One Eternal Round

As much as I've loved setting time aside each week for creative writing and expression, I'm afraid I'll likely have to take a hiatus, at least for the next several weeks. Some events have occurred this week that will further remove any spare time I've seemed to scavenge.


Due to a medical emergency, one of our beloved Elders had to return home for surgery. He will return to the mission after a brief recovery, but for the remainder of the transfer my companion Elder Walker has been assigned to serve with this Elder's companion. This leaves Elder Ushio and I alone in Burnaby. It has been a lot of fun and a great opportunity, but it is not without its challenges. Elder Ushio is a very hard worker, but he is still learning English, so I've had to be a lot more thoughtful about the tasks that I delegate for the area. This also means that any business regarding the zone falls on me, because I cannot delegate to Elder Walker anymore. Between area book, phone calls, planning, and other important tasks, time has become an extremely rare possession.


Be aware that in no way am I begrudging my situation; just the opposite! God does not intend for me to coast through the rest of my mission, which I am grateful for. Being kept busier than ever is a great opportunity for repentance and growth. And I've enjoyed English study with Elder Ushio, because we get to roleplay and further hone our unity and teaching ability.


Looking back over all that has transpired these last few months, I cannot say that I have lived a perfect mission. But I can say that I have lived a repentant mission, and with that I can press forward without regrets.


We were blessed to attend zone conference this week with our beloved mission president and mission mom. I was reunited there with Elder Driscoll, my first companion in Prince George, and Elder Asi, my companion in the Surrey 1st Ward. There were also other Elders and Sisters there who I've known in previous zones, which gave for happy reunion. This Sunday, our sacrament meeting was attended by a great couple living in the Delta Ward and a woman living in the Salmon Arm ward! Many familiar faces this week, and of course many new faces that we get to meet every week.


Also, Canada Post is supposedly going on strike. I started my mission with a national teacher strike, and now the postal workers strike at the end of my mission! Surely the scriptures speak true when they say that God's course is one eternal round.


"These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city." (Hebrews 11:13-16)


Or, in other words, "You can have what you want, or you can have something better."


-Elder Reynolds