Random thoughts...

Hello Everyone,

Well, this week was a doozey to say the least. I won’t go into too much detail and bore you with my usual scheduled outline. This email home will be of some random thoughts I've had recently. Lately, I have been working on self perfection and I have come up with a few different theories on how it really works.
My first theory is about perfection. It is impossible to become perfect during our time here on earth, no matter how hard we try. Sorry to disappoint those perfectionists out there - it’s just not possible. "The joy is the journey.” (popular EFY theme) If we were perfect there would not be a need for humility or the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Our job is to do everything possible to become perfect, and yet at the same time realizing that we will always come up short (in my case really short). We need to believe and have true faith that the Lord will fill in those many gaps of imperfection.
Love is the key to everything worthwhile- The only way to get deeply involved and care about anything is to love whatever your doing or whoever you are around. I have noticed on my mission that the more I love the better my life becomes in every single aspect. When I love the people around me I am happier and work harder. I really have fallen in love with Russia. This place has something mysterious and magical about it and I know the secret, but that’s for me to know and for those lucky people who have the opportunity to serve here to find out! It’s too difficult to really explain my feelings about Russia. Russia is just something that you really have to experience for yourself to truly understand it.

Daily Meditation- Some like to be more spiritual and call it "pondering" it’s all the same though! I have been trying to meditate and refocus on what’s really important in life. I have felt more calm and relaxed when I meditate and I think that everyone should meditate. Everyone has there own way to meditate though, you just have to find your own and stick to it!
Next Theory- Fear is the opposite of faith.I know many church leaders have said this before, but I will add my own opinion. I think that there is nothing at all we should fear. Fear has absolutely no positive outcome on anyone or anything. However, for some odd reason I’ve been experiencing more fear lately... What have I been afraid of?? The future!!!! I am coming to the last few months of my mission and see that my time here in Russia will be coming to a close. I’ve worried a lot about leaving Russia and leaving my friends. A very wise missionary gave me a talk to read about how fear and faith are opposite and cannot co-exist. I read the talk and figured out exactly what was up. I didn’t realize that all these friends I have made here in Russia will always be my friends in the “big picture” we will be together in the end and we will be able to spend more time together, if not in this life, I will see them again in the hereafter where our meaning of time will not exist. That talk helped a lot and allowed me to let go of some of this fear.
I know I am not perfect and very far from it. I fear many other things and I am tackling them one by one. Honestly, I think I will leave a very big chunk of my heart here in Russia. So even if I don’t make it back there will always be a part of me here. (but I am determined to make it back.) I’ve learned a cool concept… when you give some of your heart away it seems to grow twice as big and then there is more for the giving.
I hope whatever I’ve said wasn’t too cheesy or weird. Maybe it’s the freezing cold weather that has gotten to me,,,haha!
Well, we are on our way to go bowling. Have a great week everyone, I love you all!

I will leave with you this statement from Bruce R. McConkie -

“There was only one perfect being, the Lord Jesus. If men had to be perfect and live all of the laws strictly, wholly, and completely to be eligible for eternal life, there would be only one saved person in eternity. The prophet Joseph Smith taught that there are many things to be done, even beyond the grave, in working out our salvation.
“And so what we do in this life is chart a course leading to eternal life. That course begins here and now and continues in the realms ahead. We must determine in our hearts and in our souls, with all the power and ability that we have, that from this time forward we will press on in righteousness: by so doing we can go where God and Christ are. If we make that firm determination, and are in the course of our duty when this life is over, we will continue in that course in eternity.”

Love,

Elder Dewey