I start off this week's email with some words to those who send me emails on a weekly basis. I am sorry, but the majority of the time I will not be able to respond personally to everyone. My mission has a rule of 40 minutes on email every week. And I have not been following that rule. Because of that, I have been distancing myself from the Spirit and the power of speech that I need to truly convert these people. It is a great regret that I have been staying on email much longer that I should have, but I am starting today to follow that rule. I still love every one of you greatly! But we will have a whole lifetime and more to talk when my service is done. I need to help these people better so they can have the same opportunity.
This week was a slow one. Very slow. We lacked coordination and planning, so everything we tried to do fell through. On the up side, we had another baptism! A young man who has been waiting for a few months for permission from his parents finally got approval to be baptized! He was very happy and so were we! He was baptized on Saturday and confirmed on Sunday. I had the privilege of baptizing him! What a great end to a downer week.
On Friday we had a mission conference where all the missionaries in the mission came to Teresina for a special conference with Elder Campos of the Area Presidency. The conference was great! He is a very smart man! I really enjoyed hearing him speak and also my mission president. It was the first time in quite a while that the entire mission got together at once! It was great to see all the missionaries I have met and gotten to know and also to meet new missionaries! I really learned a lot from that conference. Mostly that I need to be a whole lot better than I have been with respect to some of the rules. I haven't been a bad missionary by any means! Just got a little lazy there for a couple weeks. But now I am turning things around to be better and truly the best I can be!
I hope every one is well back there in the USA and enjoying everything you have! Because there are more people that you can imagine with much less. Always remember the small blessings. "Count your many blessings, name them one by one; And it will surprise you what the Lord has done."
I love you all! Always remember that! I am here to become better, and that brings a lot of sacrifices. But I still love you all!
Love,
Elder Cole Gunnoe
What an inspirational post!!! What joy is brought to our hearts to hear that you are striving to become more obedient!! Obedience brings forth blessings!! How can we follow your example? What sacrifices can we be making to bring us closer to the Savior and become more like Him? If you are willing to try harder then that inspires us to want to work harder as well!! I know that you might feel we are disappointed not to be receiving "personal" emails....but look at what this one blog has done!! One blog for all and personal emails for a few so that you and those whom you teach can be blessed!! I remember telling your Mother when she was disappointed when your brother, Elder Conner Gunnoe, started sending shorter and less frequent emails... "it is not because he loves you less, it is because he is learning to love the Lord more" and what greater gift can you give your parents and those who love you most!! God's blessing upon you is our prayer!!!
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