Picture Little You

It has been a while!  I will start with some photos 

Where can I possibly start?  We had 20 other missionaries staying with us this week at our Mansion!  Everyone who is a Member of the Church from the entire Island groups around Vanua Levu Fiji came for one meeting at our Branch Chapel. Got to help feed 800 people 3 times.  We had the wonderful Baptism of Sanjeeta by her husband Avneel!  They are excitedly marching forward toward the Temple and making their romance an eternal glorious story.  Marriage not done by God's restored power and authority found only in His church, at death it is divorce.  How blessed to know that we can be together forever in God's plan thanks to this unique message Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ personally came and restored in brilliant fullness in our day.  This church is true, but we can each know that, straight from God Himself.  How clear God has made the path in these most confusing of times in this world.  

We are working so hard, playing so hard, and just thriving

As the Title states, picture little you.  Where have you come since you were a toddler?  Consider the whole path you've walked from then till now.  God is at every point in it.  I loveyou

Powder

Life is perfect.

Each hardest chapter of life, as we remain faithful, ALWAYS comes through to the highest, best vista we've ever reached.  Press on with joy, my friends!  The Savior is so ever by each one of our sides. 

Transfers happened!!  What an adventure it has been!

Elder Mounga and I had a tough time leaving each other.  We really came out of it maybe even closer than any of my past companions.  We have so much love and understanding and memories built up.  That really is one of those companionships where both of you know you've got it for lifetime.  I love that wonderful Elder with all I've got.  He is going to be companions with one of my former companions now!  Elder Luatua and I just swapped areas!  He will be perfect with Elder Luatua.  I know that's an inspired companionship.

Leaving Nasinu was a time that has drilled itself into the eternal memories of my heart. 

Our last District Meeting was one of my favorites.  We had so much fun, I organized catering for lunch and we had an amazing recent convert over to share his conversion experience and to answer our questions about seeing through our investigator's eyes.  We learned about teaching simple lessons, communication skills in companionships, receiving new companion insights from Elder Delfin, and great trainings.  We had one last Unisan Family sleep over.  It was fun.  I will love and miss each of these Elders.  We've grown close--but Elder Forbush and I are so happy we're sticking together. 

You may not see the changes you make in others while you're with them.  Plant seeds of light no matter how dark life can get.  Plant on.  The plants will grow.  

I was transferred to the North Islands of Fiji!  Leaving Vitilevu, and going to Vanualevu!  This Island is called Labasa (pronounced Lambasa). It is stunningly gorgeous and the Hindi is finally not broken, but closer to full pure like India and I am on my 2nd Indian companion.  This one is actually from Bangalore. His name is Elder Hariprasad.   We literally don't even hardly speak English.  Haha, you would laugh if you could see it!  I don't use much English--and I'm basically Indian except for my skin color. 

It was so refreshing to see Elder Luatua again at the airport.  We're so happy we'll be going home in the same outtake now, due to my extension!

This area and this companion are an instant favorite, and the fresh air of a new chapter is brighter than ever.  How grateful I am for the Lord's perfect and inspired direction in sending me here.  I reaaaally do mean it. Leaving Nasinu was VERY hard and heart wrenching. I am forever attached to the people there.  They've been so dear to me and I have literally poured out all my sweat, heart, blood and tears for them.  We had very emotional good byes for kind of more than 24 hours straight.  Though I will forever have such a chunk of my whole soul there with those I love deeper than I knew love goes,  already I have had unforgettable memories in this new adventure in Labasa and recreated who I am even more and am loving every minute on higher vistas than my feet had--as of yet--landed!  

Oh, the Lord always knows what He is doing!  My advice:  Trust Him; it won't all be okay if you hold out faithful--it will be SO MUCH more than just "okay"; better than you even want!

English is a "burden" between us in this new companionship--we just love being totally free and flying in Hindi together.  Certainly no limit to the depths of thing I have to learn from this exceptional Elder.  Turns out we had been praying to be each other's companions pretty much since meeting one another 4 in February--and now (being the Year of Miracles,) we both got our wish, finally!  This area is through and through a dream come true for me! 

This new area has a Branch (Smaller than a regular congregation called a Ward).  They are so pure, so sweet, and on day two we're all best of friends! My companion and I are already hitting the ground running and working hard, as well as putting together Branch Activities.  From Elder Hariprasad's initiative, we are putting together a great Activity that just exactly helps this Branch.  This Branch Activity focused around understanding what it is like to be a new Convert in this church. 

We live in what is famously known as the Party House of The Mission, I guess you could say.  Its nickname is widely known as "The Pink Mansion."  It is probably the biggest flat I have ever rented.  Lautoka was huge, and this, really is a mansion.  We host missionaries all the time here and I'm just pumped for all the fun and miracles and relationships I know I will cherish forever.  I am grabbing this whole experience God has given me, with both hands.  

We sat down together even before weekly planning and had a great talk in establishing understanding and expectations, trust, back rounds and just laughing and having the day of our lives!  We're kindred spirits in too many ways!   Thick as thieves.  We are supportive of each other in everything and talked about how short our missions are and how we can make the most of them though this sibling fun, hardworking, miracle season through the Lord's 4 Keys of Success(Personal Realtionship with Jesus Christ, Being Teachable, Work Hard, Exact Obedience)..  We talked about how not all days would be sunny, and we can't read each other's minds, so we need to be brothers and be open and there for each other.  He agreed that obedience is a sure chain to bind us unitedly to triumph through any hard day that might come.  He lovingly placed his hands on my head and gave me a Priesthood Blessing in helping me know any counsel or direction the Lord would have for me in making the full joy and potential from this area.  It was inspired and flashed me through with fond and tender feelings for all the people I love and hold in my heart from past areas.  Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh emotions. 

 Elder Hariprasad is so easy-going, loving, selfless, considerate, obedient, focused, on top of the area, knows why he is out here, is open and communicates freely about matters, a leader.  We workout crazy hard each morning!  He does kind little things like cooking me meals randomly.  It doesn't feel like companions as much as it does actual brothers.

We really do use Pure Hindi here, and little Fiji Hindi.  Interestingly, the Spirit had kept prompting me before Transfers that I am supposed to study Pure Hindi deeper.   I have all these armies of words and knowledge of Pure Hindi that I have kept stored in my brain, and now am finally able to unleash it in lessons and on the street.  The people here generally seem to really prefer the Pure Hindi, and we love it!  We read together in the Hindi symbols and talk to each other in it, just great thanks to Elder Hariprasad's expertise and willingness to show me the ropes.  

We went around and now already I am fully at home here and know the members and investigators and am meeting the many, many less actives.  We have broken down all the walls and the District and Branch Members are like family.  We have the young adults all recruited with us going around doing the work every day!  

I am happier than ever, but more expanded than ever.  As my companion said, "Satan keeps smaking you and everytime you keep on turning around and smiling!" Growing and gaining from the hardest life has to offer.  But, thre have been completely ground-to-bits moments.  The deep wells of my heart have been dug deeper to receive more. When I was down in tears pulling through a deep valley of labor and love for the people around me, the Lord reached through the darkness of my wondering if I have done enough and brought me to my Savior who gave me the strength to expand.  Expanding in depth is quite an experience.  Let life do it to you.  Keep eyes on the Savior, and never let them slip.  He will pilot us, always. 

Allow Christ to break you down to nothing.  

My new favorite word is Powder.  

Once you allow yourself to be fully ground down to powder, then you may feel empty, but Christ is on the job site.  That should be all the hope you should need.  Let God destroy what you were, no matter how good it may be.  In the sense that you fully yield to let Him make of you what you can't see ahead. Let God build.  To be ground to powder in his loving hands is just to lose the "d" and by losing the devils of any degree hidden in your nature anywhere, you through being powder, can then be Power.  

Life is better than ever! 

I packed up all my belongings and sorted it down to just 15kg I could take with me to the island, and then boarded a small plane.  I passed my first area, Bau.  Memories flooded like crazy!  Beautiful journey.

We have tigerdiles, not crocodiles



_Elder B. Howard
Labasa Hindi

Way of Joy: Things of Eternity

Merry Christmas!!!!!!

Hey!  Sorry I didn't email you well last week!  I'll hopefully forward on the pictures I sent to just family from last week. I send my love and my most Holly Palmy Jolly Hindi Merry Christmas wishes your way!  I miss you and always look forward to your response to my email--10 more months and that's it...help me reach higher, help me help you reach higher; and lets ascend together.  Let's stay in good focus and clear vision together as we just get to all our potential together.

How is your Christmas season kicking off so far?  Have any Christmas challenges; anything you're doing to show your love for Jesus Christ this month?  What gift can you give Him?  If you've got any good ideas, email me!  I want to join you in it!

May I suggest: The best gift we can give Him is giving Him to someone else.  Plus, that's the fastest, surest way to get closer to Him.

 Humans aren't capable of working as hard as missionaries do.  It certainly requires the power of heaven non-stop. What a thriving ground.  And that is fully what my life has been non-stop.  It has been holding nothing back and smashing into realms of growth and achievement that I've never known humans could reach.  These past weeks have been more than you could imagine.  And now I have to figure out how I'm going to transfer it into words for you.

Happy Happy Happy has remained the best motto, for over a year now.
This life is meant to be enjoyed.  We have the power to choose JOY.

Thriving is what I have, to report, every week; because "He who is consumed in Christ is not just alive, BUT RIDICULOUSLY THRIVING in Christ."  Its The Way to being Too Happy and Too Perfectly in-line with the Divine Within you.  I love the work of the Lord!  We're all a part of this short chance to prove God we're ready to take on all He's got to offer.

Children of the Highest and Most Glorious Being in all Existence can't and DON'T settle for less.  Shoot higher.  Achieve more.  Don't let a day go by without lost in giving yourself for the benefit of someone else in following promptings from the Holy Ghost to your mind and heart.

Develop a hunger in your heart, that each new day says: "I'm hungry to go out and do some Christlike thing for someone else."  Crave it!  Crave the light of pure love--how it feels to have it flow through you from Him, to someone else--EVERYONE else!

Here is a picture of my new daily pocket-planner I designed.

​I See What You Can Become. Become All of It.
You Become All.  I See What Can Become of It.

Each day is meant to be two things:
A thing to enjoy; and
A thing to rise above.

That way you're higher than you've ever gone before, every new day of your whole life. You will meet God  as a full grown version of what was once just the raw potential--now the living breathing embodiment of that vision Heavenly Father once had of you.  Prove Him right just one day at a time!  Join with Him in His efforts to make you even the fullness of all He is and has waiting for you.

This week Jesus Christ personally sent one of His divinely called and appointed servants to come to our mission and teach all of us heavenly Father's vision and will to be carried out at this time just before the Savior will be personally coming and receiving an accounting of how we lived our consecrated missions on this brief earth.

God directed His living Prophet to send Elder and Sister S Gifford Nielsen to our mission.  I must share what God taught us through one of His divinely commissioned servants over this nation.  What a spiritual feast it was! 

We now have 12 people that are working toward that glorious goal of starting on their journey of following Christ and making their families forever.  They will be Baptized in the coming weeks.  Miracles are just everywhere every day. We are teaching 30 lessons every week and just watching Heavenly Father lead us where He needs us.  There are so many people who need your help.  You can rise to a higher level of love.  You can be more inspired in how to give simply and by the direction of the light of His love for that person.  Just get up and dare to enjoy.  Enjoy life by giving it more than you've ever given.  We have a world to save and change.  There are lives waiting to be touched by YOU.  Today!  This week!  I can testify of it, and that Christ needs your willing heart.  We can rise to a new higher level.

This is a truly incredible man.  He came and conveyed to us, so many things that have changed my life and will change the lives of everyone my life will touch.  the ripples from the day of his training will carry through the rest of my life.

​I will have to send you a lot of his most profound teaching by request.  They are very, very sacred and have changed everything for me.  If you're willing and ready to know, you'd have to personally request it from me.  I'll leave one week of organizing my notes from him, before I share what he relayed.  If you request it, I'll share what God tells me you're ready to receive.  I'm so grateful we have true and living prophets on the earth today.  These men really are connected with the full power and vision and authority of heaven.  This work is true.  I can never deny it.

I will wait till next week to share his teachings, if you request it.

As for how the mission is going, my "Mom" in Fiji, Asmin--is just amazing. She is everything a mother is, and is just such a good caretaker of this Elder.  Mommy, you can know that this, your sister is taking care of your son, but not replacing you.  You two will be so perfectly celestial friends when you finally meet.  I can't wait for that day.  This family is your family. They are so inspiring.  They are transformed and transforming all the lives of all the friends around them.  As they go forward on their path in their new lives, it is amazing to watch the power of the gospel change everything.  Everything about the smallest to the biggest aspects of their lives, I've watched it all.  Their actions and natures and even their home and happiness and habits and choices have all been just wonderfully transformed.  This family is one of the main reasons I ever came to Fiji in the first place.

​
Junior calls us up early in the morning before we even wake up, to excitedly ask if he can come out with us and save the world.  One day after working just as dramatically and non-stop action packed as the most epic movie you've ever seen, we finished for the day and went to drop Junior off, and Junior prayed, "Dear Heavenly Father, I thank Thee for preparing me to serve my own mission, so I can make people happy like these Elders have done to me..."  It touched my heart and filled me with a glimpse of celestial joy.  The fruits of our lives depend on how closely we are willing to align our lives with God at this moment.  Lets plant right now, so the fruits can be abundant tomorrow.  Junior is going to change the world for good.  He is so pure.  He honors the Priesthood he now holds.

Do you have a vision for who you are and who you want to become?

One thing that heavenly Father sent to us through His servant in our training with him, was "Who Are You?" And he answered it with John 10:34, and Psalms 82:6 and then expounded heavenly Father's plan and vision for us as His boundless and limitless heirs to divinity.  Children can't become adults, unless they gain a vision of who they are and what they were born to become.  Christ lives.  He lives to transform us if we will seek Him and let Him.  We can keep being spoon fed or learn how to be like our Father.  He wants us to become all He sees in us.  We are not here to be ordinary or fall short; but to succeed gloriously.

​

This is a practice I do often.

Get a paper and write on it all you are.  Make your life naked and get to the core of things about yourself you might not even want to admit or face.  Put it all there on the paper.  Get your full definition of who you are, to yourself.  Get all the good and all the bad.  Be liberal in it.  Just pour it out.

Then, write down and paint a picture with words and your mind and the help and inspiration and personal loving guidance of your heavenly Father, of who you want to be.  Your full vision of who you can boundless become.  All and anything you'd like to be, or qualities and characteristics you would like a part of you.

And then, if you have enough faith to do those two simple things, God can then build you a bridge of action to get from A to B.  Let Him then guide you in your bridge of action.  And you can and will become all you wrote, if it is in line with Him and His highest vision for you--which is every good thing, for you as a Child and Heir of His, have no limits at all.  There is nothing you can't be or become or do.

I challenge you to take this seriously.

I love you. And I know this church is true.  I know Christ lives and you are meant to be all the divinity in you holds.  You just won't reach it if you never discover it.  That's why Heavenly Father restored the full brilliant light of this gospel; because it is the only way you.  Families are meant to be for time and eternity.  The work we are doing here, together, me and you in this cause... there truly is no greater work.


Do you understand how much Christ is ready to transform you?

​

Time's Inborn Yearnings ---1Yr!

CELEBRATE!!!!! 1 YEAR! 

It's been an exact year now.  This week is my exact year mark.  I have one year remaining.  

For the 12 Disciples, it was an impossible task to feed the 5,000 in Christ's time, and for the 12 sets of missionaries in Suva, it is an impossible job to feed the 5,000+ in all of Suva--but Christ makes our efforts reach all.  He it is that only requests our best and then steps in with us to magnify our crust of faith to 10,000 loaves.  

Over the past year, I have gained enough first hand experience to say for certain Christ will reach you to your impossible dreams and visions if you'll set your eyes one Him and consistently keep them there as you go about DOing the impossible challenges He invites you to face with Him daily--He'll magnify you more than you imagined.


On top of being expected to find, minister to, save and exalt every individual and family in the largest City in this Nation, we also are commanded to go out and bring back the 2,581 Members of the Church who have been caught away by the trends of the world and left the fold.  Jesus Christ sent one of His personal representatives to us 2 weeks ago, Elder Johannson, a General Authority--who blessed us powerfully.  He gave us the power to go out and find all of these people and heal them and save them.  


​Do we really believe the impossible things we face, are possible?  

I have learned, indeed they are. :)

Here in this work, there certainly isn't any vacation at all.  We are devoted to this work, 24/7.  For a full year now, every moment has been wholly and entirely consumed in nothing but constantly working to exalt and transform and save families and individuals--children of God.  I have done the same what natural people may call "grueling" routines for 362 days now--nonstop.  

Missions are not easy.  

Missions are eternally rewarding.

Missions are impossible.

Missions transform you.

Missions change innumerable eternal lives in real, unfathomable ways.

Missions ARE the BEST!

I have truly now reached all I ever dreamed of and more.  This is the ideal.  I am completely outside of myself and all the weak, old, former parts of my natural man have been torn of and wrenched from my very being by the sheer stress and demanding labor of my service here in the field every waking minute.  This is how we become like our Heavenly Father and like the Savior Jesus Christ, as they have invited us to.  By losing our lives all the way to Their will.  And as all we once were is shredded off from us and ripped relentlessly away, we discover the 'Self' we always had an inborn yearning to become.  We become more than we could have ever wished.

That is what has happened to me.

This is what I have gained in one year of non-stop service as a soldier in the Lord's work, and in the intense warfare of these last days: (not all listed necessarily in any priority order or rhyme or reason to chronological listings)

I have grown in depth of soul, relationship with my Savior Jesus Christ, capability, ability, love, exact obedience, patience, ruling my circumstances rather than being acted upon by them, compassion, being fully teachable, mental strength, consistent health habits, determination, direction, understanding, work ethic, self-mastery, budgeting, communication, public speaking, gaining the strengths of all people around me, relationship principles, cleanliness, vocal skills and motivating techniques, companionship, adaptability, influence, hard work, leadership, initiative, planning, time-management, testimony, humor, sensitivity, bravery, power, meekness, wisdom, financial governance, all the small things, full independence, happiness no matter what can or ever could come, loyalty, security, conviction, self-motivation, problem solving, family raising techniques and skills, prioritizing, listening skills, faith, scriptural knowledgeability, driving skills, languages, linguistic and cultural adaptability, emotional maturity, physical strength, all my talents have more than doubled and blossomed, career and future vision is solid and clear now, ready to be an eternal father and fully, purely, relentlessly and passionately faithful husband, focused on magnifying my Priesthood callings from God, developed daily study habits, seeing clearly how Heavenly Father views me and my grand destiny and potential, setting realistic goals and reaching them consistently, becoming like my Savior Jesus Christ in real ways I never imagined or fully comprehended He could make of me, humble, unstoppable, non-stop progressing, long-suffering, adventurous, childlike, joyful. 

This is a small list of just a few of the real things that missions visibly make of people.  What mine has made of me in a year.

All these and more, are what the Lord can and will make of us as we give ourselves unreservedly and consistently to Him.

Knowing I have one year, presses me more to give more.  It doesn't feel too different though, because I have lived my mission since day one with this mindset: "Live every day as if it is in the last week of my mission."  For I will not wait until the future to live fully and give my best and all I have.  I am living my dreams and feeling closer to the Savior Jesus Christ.

We have another year's worth of a joyful journey to go together.

I must give you personal and direct credit and acknowledgement for all you have done to be with me through all of this.  You have plaid a role in who I now am.  You have been with me throughout this year.  From my heart, thank you!

From my soul, thank you, and I love you!

You individually have made a difference to me and this nation of Fiji.  Let's take on an even better YEAR NOW!

:)

We are working harder than ever. 

We have 6 amazing individuals who are preparing themselves for Baptism in the coming next week.  

One of our dearest friends, and one of the most inspiring, pure, angelic people I've perhaps ever met, passed away this week.  Pritika Prasad.  It was a powerful moment, and soul stirring, filled with the peace and attendance of Heavenly Father and His angels, as we sung the lines of her favorite songs as she passed on into the eternal mansions of her anxiously waiting Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ.  3 of us Missionaries sang "I Know That My Redeemer Lives" as she walked from this foreign world, to her true home.  Her gentle, final breath on this side of the veil happened right as we sang her most beloved line of the song, "Oh Sweet, the Joy this sentence gives; 'I know that my Redeemer Lives'..." 

One of her last goals left on her list of things to do for eternity, was to see the Savior's face.  She did.  She does, and met His real, loving, divine embrace.  

In our District Meeting this past week, we got 2 papers that the Spirit had told me could change all of our lives if we allowed them to.  On one paper we each wrote things we admire about each of the individuals individually in the room.  Then we wrote down all the things Heavenly Father had to say to us personally.  He spoke to each of us about His vision for us, and we wrote it down privately.  We let Him redefine us and recreate us by His view of us and what we can be.  Then, we got another paper and wrote all the things we would give up for Him.  We wrote all and then tore that paper up and cast it away. 

These 2 papers changed our lives.

Keep the L in it. 

_Elder Howard

*****************************************


There is a new Elder in my mission who also is named "Elder Howard"!  

He arrived and is learning Fijian, and I am Hindi.  We swapped name tags.  We are twins, eh?  We became very close friends on sight.  We immediately clicked and just pray and pray we'll be called to be companions, along with another friend of ours named "Elder Halbert."  If we could be trio of Elders and go around introducing ourselves as "Hello, I'm Elder Howard, Elder Howard, Elder Halbert... we have a unique message.." it would certainly catch people's attention.(:  

I have developed the ability to just sing on the spot about anything, and it comes out really profound and deep.  I really like missionary work.  There is nothing like it.  You give all your whole soul to this work, thinking your giving pieces of yourself away... but each piece you give turns out to come back to you full force in blessing and positively transforming you.  It is just fun seeing that all you thought you were giving up, is just magnificently given to you after all.  God's way leads to all good things.  Just keep walking forward, upward and outward.  Keep walking where Christ directs you to walk, and all good things are bound to you, bound to follow you, better than you thought your way could perfectly do, His way will always be in your favor.  

I just watched General Conference yesterday and the day before!!  It reaches the Pacific late.  Wow!!! What an unfathomable blessing to have living Prophets who speak the mind and will of God directly to us every 6 months. 

>>> lds.org <<<

Lastly, remember, keep humor in it!  Life is fun!  Live light!  Live as a light!  Enjoy to the End.

​
Until next week, and on to the whole year ahead--

Sincerely, love,
Elder Howard
Suva Fiji
Hindi Speaking

Mailing Address:

Elder Brandon Howard
Fiji Suva Mission Office
GPO Box 215
Suva, Fiji

From Spark to Bonfire

Forgive me, I have about 5 minutes to write this. Haha :) 

We have been committing people to baptism right on the spot when we first meet them.  We are out to find the ones the Lord knows are ready, and hungering for the happiness and purpose and joy that comes from His message. 

We are being led to families who are ready to begin working towards having their families be sealed for all eternity. They are accepting and then we are teaching them.  The Lord is preparing the hearts of the people, and as we choose joy, all walls that stand in our way, become our way of ascent! 

No obstacle can hinder us when we are choosing to see them all as blessings and to see how we can bless others around us in the midst of it. 

We have been very sick this week. We have been facing tremendous opposition. Heavenly Father is blessing us by sending us through refinement. 

We had an investigator a few months ago, who was a Police Constable.  She was one of the best people we had ever taught, but then her husband told her that she could no longer meet with us because he was a pastor for another faith.  She was very sad because she knew that she and her family wanted this message and really felt the spirit of the Lord testifying to them when we shared it.  We had to drop them though. 

Well, on Tuesday, we were walking past her police post, and we saw her and were strongly prompted that we needed to go say hi and just see how things were going in her life.  We went over and asked how she was, and she said, "Not good.  My husband passed away."

She is now taking the lessons again.  We are meeting with her and strengthening her family.  The Lord has eternal plans for these dear people, and He opens doors as we allow Him to be His instruments in helping these families and individuals follow the Savior Jesus Christ and become eternal families. 

This was a miracle, and we know the Lord knows what He is doing. 

(all photos from lds.org: https://www.lds.org/media-library/images/mountains?lang=eng intellectual reserve 2015)

I truly am able to choose the better part. I am able to look back into all my past and find all the good and bring it into the now of my material present being. Heavenly Father is teaching me, one day at a time, how to be a fully refined and usable tool in this great work. 

The congregations here, the Lautoka 1st and 2nd wards, have both doubled since February.  It has been amazing to see what the Lord is doing to help and bless His children in this beautiful land. 

I am really happy. Now I am becoming the man that Heavenly Father wants my wife to marry.  I am becoming a completely different person, in only positive ways.  The mission is a burning fire of refinement to my soul.  All of my old self is shed and without a trace.  Only good stuff kept back now.  i am an adult now.  fully self assured, self motivated, and self reliant and usable and confident and with a clear direction of who I am and why, going purposely with fullness of life. 


I was once a spark. 

The Lord can make a spark a bonfire, but only if the spark is willing to fly where the Lord knows it's potential can be reached.  The mission certainly is that place!  It is the gasoline-soaked timber, and each of us is a spark. The mission is the best investment one can make in life.  

I only had the power to go on my mission because the Lord believed in me.  That gave me the power I needed, and sustains me in the hardest trials and pain and storms of life.  

He commissions me to say the same is true of you and His will for you: Take the step of surrendering-faith in Him, and He will show you the way.

Heavenly Father believes in You.  
I know and testify He will always be there for you. 


I have learned that this church is nothing but love.  It really is all love.  This is a big family. :)  And the more we lift others, the more we are lifted. 

In my view, seeking and even asking for humility and teachableness, from my Heavenly Father, perhaps was the best, direct specific investment I made into my future.
  
Matthew 18:3, All must be as little children to enter the kingdom of heaven
Only the humble and teachable progress and become refined and exalted and prepared for eternity.  In this life, it is truly amazing how far we can go and a how we can overcome our weaknesses if we will be humble and teachable and submissive and seek counsel and correction from Heavenly Father.  

This morning, I was reading this talk:
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/04/on-being-genuine?lang=eng


I love the prophets.  They are so inspired.  The Savior loves each of us, His dear brothers and sisters.  And a good way to tell how close our relationship with Him is, is to look at our relationship to the living prophets.  Are we following their counsels? This will be a direct way to tell whether we really are close to Jesus Christ.  

We will meet Him personally, very soon.  

How grateful I am to have Him to help me through this life and prepare me for eternity. 

"Train insane or remain the same."

That is a truth of life.  

The time comes when we journey and find joy, by realizing that life is and always has been what we choose to make it.  Is what I am choosing today, what I want to look back on later?  Will the path I am on now and the choices I am making, lead me to really be all I can be--the best I can be, by the end of my mission; or, by the end of this short time on earth? 

I testify, you have a destiny.  And it's awesome. And it's up to what you desire and do TODAY. 

Eternity is always going to happen on a "today," so the best advice would be to make your today only and all about Jesus Christ. 

Only He has the key to your full potential. 

I testify of Him. 

I love Him. 

He 

is reliable. :) 

LOVE, Elder Howard