Christ is the Reason

Like many people, my mother is a phenomenal cook. However, for what ever reason, I failed to learn ANYTHING from her in regards to cooking and shopping for food. The brethren of the church expect you to bring this knowledge with you in the mission field. You will not get a home economics course in the MTC, in fact their well cooked meals are misleading: by and large you will be on your own meal wise on your mission. Please try going with one or both of your parents to the store, get tips on the best types of easy to make food to buy. Follow your parents into the kitchen. Learn how to cook as many meals as you can. Knowing at least three well balanced, easy to make meals (P&J does not count) will pay huge dividends on your mission. You will be healthier and happier. Learn from all your companions, both junior and senior, how to cook different meals. It's important to mix your meals up.

# posted by Adam and Myisha Partridge @ 9:41 PM

Mail

Starting from the moment you send your mission papers in until you come home, mail plays a much bigger role, and gives you a greater return based on larger emotional investments, than any other time in your life.

a. First and most importantly, you need to try to invest as little emotion into getting mail as you possibly can. The expectation of a letter or packages can destroy the concentration, and therefore the ability to be lead by the spirit, of even the greatest of missionaries. I’ve seen (and been one of those) missionaries who cut proselyting activities short in order to race back to the apartment in order to check the mail. This is something I personally had to repent of. There may have been people I missed because I didn’t finish a housing track or talk to that extra person on the street, for the selfish and silly reason of wanting to read my mail. It will be there at the end of the day. It’s not going anywhere.

b. I believe a reasonable goal would be to wait to read your mail until P-Day. Put all your mail in a drawer or closet out of site. This will enable you to focus all week long on the cause you dedicated yourself to, namely Jesus Christ and His restored gospel. This may also make P-Day a much more enjoyable day as you can appropriately read and respond to much more mail at the same time. Don’t let mail become a shackle to your concentration and focus. Become the missionary who has enough self-control and focus to emotionally let go of mail and embrace the Savior more fully.

# posted by Adam and Myisha Partridge @ 9:32 PM