single day makes it difficult to tell the stories from the week. But to me, this was important, so that's what matters I guess.

Throughout the scriptures, many people meet in high places to communicate to God. There are often a comparisons to temples and mountains, even.

I think, in inspiration, many people seek this out to create the space in which invites the spirit. Scriptures say to pray in secret after all.

When I opened my mission call, I went to a local park on my own, and sat in my car as I prayed to God to feel a confirmation this was the place I should serve. For me, this place was suffice to feel the spirit. I did.

Yet, there exists other places we can feel the love of God. Not always where we expect.

The embrace of a parent, around a campfire, or a walk through the quiet snow. Today, it was a call with a friend.
Why do these people need to go through such a hard time? I know God's plan and there is "something exalting about suffering," but I want to reach out with both hands. It's like trying to pick up too many things, and at times, it's hard to bear. I can't help them all. But, oh God, let me help one. Just one.

I didn't expect a simple contacting session (calling friends to follow up with commitments and such) the apartment couch I would feel the love of God has for his children once more.

One of our friends is going through a particularly hard time. He asked us to pray for him today. I texted him that we would and that we hoped the best for him and knew God will guide him. I considered that done, until I felt I should call him. Not because he was the next person on the list to contact-- we contacted him already technically-- but because I wanted to.

We had a honest and beautiful discussion about God's will and how God will bless effort and magnify it. I promised him that the church will always be a blessing he can have in his life. He's found it now.

We ended our discussion. It was when he sent me a text saying thanks that it hit me;

Loving the people is the key to missionary work, I've heard. I didn't call him because I had a job to do. I didn't even have to technically. But I did that because I wanted to.

I don't say this to boast, please don't catch me wrong, but to express a change of mentality.

I wanted to. It wasn't going through the rhythm of things. I hesitated to record the call in our record app because almost felt wrong to have any record of it. It was so personal to me. Not because of the subject of the call, but because it was something else.

There was no reason but to show love and support to my friend. I wanted so badly for him to succeed. Yet, it was one of the most effective contacts I've had in my mission life.

I think I'm talking in circles at this point, but I feel that's because I'm not sure if I've fully expressed my point. But I just imagine if every moment and every missionary was 100% like this. What would the missionary work look like across the world? I struggle to feel this at times myself, but as I've said before, God gives us the chance to get a taste at times. What an honor.

I don't like to cry in front of people, so you can imagine myself, trying to hide it from my companion, haha. Still fighting it as I'm writing this.

Well, we had a lot that happened this week. I don't like to make lists, but I feel it will speak to the "whack" that was this week.

- Two exchanges
- Wedding (yes, a second one)
- North YSA conference
- Two district conferences
- Leadership Training meeting
- Zone P-day

This last week has been a month, and yet past faster than I thought. It's such a weird feeling.

I got to be with my broda Huhtala, as I mentioned, and I gotta say, they have one of the best beds in the mission. That was the best sleep I've had since I put the tag on, I think. That was a dream. Literally.

After which, I went to Larnaka to rejoin with Elder Bonney and for the wedding that night. It was super cool, and Elder Bonney played the music beautifully. I got to do the pictures as well, which was fun. It was interesting to be at a wedding that I was not conducting.

The next morning, I went up with Elder Morgan to Nicosia, which after an awesome day (we found someone that was going to U of U while finding!!), I rejoined with Elder Bonney again, and Elder Morgan went back to Larnaka.

To save you the details that will mean nothing to you and nothing to me in 20 years probably, we had the conference which had 80% non-members there. The sisters taught 60 Africans how to do the dance to cotton-eye Joe, and had a grand blast.

We had district conference the next day-- oh and I forgot there was also the baptism right before district conference-- then the next day we had the South conference in this crazy cool hotel. Today we had a good time all the missionaries for P-day, and tomorrow is Zone Conference. Two days after that, we will have our transfers, which hopefully we will maybe have a baptism this week or the following at least. Then we will have a baptism every week for the next 3 weeks.

Things seem to never slow down. I hope they don't. I'm enjoying this. I would like to have a little more time than running out of the door every day. That would be nice. But the opposite I guess would be worse.

I guess I should wrap up, it's getting a bit late.

I'll wrap up by quoting, "The spirit of God is like a fire."

It really is sometimes.

Love you all and have a wonderful week! Drink plenty of water, it's so hot!

Elder Dylan John Hansen