How Do You Spell Goliath?

Things are changing in Philadelphia. 

Yes, we still tracted a million doors. Yes, we were still rejected at every one of them. Yes, we are still sweating our brains out. Yes, there were some tears shed this week. And yes, we did make a chocolate-peanut butter cake to boost our spirits. 

But things are just getting better.

Yesterday at church, the High Councilor spoke about different ways to spell Goliath:

E-N-V-Y?

L-A-Z-I-N-E-S-S?

D-O-U-B-T?

I think the past few weeks, my"Goliaths" were spelled: 

F-E-A-R

S-O-R-R-O-W

P-R-I-D-E

I was trying so hard to force things to work, when really I should have been taking a step back to look at the kind of missionary and companion I was. Not that I was really doing anything wrong, because I really was trying to the very best of my ability. And it was working-to an extent. But it was really burning Sister Gunther and I out. And this week, it kind of came crashing in on the both of us.

President Jarnagin had all of the sacrament meeting centered on member missionary work yesterday. The spark has been lit, and I really think that it's going to catch. 

This week we finally started teaching this 16 year-old named Trevor. He has been coming to church a little bit, but has just recently decided that this is what he wants. And when they want it, that's when the progression begins. He's set to be baptized July 30!

There's also another guy named Joe Puckett who has been taught by missionaries for about 2 years. But for a lot of reasons mostly stemming from family problems, he hasn't been coming to church and hasn't been baptized. But this week, we had the most uplifting lesson with him and he's starting to take small steps of courage to act on his desire to be baptized. I really think he's close.

So how do you win Goliath??

The stone of courage, the stone of effort, the stone of humility, the stone of prayer, and the stone of loving your duty. 

I absolutely love being a missionary, y'all. Even, and especially, when things are hard. Because that is when my faith is tested the most, and my testimony grows the most. And I get to see just what I'm made of, and why I was sent here. Our prayers are being answered, we're still working hard.

And no Goliath is going to stop me from reaching the potential the Heavenly Father sees in me.