Dad/Mom: I've been working on understanding/loving people, but doing so makes it easier to be disappointed and discouraged. It's something that my companion is especially struggling with. So if you have any suggestions, that would be neat.
Mom's suggestions to your dilemma:
Depression- Signs include lack of energy, discouragement, sensitive to disappointment, lack of willpower, change in eating habits.... If so, the mission president would be good to include in the conversation.
Understanding that there are spiritual side effects from depression is important for Latter-day Saints dealing with their own depression or that of loved ones. Depression, in all forms, alters perception, making it difficult to feel peace, love, joy, or any of the fruits of the Spirit. It becomes easy to misinterpret sorrow as condemnation by God, thus causing spiritual struggles and sometimes inactivity in the Church. This may cause further distress for individuals and families facing this challenge.It is essential to understand that such a spiritual crisis is not a result of spiritual weakness or lack of faith. Rather, depressive feelings and the resulting depressed view of one’s spirituality are usually caused by a chemical imbalance. Because our physical bodies and our spirits are necessarily connected (seeD&C 88:15), it can be common to feel the effects of a physical disorder in a spiritual way, especially in the case of depression, which alters our very perception of ourselves. Therefore, it is important to seek out the actual source of such feelings, especially when experiencing the often-distorting effects of depression. Feb, 2016 Ensign article "Depression"
Love- When you invest effort in prayer, sacrifice time and open up yourself, it is hard to be rejected, especially if it is over and over again. This is where faith and hope and charity are in full swing. Sometime charity gives other people space and helps you to gather your stores again. Don't feel guilty if you need to take care of yourself.
Satan/opposition- Discouragement and doubt is a tool of Satan. Usually when I feel abnormally discouraged, Heavenly Father is working so that something great is about to happen. I felt very discouraged about helping Meghan right before you left on a mission. I felt that Satan was trying to stop something wonderful by discouraging a missionary's mom.
Displaced worries- Elder Antwi may be anticipating returning home. That may be a bit of a stress if the mission life is better than the realities of home. In that case, skills that continue post mission are invaluable. Elder Antwi is a quiet guy and may not open up to all that he is worrying about. PEF, institute and BYU-I Pathways Program are ideas he may want to look into post mission. The church trying to make a way to get educational opportunities to all the world in forms of education that looks a little different than your normal US university experience. They are putting A LOT of money and resources into this right now. Good things on the way.
We are praying so that you can know which direction to pursue.
This week's update:
Sadie- The fifth grade is practicing for their hope of America Concert.
Davis enjoyed the Blue and Gold Cub Scout banquet. It was all about dinosaurs. Forest brought his cool fossils. I made dinosaur heads for a game. It is always fun. Davis stayed up til 10pm ever night this week as part of a science project to test the myth "Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise." This week he is going to bed at 7pm. Wish us luck. Maybe he will be rich.
Pace is excited this week to be certified with pepper spray and with a taser. That means that he has to receive the treatment to get the certificate. He has a huge smile on his face. He and Porter start soccer practice this week. We are moving FHE to Sunday to accommodate.
Porter went to Boise to Student Council State. He took Uncle Mike's Star Wars costume. Two girls asked for his number. His favorite part was the hypnotist. Porter said that as the hypnotist's voice was pressing in his mind he felt like he was going to throw up and stayed unhypnotized. He did come back with hilarious video. Long practices for the musical start this week.
Tad went with the scouts on an winter campout at the blue house. It was Gary Asper's birthday and the scouts got him an ax handle and ate cake, cobbler, apple crisp and ice cream.
Dad is willing to help me put tile in the kitchen, mudroom and bathroom and help me build some more cabinets for the kitchen this summer. We have fun playing volleyball on Saturday nights.
I finished 3 small quilts to send down to Bryce Canyon to sell. I started seeds for the garden and shoveled snow at Casper's. I have also been trying to think of fun things to do this summer. Hiking from the Drigg's side to Jenny Lake is on my bucket list.
We had the missionaries over for dinner on Saturday. Elder Early from Texas is 6'10" and was eye to eye with Dad's popsicle ship on the TV cabinet. Elder Ashton is his companion from Arizona.
It was the end of the trimester this week, so everyone was checking powerschool and some were stress free and some were stressed.
Tia and Yuki announced that they will have a baby in September. Your cousin Kelsey is due in July with a boy??? and Nathaniel's wife is also due with a girl in July. Chase is also pregnant.
World Church News- A Cyclone hit Fiji hours before the temple dedication. Despite a coutrywide curfew on travel and no electricity, Elder Erying continued to rededicate the temple with Elder Cook. During the first dedication in 2000 President Hickley performed the dedication in a private session amid political unrest and riots
“You cannot stop the work of the Lord. You cannot. … That is what is giving the people of Fiji courage. If they can’t come [to the dedication] the temple will be open for them. … I believe the Lord requires of us not a sacrifice of money but a sacrifice of faith. Their faith through this experience taught the people who is in charge." The storm passing is the least of the miracles, Elder Eyring said. “The greatest miracle will be the ordinances that will be performed” in the temple.
Questions if you have time-
What has your mission president been doing to inspire the mission? What do you love about your mission president?
Are there any inside jokes in your mission? What is your current mission theme right now?
What is on your bucket list in Africa?
Take a picture of a typical market you shop at.
Also, I saw that Ghana Independence Day is next weekend. Take some pictures for us. Will your schedule change?
We love you. You are doing a wonderful thing for yourself and so many others by being where you are. Be positive and look for the good. We are so happy to be your parents.
Love, Mom
Do you get Grandma's e-mails?
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