We had five exchanges with other missionaries this week, three of which were with new missionaries. I love going on exchanges with the elders who have just gotten to San Diego. They're still adjusting to the mission, but they often have so much energy and want to work hard. It's also a good reflection for me to realize how much I've grown in the time that I've been a missionary.
We've been having some awesome lessons with lots of the members here, and they've usually been feeding us dinner too. One thing I've had to get adjusted to is just how loud sacrament meeting is in this English family ward. My whole mission, I've been in Spanish branches, small Spanish wards, and a YSA ward. Usually there's not many people in those congregations, but in the La Mesa ward, the chapel is always packed full. It's a little harder to see if any of our friends we are teaching are in the building amidst the sea of people lol!
I've met quite a few people here who have some connection to Northern Idaho or Spokane, which has been pretty cool as well.
We had our Mission Leadership Council yesterday. At the very end of the meeting, we opened it up for anyone to bear their testimonies. The meeting up until that point had been very spiritual, but that was just the cherry on top. The Spirit was so strong. The gospel is just true, I can't deny it. Elder Vickery, who was my predecessor as AP, shared such a powerful testimony, uncharacteristically to the brink of tears.
He said that he's heard a lot on his mission that we as leaders need to set a good example, but nobody really understands what that means. He testified that if we want to be a good example, a good leader, we need to follow Christ. He promised that joy is found in Christ. Hearing that bold and powerful testimony was awesome - I can't really put into words the things I felt as I listened to those testimonies, but it was powerful - it was the Holy Ghost.
Here's a scripture from the book of Job 19:25-26 that we studied this week in "Come, Follow Me":
"For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and though my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flash shall I see God."
Christ lives! This is His work!
Elder Pettit
