Weekly Update~ "Aligning My Will With God's"

Interviews with President Collings 

Lunch with the Rwanda Zone

Dear Family and Friends,

I'm going to keep it short this week, we had another week full of
miracles in the zone. Believe it or not, our numbers of investigators
at church and progressing investigators increased once again. We had
44 at church and are currently progressing 35. We have 39 remaining
baptisms left for the year to reach our zone goal, so we are right on
track. 

We have been so blessed with tender mercies...to name a few:
-The sisters found a family of 16...Obviously there's a lot of extended
family living in the compound, but they got all 16 to sit down for a
lesson with them and the father and a few of the children came to
church yesterday.

-New investigators continue to appear out of nowhere: Yesterday, a guy
showed up to our branch who saw the church's name online and saw the
sign when walking by on his way to work one day. 

-Another guy had a dream about the church and was guided by the Spirit to where the K1
branch met even though he had no prior knowledge about it.

We are so blessed to be missionaries in Rwanda at this time. President
Collings tells us that we are just about there to qualify for a
district which is another step closer to there being a stake in
Rwanda.

As for me personally, I learned a lot about aligning my will with
God's this week. One of the biggest reasons why I came out on a
mission is because I believed that blessings come from putting God's
will before my own. I had the option of going and playing college
baseball right away but I decided to forego my plans and serve,
believing the Lord would take care of me. As time begins to draw
closer and closer for me to go home, I am becoming more nervous about
what lies in store for me. I wonder sometimes if I will be able to get
back into shape quick enough for me to play. President Collings
said something that soothed my troubled mind this week. We had a
discussion about Grace in my interview with him and he asked me what
the definition is. I told him it's strength to accomplish things I
would otherwise not be able to do when left to my own strength. He
asked me, with thought in mind, if it was possible for the Lord to
provide a way for my body to get into shape quicker with his help. I
felt the Spirit strongly when he said that. I know the Lord helps
those who help themselves and though it will take hard work, things
will work out for me. I love my Father in Heaven and my Savior Jesus
Christ and I know I can't pay him back for his infinite Atonement, but
I can do my best to bring his children back to him by diligently
working to bring them to the knowledge of the restored gospel. I have
enclosed the lyrics to the last verses to Savior, Redeemer of My Soul,
a song that has become one of my favorites. I know blessings come from
aligning my will with his.

2. Never can I repay thee, Lord,
But I can love thee. Thy pure word,
Hath it not been my one delight,
My joy by day, my dream by night?
Then let my lips proclaim it still,
And all my life reflect thy will.

3. O'errule mine acts to serve thine ends.
Change frowning foes to smiling friends.
Chasten my soul till I shall be
In perfect harmony with thee.
Make me more worthy of thy love,
And fit me for the life above.

Love,
Elder Hazen