Uusi Kollega 🇫🇮

How are we doing? Another exciting week here in Málaga! On Tuesday I spent the day traveling to Madrid to get my new companion and spent the night there. Wednesday morning it snowed in Madrid and must have been a sign, because my new companion is from Finland! We ate breakfast with the new missionaries and then we presented our areas and received our new companions. Two hours later, we were on a bus ride back to Málaga! 

It will be an adventure to be doing all the work without the help of an older missionary or someone that speaks Spanish -haha- but we're here to learn! 

This week we had a few lessons with our friend named Franklin. We taught the commandments and he accepted them so readily. He is so prepared for his baptism! He has been traveling to church with our recent converts that live in his same town and we asked that one of them do his baptism which will be so special! He should be getting baptized on the 15th of February. 

This morning we hiked up to a view overseeing Malaga! I hope my mom enjoys what photos I took. 

This ward has been having some drama with certain sisters competing for attention. When things don't go their way they like to complain and basically cause a fuss. It can be quite fun sometimes planning with the two of them, working to make our friends feel at home in the church. More than anything it seems like a problem of motivation. 

In Alma 29 it reads:

"I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy.

10 And behold, when I see many of my brethren truly penitent, and coming to the Lord their God, then is my soul filled with joy; then do I remember what the Lord has done for me, yea, even that he hath heard my prayer; yea, then do I remember his merciful arm which he extended towards me."

Are we focused on our glory, on our pride and how we are seen by others? Or are we filled with joy simply by seeing the conversion of our friends? How can we change to be more earnestly committed to the good of others? I invite y'all to think about what the Lord has done for you, that He has heard your prayer and His merciful arm is always extended towards you. Let us look to give others the joy we have been generously given. 

Elder Dougall