Elder Isaac Wardle's Mission Letters

 It's been a hard week, but peanut butter is really good! Highlights -transfer announcements! (Comp and I are staying) -Costco hot dog  -Got an appointment with a teaching friend! -Got to meet our new member! READ THIS PART This week I've discovered the joy of Elder Neal A. Maxwell. He is incredible! For some background, he was an earlier Apostle with a beautiful way with words, and had been diagnosed with cancer. His witness of the Savior is unforgettable! In particular, his talk "Apply the Atoning Blood of Christ" spoke to me this week.  "While so striving daily, we will fall short. Hence the avoidance of discouragement is so vital. So where is the oft and much needed resilience to be found? Once again, in the glorious Atonement! Thereby we can know the lifting tide flowing from forgiveness."  So often this week, I have felt that I have been insufficient or ineffective, which may be true, but I've slowly come to a better understanding that despite me f...

 I apologize. I only have five minutes to write this, but I hope you guys are doing well! Highlights -two exchanges! -got a friend to church -saw lots of miracles! -found an outback steakhouse (it's super expensive)  -Zone Conference READ THIS PART This week has been a great opportunity to reflect on what it truly means to be a "valuable servant." I have been stuck in thinking that that means "doing more" whether that be getting the most friends or teaching the most lessons or any other "mosts" or "mores." But! That isn't quite right!  In Mosiah 2 we learn that in order to be valuable servants we need to keep the commandments! The same commandments that are meant to help us live better lives and grow to be more like our Savior! It's ok to have high standards but the focus is becoming like the Savior, not getting the "mosts."  Love you guys! Elder Wardle Pictures: View of Tokyo, Cool Japanese stuff, Outback Steakhouse, Zone C...

 Zone conference! It was so so cool. This mission is lead by revelation, and I'm in a front row seat! My favorite part was our discussion on pride as the universal sin. Pride stops progression!  Highlights: -Member meal! I got a lot of history about the translations of the scriptures into Japanese and tried to teach about baptism to a super hyper kid -GoGo curry (delicious) -Biking (lots of it) -Sukiya (beef bowl shop) Not Highlights -first "bike crash" (I'm fine) -Biked for four hours to talk to one guy for thirty seconds READ THIS PART I've had so many experiences this week that have reminded me about my purpose as a missionary, but one that sticks out to me right now has been my study of Christ's Atonement.  In General Conference there was several talks about the power of the Atonement, and about the power of sacred music. One of the questions that I have been pondering is how does the power of Christ's Atonement empower me to overcome the "natural...