So sorry I didn't email last week. It was very insane and borderline the busiest week I've ever had in my whole life. I've been in the mission field for 12 days now and my companion and I don't waste a second. His name is Elder Duffin.. He's from Idaho Falls and we have a lot in common. He's been out here for 20 months and does a good job training me.
Our mission president sent us to an area in South Lansing called Meridian. Its equivalent to Del Paso Heights or Florin if anyone knows where those places are. I must admit that I absolutely love it. The area hasn't had missionaries for about a year so we are meeting new people that aren't familiar with those little black name tags every day and I'd say we are pretty loved. We have over 10 people that are meeting with us regularly and listening to our lessons on the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is so amazing to be welcomed into different homes and have deep conversations!
Elder Duffin and I have taught several organized lessons, have a sweet middle aged couple... Kim and Seth on date for a baptism and working hard on a third guy named Micheal who loves the gospel. I've done a lot of growing up in a very short amount of time. I've accumulated so much knowledge on the full gospel from the bible to the Book of Mormon and all other excerpts provided for us in this final dispensation. I've done so much reflecting on my life and it's taken me 19 and a half years for me to fully comprehend the moral high ground that I need to uphold for eternity... and I have a long narrow road ahead of me to consistently be who I need to be. I'm so very blessed to be serving the Lord and learning to love as the Savior has loved every one.
There is a very diverse crowd here in Lansing and so many souls who teach me a lot about the world we live in. I'm very privileged to be set apart by the proper authority to share about the "eternal perspective" that our father in heaven wants us to have and to teach of the legacy that his son left behind for all men to achieve. I love sharing my story and testifying of the relief that Jesus Christ has provided for us in this life through his atoning sacrifice and more importantly hearing the stories of my brothers and sisters here in Michigan and helping them to bask in the glory of our saviors redemption.
I would also like to share that it does not matter where you are called to serve. There is a huge need for the gospel everywhere and mission work can be just as difficult in the states as any other climb in this world. Moroni... my idol in the Book of Mormon.. did not need to travel far to preach repentance to his fellow Laminite brethren and had his hands full making records and enduring till his end.... attempting to vanquish the fires of wickedness and sinful behavior that surrounded him. He was a true captain. A leader and a trail blazer for his creator and I believe that all should strive to be like him.
If there is anything that I could have changed in my life prior to my mission that would be to truly feast on the words in the book of Mormon for breakfast lunch and dinner. To religiously study the life of Christ in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and to learn to be still and to always adhere to the promptings of the Holy Ghost. I will learn to be a simple man of faith and a man that anyone can love. I desire to be a man striving to obtain those Christ like attributes that are priceless and that will help build me a foundation for a successful life.
I love and miss everyone back at home. Thank goodness I decided to serve, best decision anyone can make!!!
Gods speed,
Elder Connolly
PS... the field is a 1000000000 times better then the MTC. That honestly wasn't my favorite experience in life.. I like to teach real people. Not members pretending to be something they aren't haha.
PSS... I miss music so much it's not even funny. I'm counting the days down where I'm able to listen to Elton John and Pink Floyd again and I also did service where we cleared damage from a tornado that was huge.
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