Chapter 49: Balance

"And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order."

Mosiah 4:27

A good, full week of hard work and great experiences. We were able to have exchanges with the Glasgow 1 Elders and the Motherwell Elders, do a lot of GQing and chapping, and I even hit the year mark of my mission.

Naturally, having hit the halfway point of my time serving The Lord, I've spent a lot of time reflecting on the different things I've learned and really accounting with my Heavenly Father about my experiences and progress. I feel satisfied with what I've done and who I have strived to be over this past year, and I really do have high hopes for the year to come.

I want you all to know that I have a sure knowledge that this is exactly where I am supposed to be and this is exactly what I am meant to be doing in my life right now. In all honesty, there is simply nothing more important than this work. Each day I am blessed to be able to wake up and try and do nothing but help people change and become better through the power of Jesus Christ.

It's a blessing and a privilege to represent him, and my life has been changed because of it.

With that said, I am excited for what's to come! And even with all those true and genuine feelings I have, I learned an important truth this week: it's easy to get out of balance.

As this transfer has gone on, I've found myself doing quite a bit more work than what I have done in the past, or at least just simply have had more things to try and juggle, more plates to attempt and spin. In so doing, I've felt more stress, compromised more sleep, and haven't balanced my life as well as I should have.

Of course, I've been trying to do my best to do the work which I love and which is important. But at the turn of the year, I've felt a need to remember that as I try and fulfil my assignments best I can, I won't be perfect.

We simply can't do everything we need/desire to all the time. No matter how good our intentions are, no matter how right our hearts may be, we will always fall short.

And that is okay. God understands and because of the sacrifice of His Son, we are able to move forward, going "from grace to grace" (Doctrine and Covenants 93:4).

Trust Him, and simply move forward with your heart set on doing your best. I can promise you that your heart is truly what matters, and that your efforts are magnified. Strive to find balance.

Life is good.

God is wise.

Don't give up.

Elder Childers

Pictures on a Scottish backroad

Pday at Glencoe!!