Too daunting?

Have there been moments in your life when you didn’t achieve your full potential because the task at hand seemed just too daunting?
Daunting: “making you feel slightly frightened or worried about your ability to achieve something.”
For many, to serve a mission is a daunting task!
After a few days in the mission field, as the new arrivals look forward to the next 18 or 24 months of service, the challenge ahead, the future before them, can look very daunting!
Discouragement can come as quickly they realise the difficulties and challenges of a new culture, a new language, and new daily routines.
Trials, obstacles, tribulation, and opposition are daily occurrences for every missionary!
That said, time and time again, I have experienced that these young men and women are more than equal to the task!
Day by day, step by step, the daunting task ultimately becomes achievable.
As they search for their best selves, their hearts begin to change.

Adjusting

Adjusting to missionary life takes time.
What may appear initially to be a daunting challenge, becomes easier to manage over time, as each missionary consistently strives to adjust and change, eventually overcoming their insecurities.
It may not come as quickly or in the format they desire, but answers come, and change happens.
“That which we persist in doing becomes easier to do, not that the nature of the thing has changed but that our power to do has increased.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Perseverance is a positive, active characteristic, it is vital to any endeavour.
And how do they change?
It comes from deep inside and an increase in faith through personal religious habits such as, obedience, discipline, prayer, scripture study, and service as they draw closer to Jesus Christ and put their trust in Him.
And of course, with great help from their trainers! Sometimes even vice versa!
In time, each missionary moves forward with a greater conviction and vitality, determined to succeed as their attitude also changes.
“Remember, a good attitude produces good results, a fair attitude fair results, a poor attitude poor results. We each shape our own life, and the shape of it is determined largely by our attitude.” M. Russell Ballard
How do you overcome something that appears to be daunting?

Try Again!

Learning something new and making changes in your life can bring its challenges.
Are you yearning for improvement or growth?
Have you tried, failed, and then tried again?
Why me? Again?
Well, I don’t know ‘why you’. But, if it makes you feel any better, it happens to me too!
Sometimes, things just go wrong.
One of my favourite poems on this subject was written by William Edward Hickson
‘Tis a lesson you should heed–
Try again;
If at first you don’t succeed,
Try again.
Then your courage should appear;
For if you will persevere,
You will conquer, never fear,
Try again.
Once or twice though you should fail,
If you would at last prevail,
Try again.
If we strive, ’tis no disgrace
Though we did not win the race–
What should you do in that case?
Try again.
If you find your task is hard.
Try again;
Time will bring you your reward,
Try again;
All that other folk can do,
Why with patience should not you?
Only keep this rule in view,
Try again.
As we try, persevere, and help others to do the same.
“Try and keep on trying until that which seems difficult becomes possible—and that which seems only possible becomes habit and a real part of you.” – Dieter F. Uchtdorf.
Perseverance and not giving up is not some monumental, herculean act, it is simply a series of baby steps that you just keep taking, every day.
The picture is of Emma Bair, teaching me a new pose, whilst waiting on our new arrivals at Schiphol.
I think she found me quite trying!? 😉
What do you need to keep trying at today?

Chargé d’affaires

On Friday evening, Monic and I attended a “Light the World” dinner in the European Quarter in Brussels.
The annual event is attended by Ambassadors and Diplomatic representatives from all around the world.
To my left, sat the Chargé d’affaires of Libya.
To my right, sat the Chargé d’affaires of Belarus.
Both head up their diplomatic missions to the European Union.
I was dressed in my kilt, and they were taken by my attire.
They had many questions.
I hadn’t worn it for a while. Somehow it was a little smaller!? 😉
As we settled into the evening, we discussed many things, enjoyed some delicious food and appreciated some delightful music.

Christmas Traditions

Both of my new friends shared stories about their families, their Christmas traditions, and their diplomatic missions to the European Union.
Representing their nations affairs, they shared with me the difficulties, and challenges of conflict, having experienced much adversity in recent years.
Our conversation turned to the reason for our gathering.
“𝐋𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭”
I felt a real longing from both of my new friends.
A longing for more light, in a darkening and difficult world.
They asked about my faith.
I spoke of Jesus Christ, and that He is “𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅”.
“We want the world to know of the peace that comes from following Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the light of the world. Let us follow Him as we try to light the world and share the light of Christ in our own small ways this Christmas season.” – Elder Quentin L. Cook.
Jesus Christ is literally the Prince of Peace.
He can bring peace to all who are ravaged by war.
His message is peace on earth and goodwill toward men.
Departing, each guest received a special candle to light this Christmas season.
As a follower of Jesus Christ, may I invite you this Christmas, to share His light by letting your light shine in all that you do.
How can you let your light shine?

Heaven’s View

They came.
One by one.
Hesitating for a moment.
Apprehensive.
Nervous.
Suddenly, it was time.
The departing interview.
How could it be?
Instantly, in the blink of an eye, 18/24 months had passed by.
Genially, I invite them into the office, “come into my den of tears!”
A prayer is offered.
We reflect upon times past.
We talk about the present moment.
And we consider the future.
From our first to final interviews – everyone changes.
They’d submitted and given their “heart and soul” to the Lord.
They’d grown wiser and matured.
Sometimes, I shared a scripture.
“Treasure these things up in your hearts and let the solemnities of eternity rest upon your minds” (D&C 43:34).
Implying that we forgo having other things “rest upon our minds” by putting the things of God at the forefront of what we think about, as they’d been doing daily.
Life looks much different from the 𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘𝒑𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒏 and eternity.
Each realise that they cannot handle life without help, particularly 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩.
We ponder about the eternities.
Treasuring up those eternal truths in our hearts.
Our understanding of our position as children of God changes everything!
Consider the Apostle Paul, in Colossians 3.
“When you make choices, I invite you to take the long view—an eternal view. Put Jesus Christ first because your eternal life is dependent upon your faith in Him and in His Atonement.” – President Russell M. Nelson.
A Priesthood blessing is given.
Words are spoken, insights are given, feelings are touched, and tears of joy are often shed.
A loving embrace brings our time to a close.
Closing one chapter, a new adventure is set to begin.
With a new perspective they move forward taking 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰.
How can taking 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒏’𝒔 𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 change your perspective?

Don’t Compare!

Some years ago in the UK, there was a very popular tv advert, for a financial services company with a Welsh tenor Wynne Evans, who played a fictional Italian opera singer Gio Compario.
His dulcet tones and the catchphrase “Go compare” to this day reverberates through my head.
“GoCompare, GoCompare! We provide the know-how so you can get the price down. You’ll thank your stars that you went to GoCompare!”
It is my experience however, we do too much comparing ourselves with others.
It is a growing global obsession.
We can fall short when we are sucked into the idea of comparing our worst to others best, our weaknesses to their strengths.
“But they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.”— 2 Corinthians 10:12
“When we compare ourselves to others, there can be only two results. Either we will see ourselves as better than others and become judgmental and critical of them, or we will see ourselves as less than others and become anxious, self-critical, and discouraged. Comparing ourselves to others is rarely productive, not uplifting, and sometimes downright depressing. In fact, these comparisons can be spiritually destructive, preventing us from receiving the spiritual help we need.” – Vern P. Stanfill
Social media can especially be misleading.
A friend’s social media persona may look perfect, but guaranteed they’ll be struggling with things too.
Me included!
No-one is perfect.
When you compare your life to the life you think your friends on social media have, you will almost always come away feeling despondent and discouraged.
Mark Twain once said, “Comparison is the death of joy.”
And Theodore Roosevelt said, “Comparison is the thief of joy.”
Comparing ourselves never brings joy.
In short, by comparing yourself to others, you are holding yourself back.
Remember, each of us are uniquely different.
You’ll find yourself much happier when you – Don’t Compare!
Instead, start celebrating the differences that make you uniquely you!

Questions of the Soul

The autumn winds of seasonal change are blowing.
Leaves are whirling and twirling, falling to the ground.
It was a chilly wet morning in Rotterdam on Wednesday.
Monic and I were already in the church, snug in a comfortable room, busy with coaching conversations.
Upon finishing one conversation, I went to find the next missionary.
And there they were.
Resting.

Chilly

The Sister Missionaries were a little tired and cold.
Huddled together, wrapped in their jackets, they were warming themselves, comforted by the toasty radiator.
All week long, like their colleagues, they’d been boldly sharing messages about the Book of Mormon, outside on street corners, busy high streets and in parks filled with fallen autumnal leaves.
Physically, their hands and feet may have been a little cold, yet spiritually, their hearts and souls were glowing, filled with a flame of fire, burning brightly, fuelled by their faith in God and their knowledge of Him.
Thawed by the radiator and warmed by our conversation, they were ready to start all over again.
Doing what, you may ask?
Providing answers.

Questions

Daily, missionaries are asked lots of questions about life – 𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒍.
• Is there a God? (Alma 22)
• Does God know me and care about me? (2 Nephi 26:24)
• Does God answer prayers (Enos 1)
• Why is life so hard sometimes? (1 Nephi 17:3)
• How can I find peace and joy? (Mosiah 2:41)
• What is the purpose of life? (Alma 34)
The Book of Mormon addresses all of these questions and more.
It is my witness that The Book of Mormon brings warmth and comfort in times of difficulty.
Perhaps you are whirling, twirling, tired or cold, physically or spiritually?
Are you in search of an answer?
Then speak with a missionary today and read the Book of Mormon.

Hand in Hand

As I sat listening to the testimonies of 16 departing missionaries heading home in a few weeks’ time, my thoughts returned to a memory, a clear image from my childhood.
I was 4 or 5 years old.

To the store…

My mum had asked me to go to the corner shop, to buy a loaf of bread.
I duly did so, returning with the bread, and chewing a toffee.
She asked, “What are you chewing?”
“A dainty” (a toffee), I replied.
She had given me the exact money for the bread.
At that point, I confessed, I’d stolen it and chewed it all the way home.

And back again…

Gently and lovingly, she took me by the hand, and escorted me back to the corner shop, to confess my guilt and pay for the stolen goods.
In those few minutes of real need, mum was there… to help, support, guide, lead me along, and walk with me, by my side.
That day, I learned an important lesson in life.
Rushing into my mind, came a reflective connection.
I thought about each of the 16 missionaries and the one-by-one moments I’d had with them.
As each of them stood to share their personal testimony, I had a very bright recollection; a specific thought was impressed upon my mind.
Metaphorically, I took them by the hand to help them find their way, like a parent with a child.
Gently and lovingly.
One-by-one.

Moments

A coaching conversation, a walk around the park, kneeling in prayer together, in studies with one another, a role play, a priesthood blessing, a telephone call, talking at the dinner table, having a meal in a restaurant, or simply travelling in the car…

Moments, just like mum had helped me to face a struggle decades ago, I was now there for each of them in their time of need, trouble, or distress.
I felt gratitude.
I felt privileged.
I felt honoured.
In our times of need, we were there “hand in hand,”  side by side, for each other.
“A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” (John 13:34)
As we freely show the Saviour’s love through our actions and service to others, we too can feel the same love in return.
How can you feel the Saviour’s love?

Consider the background

Group photos are always one of those things that always happen at mission leaders’ seminars.
Getting together for the group photo can be an exciting moment for everyone in it.
Yet, taking the seminar photo brings its own challenges.
The more people in the photo, the more complicated the process can get.

The Location

I’m guessing at some point there was some consideration, of the composition, the background, the location, the posing, the lighting, the focus and the timing.
Getting everyone together to create a group photo, helps strengthen the group bond and preserve special memories.
For years to come, it can also serve as a helpful keepsake to inspire everyone to work together towards a collective goal.
“…Remember our day in Ephesus together…?”

The Background

The chosen background was the Library of Celsus.
Completed in 117 AD, it was built to honour the city’s former Governor and Roman Senator Celsus, to store 12,000 scrolls and to serve as his tomb.
Having a background that is relevant can be appealing and interesting.
The library was located in the very heart of the city.
Libraries are an important part of every civilization, ancient and modern as places of learning, literacy and education.
It was certainly one of the most striking buildings in the old city, an architectural marvel every tourist on our visit wanted a picture in front of.

Look closer

Reflecting upon the photograph and our experience that day and of our week together, I considered the four female statues (in the background) on the lower floor of the exterior of the library.
Was it by chance that we took the picture there or by divine design?
They are personifications of virtues:
Sophia – 𝒘𝒊𝒔𝒅𝒐𝒎
Episteme – 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒍𝒆𝒅𝒈𝒆
Ennoia – 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆
Arete – 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆
My hope, is that all of us who visited that day and the millions who will visit in the future, will continue to immerse ourselves with the ancient virtues of wisdom, knowledge, intelligence and excellence, which are as relevant today as they were 2000 years ago.

Beguiled?

“…to trick somebody into doing something, especially by being nice to them, using flattery.”

We visited a carpet weaving centre whilst in Türkiye last week. It was captivating.

The centuries old craft uses tools, threads, yarns, looms, and many different skills.

Using a double-knotting technique and a combination of many materials, Turkish carpets take months, even years to make, resulting in a stronger, higher-quality, longer lasting product.

And so it began…

Gathering in a huge room, we received a complimentary drink.

Our guide introduced us to a bamboozling variety of rug designs, colours, and qualities.

His assistants enthusiastically unfurled endless examples, in a dazzling display of salesmanship.

Occasionally, they’d twist their wrists rotating the rug 180 degrees whilst it unfurled mid-air. A mixture of light, texture, and quality of materials caused the colours and sheen of the carpet to magically change in front of our eyes.

There were a few “oohs” and “aahs” from the mesmerised audience!

We were encouraged to remove our shoes and socks to walk on and feel the difference in quality.

The enticing allure of being sucked into purchasing a rug was overpowering for a few, including us!

We’d always wanted a high-quality rug!

And so…

We succumbed, haggled and purchased a beautiful carpet that we both agreed upon.

Afterwards, we thought, “Had we been beguiled?”

I must confess that there is a degree of nervousness and risk in such a faraway transaction.

I hope all will be well, but only time will tell…

Perhaps you have been in a similar situation?

Reflecting upon the experience, I asked myself if I was without guile?

Then, my thoughts turned to someone I knew was without any guile, even Jesus Christ.

If we are without guile, we are honest, true, sincere, tender and genuine.

All week long, we’ve had the privilege to be in the presence of and rub shoulders with, one of His modern-day Apostles, Quentin L. Cook, someone who truly exemplified the virtue of being without guile.

I thought of another who followed the Saviour; “Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!” (John 1:47)

A study of Nathanael will reveal that he spoke from his heart, without guile.

Can we say of ourselves, as Jesus said of Nathanael, that we are without guile?

Acts

I have sat in many theatres throughout the world.
Yesterday, in Ephesus, I sat in one of the most ancient.
In its day, it could hold some 24,000 people.
Starting in the 4th century BC, it took over 60 years to build.
This trip is with other mission leaders from throughout Europe.
Walking the streets of Ephesus, I imagined what it was like to live there.
New Testament
From the New Testament, we know that the Apostle Paul lived in Ephesus for up to 3 years.
Towards the end of our visit, we all assembled in the theatre to listen to LDS scholar James Toronto give a masterful discourse on the ancient Apostle.
He shared many interesting insights.
Then he started to read through Acts 19: 19-31, where there was an incident with the Apostle in the very theatre that we were gathered.
Ancient history suddenly came to life.

Apostles

Listening and reflecting in that moment, I thought about the ancient Apostle and imagined what happened that day.
As I sat pondering, I turned to my right.
Sat close by, was a modern Apostle, Quentin L. Cook.
A few moments later he addressed us and shared a personal experience he’d enjoyed with his fellow Apostle Jeffrey R. Holland who had dedicated Türkiye some years ago for the preaching of the Gospel.
The book of Acts was written by Luke, a disciple who travelled with Paul on his missionary journeys, in fulfilment of the command Jesus gave His Apostles to preach the gospel “in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:47).
Sat with mission leaders from around Europe, I couldn’t help but draw a modern parallel to the ancient text of the book of Acts, as we 𝒂𝒄𝒕 together and testify of the restored gospel, bringing it unto “every nation, kindred, tongue and people. (Alma 37:4).
It was a sobering thought.
In Paul’s day, the Lord Jesus Christ called Apostles to preach the gospel.
In our day, I know that once again, He has called Apostles to preach the gospel for one last time.