Joy in Service (Feb. 26, 2024)

Hey everyone I'm back after another quick week of hard work! This week flew by and it was a lot of fun! My favorite highlights from the week were the service that we got to do for some members. Our lunch on Thursday was with a family out in the country and they have a little ranch with cows and everything and I was so happy to be there. I never thought that I could be so happy to smell cow poop and move hay bales but I sure was. It made me pretty trunky honestly haha. Our other service was on Saturday and it was with some other members that live out in the country as well and we got to cut down a bunch of weeds and grass with a scythe and I loved it!  I love the joy that we feel as we serve other people! Serving without expecting anything in return, just helping someone because you love them and they need help, it's the best feeling! Some other highlights are that we found another part member family in Villa Alegre and got the 10 year old son on date for baptism in March, that was a big miracle! Also this Sunday a member invited a friend from work and his whole family to church and they all came, it was really awesome! We had a branch activity Friday night and had a really good turnout which was great as well! We have a lot of really good things going on here right now which is super fun and keeps us super busy!

I mentioned a little before about how great we feel when we serve and I think it has a lot to do with what I wrote about last week in my email about loving other people and the power that we receive as we love others. The Guide to the Scriptures describes service as "Care given or work done for the benefit of God and others. As we serve others, we also serve God." As we serve we are completing the 2 great commandments to love God and others. Just like King Benjamin teaches in Mosiah 2 that when we are in the service of our fellow beings we are only in the service of our God. The mission has helped me see just how many opportunities we really have to serve other people, even if it is really small and simple, as we turn out more and seek the needs of others, we can constantly find reasons to serve people. Serving is the key to feeling happier in any situation, it gives us access to feeling God's love for us and for others and draws us closer to him. It requires a sacrifice on our part, but it will always be worth it. Losing myself in service of others has drawn me so much closer to the Savior and has helped me strengthen my testimony in so many aspects! I love this gospel and I love being a missionary in the Lord's service! 

I love you all so much and I miss you!! I'd love to hear some more updates!

Elder Micheli