LAST EMAIL

Uala! lol

Well, we have been just as busy as ever these last few days! Me and my companion got the privilege of accompanying President Leota at our Stake Conference this last Saturday and Sunday. I felt like an AP, LOL! That's the last thing I want to do! He keeps them so busy! They barely have time to think, and I thought me and my companion were busy! LOL But it was really neat at the same time! He gave a very powerful talk in the Priesthood Session and I know that it touched many people to want to be better individuals not only for themselves but also to start helping more with the Lord's work here in Samoa. My President didn't know Samoan before he came so he is still learning, but you should see how far he has come even from the time I have gotten here! He could understand it before he came but he has had a lot of people look down on him because of his Samoan not being very good. It's amazing to see him though, he doesn't let that get him down and he has very good Samoan now! Not perfect but he can hold a conversation and that talk he gave! Wow, he let the spirit do the talking there! It's funny, every time I am with him I either learn something new or I want to be a better missionary. Sometimes he doesn't even have to say anything, you can feel his spirit. I know that he is what the Lord wants for this mission, my companion says that he has never seen the mission progress this fast before. He wishes he could stay longer just to see how the mission is going to be in the future. I'm so thankful to have him as my Mission President. I remember when Elder Pearson came, he said not only are you sent to the mission to help certain people out in the field, but you were sent there because the Lord knew that you would benefit most from your President if you give him the chance. My mission has taught me so much already. My companion says that is how your mission goes. He says in each phase of your mission you learn something new, that will help you on later in life. Sometimes its patience, sometimes its how to be diligent, sometimes its communication with a comp you don't get along with, etc. It seems like everyone that takes there mission seriously, says that each phase taught them something they needed to learn. I know that this whole e-mail thing is going to be hard. My President even said it isn't a bad thing, hearing from your family is a very good thing. It's just right now the Samoa Apia Mission needs this new change. He says maybe it will change in the future when things start to change or when the Lord wants it to change. President does EVERYTHING BY REVELATION. When I finally figured out that, it made me think to myself, am I doing everything by REVELATION! Elder Pearson told us, keep in constant contact with the spirit. He says not only try to do this as missionaries but also when we get home. The Savior taught that we need to never cease to pray in our hearts, as he taught the Nephites in 3 Nephi. I know the world can keep you really busy, but I learned this in my PST the other day.

We can't be idle. If we are idle we are allowing Satan to come an tempt us. Being idle involves being lazy or not doing anything. When we get idle we become bored very quickly and we do stupid things that we know wouldn't please the Lord. We can not allow ourselves to become idle, because idleness is the Devil's Workshop. On the other side. We can't become to busy either. We can't get so busy with the things of the world that we have no time for God. Remember Good, Better, and Best. There are a lot of things that we do that aren't bad, but they keep us away from doing the Best things. When was the last time you attended the temple? When was the last time you and your spouse had a real conversation about gospel principles and helped each other learn the mysteries of God, or the gospel of Jesus Christ. When was the last time you gave service to someone, because you wanted to help them. Are you truly having a gospel study that allows you to learn gospel principles or allowing the scriptures to fill you with the Holy Ghost. Elder Christofferson taught, that sometimes it is good to read straight through the scriptures so we can get a general idea of the history and the topics contained in the scriptures. But most of the time it is better to choose a time limit rather than a set amount of scriptures we should read. If we choose a time limit and take our time reading and FEASTING on the WORD. Then we will gain more insights while reading the scripture! When something doesn't make sense in the scriptures, which often they don't! Read it again, and maybe a third time, read cross references, look up words in the Bible Dictionary. Ask yourself questions! Write those questions down! Ponder what things mean! You probably wont understand everything fully the first time you come across something. But I promise you the more you ponder about your questions and ask yourself why did King Benjamin write that down. Why did Mormon keep this chapter in the Book of Mormon. The more you will be given ideas. You'll get answers! You'll get ideas on how to gainthose answers! Ideas will pop into your brain and most of the time you won't even realize it's Personal Revelation. You'll think it's your conscious! But that doesn't matter! If it's an idea that is related to the gospel, do it! It's a prompting, I promise if you continue to ponder and act on those little ideas of yours, you will be given answers! And it will be fun! Getting personal revelation is the most fun thing ever! I thought that since I was a missionary, things would just come to me! WRONG! I have to do those things too! Even PROPHETS aren't exempt from the things pertaining to the gospel. The reason they have so much power is because they are the ones that follow it! They are the ones that gain faith and Christlike attributes from the gospel and in turn they are given power through the Holy Ghost. The gospel promises us blessings that even little kids can understand! Think about it. All we are asked to do is to live the commandments and we will be given Eternal Life. But there are only a few that will obtain it! WHY! If something like this is so easy to understand, and we are promised something so BIG! Why do only a few people obtain Eternal Life? Because we don't take the time and try to become like little children. We don't take the time and humble ourselves as little children. We don't take the time to become childlike. Not childish. But childlike. Ask yourselves, do I have as much faith as Grace, or Ashlin, or Baylee, or Jimmy. I bet if you really answered yourselves, the answer would be no. I can tell you this, I don't have as much faith as they do. That is something that I am trying to obtain everyday! I need to build my faith! I have come a long way but I have so much more to go. I want to thank you all for what you have done for me, you have all been remarkable examples to me. But I know that we all can improve a little bit each day. The Savior doesn't expect us to be perfect by tomorrow, but he does want us to try our best each and everyday and to become a little bit better each day. When you come to the end of your life, will you be able to say, I tried my best, I gave everything I had and I kept trying to progress each and everyday. It's ok if you had a couple of rough spots here and there, we all do! We're human! That's why repentance is so beautiful! But don't be the person at the end of your life saying, wow, I could have done so much more with my life. That's my biggest fear. With my mission. Is at the end of my mission I hope I don't say, Wow, I could have done so much more with my mission. But by then it will be too late! No one can take back time... But what you can do is, REDEDICATE YOURSELVES TO THE SAVIOR TODAY. That's my motto, everyday before I go preach, I look at that sign! I do want to commend you all for who you are and what you have already become! I read in the December Liahona, and one of the Quorum of the 12, sorry can't remember his name right now! But he said the most meaningful gift we can give to the Savior, is being temple worthy.

Well sorry everyone, I just went off on another preaching moment. I don't know why, you guys should be the one's giving me advice LOL. Ha no, I love when you all give me advice and help me work on things. Believe it or not, it's not easy being a missionary sometimes. Sometimes you get down on yourselves, when you shouldn't! That's the faith thing that I need to work on! Sometimes it isn't easy being exactly obedient! Which I know everyone thinks it's a lot easier for missionaries to be obedient. But there are challenges! We live a strict schedule and life and sometimes Satan tries to get you to sleep in or to distract us. I know it's nothing like the temptations and challenges you face in your everyday life. Satan sure is good at what he does, but I know that you can defeat him if you cling on to the Iron Rod. The Word of God and a prayer in our hearts are simple to understand but hard to actually do. In the Book of Moses, Moses a Prophet, had to ask Satan to leave 5 times(I think 5 LOL) before Satan actually left. When he comes with a temptation, actually TELL him to LEAVE. Do it 4 or 5 times! Just don't let him bring you down. I remember my bishop told me that when temptation comes to him, he has to change the physical environment, which usually means getting up and leaving wherever he is.

I love you all so much and know that your missionary is doing well! I love you all and please write me often through the mail! MOM will you send some stamps, they can't provide as much stamps as missionaries need anymore, and also can you send a lock for my travel suitcase. Sorry, I love you all so much and thank you for your love!

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Elder Boren