Labukas

Hey Family,

Well, Its been a long week.
Thats the last time I ever have a baptisim on SUNDAY after church because then you have to wait all week long until the next Sunday for them to be confirmed a member of the church and get the holy ghost. Saturday night I had the prompting that Aurimas was going to need help getting to church the next day. We were visiting with Valentinas and his family and I told them to go to his house and get him for church. It turns out that his parents werent going to let him go to church that day as punishment for not getting his chores done. Valentinas and Irina convinced her that it was important that he goes and Aurimas showed up just in time to receive the gift of the holy ghost. I dont know what his family needs to hear so that they will be more supportive but there is just a lot of oppostition these days. Not just from Aurimas's family but Valentinas and his family are facing some major deamons right now. We do what we can but we are trying very earnestly to keep a missionary relationship with them. Its been difficult for this branch when missionaries are too good of friends with everybody and then they leave and the branch falls apart. I am petrified at the thought of me personaly causing damage to this branch when i will inevitably have to leave. But there is such a large piece of me that wants to do everything in my power to make peoples lives easier. It is an intrinsic battle that is difficult to win. If I dont help and something goes wrong, i feel the temptation to blame myself. If I help and something goes wrong I feel as though i could have done something different.
The lesson I have been learning is that we cant fix the world. We can only improve ourselves. We cant look at others and see how they should change. If we have the desire to please the Father then that is all He requires of us. We just need to please the Father. We can only do our best. It's hard for me to accept that all the time as you all know. Most likely you have all seen me be too hard on myself or on others. That isn't healthy. All we can do is our best and then look at ourselves and others with Christ- like love. In Lithuanian there is no word for charity. They say charity as "true love" or "Christ's love." We need charity. We are too good at judging. We practice it too much in our spare time. Let virtue garnish your thoughts at ALL times and in ALL places. Judging people is a selfish indulgence. Just always think to yourself. "How can I please the Father? Are these thoughts pleasing to the Father?" I promise you it will be easier for each one of you if you stop trying to put BLAME on people. Don't blame others or yourself for the evils of the world. We always seem to need an explanation for bad situations. Well if you really want one I will give you one. Satan.
Now move on and focus on CHRIST.
I say these things because i have had to fight a lot of my own personal deamons lately. It hasn't been the easiest recently. I dont say that very often but I am grateful for all of it because I can now testify stronger of the love of Christ and His tender mercys. I can testify of the power of prayer and the holy priesthood and of prompting and of angels. Its all true. Pray always. Kneel down and pray as if it all depends on God and then stand up and live as though it all depends on you. I love each one of you. You're all awesome. I would ask for your prayers for my companion and I. Thank you for all you do.




Elder Cooke