The more that happens the less I have to say.

And so this week I can simply report that I am well and learning a lot. So many things to do and get done. And amazingly for as many new things that we learn, we can never, ever apart ourselves from the most basic and crucial things. I know the first principles of the gospel are the most important. 

With love,

Elder Brighton

The more that happens the less I have to say.

And so this week I can simply report that I am well and learning a lot. So many things to do and get done. And amazingly for as many new things that we learn, we can never, ever apart ourselves from the most basic and crucial things. I know the first principles of the gospel are the most important. 

With love,

Elder Brighton

Dear family and friends,

I am doing great and learning so much. I feel that I have really learned how to accept challenges as learning opportunities. I know that the experiences and trials that I am having now will be a great blessing in my life one day. What a great blessing to see challenges as learning opportunities.

My most impressive thought for this week is about poverty and self-sufficiency. Any person that has the honest desire to help someone leave poverty must realize that it does not come through a gifting or alms program. When we simply hand over any amount of money to another person we only temporarily satisfy a need that then grows because of the increased dependecy on that gifted money that develops. Really helping a person requires much more than that. 

If we have the desire to help someone overcome poverty or dependency it requires teaching and analysis. In reading the teachings of modern church leaders I found the idea that rang most true to my experiences that I have yet heard. The leader expressed that the idea is to lift and elevate the person to a level of self respect and self suficiency. In order to do that, they first need to feel secure, protected, and in a stable position. Providing first for their immediate needs of food, clothing, shelter, fuel, etc... Then moving in with determination and love to analyze their situation, resources, abilities, and plan to become entirely self sufficient. If we give without the intention to help them become self-sufficient, we fail in our plan. But likewise, it is nearly impossible to inspire and elevate someone with an empty stomach. 

I found that to be a beautiful combination of the natural compassionate instincts to eliminate suffering, while showing a greater comprehension for the ultimate goal and purpose.

I am learning a lot here, the least of which is not love and patience. 

I love you all and patiently wait for the time when we will be together again.

Elder Brighton

I have continued to ponder how the Atonement can actually heal us of pain. It is not so difficult for me to understand how the sacrifice of Christ allows us to repent of sins, insomuch as He paid the price putting himself between us and the effects of the law if we accept the conditions of repetence that he offers us. 

But for me the part that leaves me pondering is how He can help us be healed and feel better in those times of pain and rejection. Let me share my brief thoughts from this week.

Many toddlers and young children have a tendency to search out their mothers when they hurt themselves. Among them there are many that want their mothers to 'kiss it better'. This is an interesting phenomenon. Something that I have seen now in more than one culture and something that appears to be a little silly or unnecessary. But the incredible part about it is that it seems to make a difference for the young child. With this simple act of consolation, truly the recognition of a problem or pain, and the (admittantly inconsequential) kiss of a wound- the child is 'healed'. 

Now that is the interesting part. Where was the pain to begin with? If it were in the bloody knee, as would seem to be the case, why does an inconsequential kiss quiet the howling? The answer is in the expectation, attitude, or faith of the young child, The toddler really believes that the kiss will help and heal.... and so it does! 

So it is with the Atonement. The Atonement requires faith in order to take affect. Simply going through the motions does not have a great impact. But believing that Christ understands what we are going through, knowing that He too has suffered it, and then asking for his alivement has the power to heal us inasmuch as we believe. 

Does it sound like some mind-trick? Let me conclude with my thoughts to that question. It is necessary that we believe in order for God to complete his purposes with us. He created us so that we can be like Him. So that we can live as He lives and act as He acts. Raising a bunch of doubtful children who soley learn to go through the motions without being truly converted to eternal truths and principles would serve neither Him nor us. And so in order to encourage and lead us towards a real conversion, one that comes only throught the constant participation in a personal interaction with God and His eternal laws, He must require us to believe. He must require us to love Him. Were it not so, we would never be able to be completely ready to stand in His presence and receive our eternal recompense.

As I have pondered and applied the principle of faith in my life, my personal relationship with God, and my interactions with the rest of my earthly brothers and sisters I have felt the power of the Atonement. Unlike the 'kiss it better' treatment, there is a real power in the kiss of the Lord. One accessable only on conditions of faith and repentence. 

Love,

Elder Brighton

This week a Young man sent us a message a Little after 9 pm. He asked us if we could stop by his house. Sincé we know him well and he would not ask if there were not something wrong, we went out the door running. We arrived to find that he had had a big fight with his father. To make a long story short... his father had been unfaithful to his mother and the situation is quite complicated. He has been preparing for the misión, but is now unsure of what is going to happen. He asked for and we gave him a blessing before quickly retiring to our house to be home on time.

 

With that as a background let me share with you some of the thoughts I had that evening. I found it difficult to sleep as I pondered both that situation and another one of an investigator we have who is struggling because his brother is a meth addict. Lots of things. Lots of suffering and pain.

 

As I gave that priesthood blessing I felt inspired to say more than once that this good youth remember all that he had learned about the Atonement of Jesús Christ. That he turn to and draw himself near to its power.

 

And for lack of time, let me share you my thoughts that evening as I sat thinking a Little late, asking myself how it could all work. How does it really work? Sometimes a semi-poetic form helps me to concrete my thoughts, and so that is what came out.

 

Could anothers suffering really dull the pain?

Does knowing I am not the first to fall change the way I feel here on the ground?

What does the blood of another man have to do with my own?

 

Blood long spilt

tears long shed

pain long gone

 

But that is where the error is

for God there is no time

That pain and anguish that he felt

in truth he feels it now

It's not from a royal throne he speaks

but rather from my side

 

not that he felt, but that he feels

not that he cried, but that he crys

not that he lived, but that he lives

Our Savior, King, who died

 

Who passed through that uncertain curtain

in doing so it fell

it could not hold his perfectness his power conquered all

 

and so although he long since fulfilled and more with me

I find Him at my side again in this my time of need

 

 

I started out this thought process a Little upset or questioning, but by the end understood things much differently.

 

The atonement is not something that happened, but something that is happening. The Atonement is not an event, it is a law and a power.

 

I found that as I studied the scriptures I found many of them referring to this moment in the present tense, not in the past or future. Saying that he suffers, for example, instead of suffered, or will suffer.

 

Not enough time to elaborate, but there is a brief thought I had this week.

 

With great love,

Elder Brighton

Dearest family and friends,

As I sit and somewhat struggle and think of how to express some of the things I have been blessed to experience the thought came to do it in a less formal and choppier sort of way. Please do not read it as any sort of boasting or bragging, I share it in the most humble of attitudes hoping that in many cases you can respond likewise, yes! This is my attempt to communicate myself a little better.

Have you ever....

-waited in an hour of traffic to travel a couple hundred feet because it rained so much that the water erroded the dirt streets away and left them nearly impassable.

- stood in the back of a truck of a stranger as they drive down a small highway feeling the warm air rush through your gel-plasted hair, looking around you and seeing the small mountains encircle a beautifully green and thriving valley

-Knelt alongside a family as they gathered for the first time to pray togther and listened as a strong and well-reputed father expresses his love and concern for his children as he speaks with his God and Father. Witnessing a tender moment when the hearts of the children begin to soften towards their father and all feel a sense of purpose and newfound hope.

-Listened to a 40 year old man explain why he was sentenced to federal prison for over 15 years and then listen to that same man express how he has begun to feel healed from the inside out. How the torture he received, physically, mentally, and emotionally, is beginning to be erased from his mind. Hear him express hope for the first time since he left. Be a witness to his commitment to completely leave his alcoholic life behind, never more to turn. And looking him in the eyes, feel an immense love for him like I have never felt for anyone, a love that flows through me, from a loving Heavenly Father. Seeing the potential in the tired, worn, and tatooed body of a man wanting to start again. And listening as he expresses profoundly simple ideas. I am feeling a change. There really is hope even after all I have seen and felt.

-Been woken up each night at 4 in the morning by fireworks from some sort of weeklong celebration

 

- Gone to prayer to make a decision you thought you already knew and risen from your knees with a completely different answer

-Made all the possesions and furniture of a small house fit into the back of a largeish truck, loading and unloading everything with a handful of other guys. 

-Woken up the next day sore all over, but smiling and full of all the thanks they gave and continue give.

I have, last week.

There is another style of living that can be had. There is a happiness that can come from human interaction that need not depend on the concrete outcome of any one event. 

Keep up the happy life,

Elder Brighton

Dearest family and friends,

I realized just how much I love it when people write me with little details about what is going on in thier lives. And then I realized I never write little details. So I am repenting and writing a few things that might be fun to read about.

We spent Friday and Saturday of this last week traveling. Friday morning we left early and went to Tepic for a conference with Elder Johnson of the 70 to learn how to be better missionaries. We talked mostly about working better with the members, being diligent in our planning, and being willing to give and sacrifice everything for this time to serve. It was a very uplifting conference. Finishing up there my companion and I took a bus to Guadalajara and got there pretty late. The following morning we were able to attend the temple early in the morning, because we got the highest scores on a mission exam we took last week, and afterwards attended a training session with Elder Johnson again for the Zone leaders of the mission. It was good and we were instructed on our responsability to be an example, be obedient, and have good and pure desires. 

We arrived to the temple at 6 30 in the morning, but since there were people that had travelled from several of the nearby states of Mexico, it was full until 9 30. Great to be able to enter and feel sheltered from everything for a couple of hours. 

I have learned the power of desires. When we really want something, we find a way to make it happen. When we have things that we should do, we may do them, or if anything goes wrong we may take it as an excuse for why it could not be done. There is not doubt that wants and desires are powerful things. And so it is well worth the time to figure out what it is we really and truly desire. Do we really want and desire to work more and earn more money? Or is our desire to be able to imporve the quality of life of our family? Would that quality not improve more if we spent more time with them and less time slaving at work? And I know of a surety that time spent is so much more valuable than money given. That is just one example that has been one my mind as I work with several of the families here. 

What are my desires? What are they truly?

Fun details

One of my favorite parts of the time in this area is taking rides in the back of pickup trucks along little highway to get to church. I love being in the open air, looking around me as we pass fields, cows, tropical foilage,

We rent a two room apartment that is on top of another house. That is pretty typical for the area where we live. Someone builds there house and the second floor they rent out. We have a little patio where we do exercise in the morning. We have a homemade weight bar with the two ends having been made of cement in buckets. It is about 65 lbs and I am starting to feel stronger each day as I do various exercices. 

We are working right now with three different grown men that are overcoming addictions. Two to the alcohol and one to smoking. They are three very sincere and recently humbled men. It is incredible to think that I am taking part and seeing as God works in them and changes them. Could it be possible that two very unknowing and practically untrained boys could help free a man from a 17 year addiction.... I do not think so. But fortunently we are not alone.

My companion is from Mexico City and is a great support. We have started eating well in the mornings. I often make a big pot of oatmeal with raisens or banana, or scambled egg with jam and cheese. 

My companion has a electical raquet that he kills mosquitos and other bugs with. The area we are in has a lot of lizards and if we are walking down a path with lots of foilage on the sides good sized lizards run back and forth across the path.

Last week we had a stake conference. The Stake 'President had organized with us and to finish the conference we had a suprise musical number. As the final hymn finished, before the member passed to say the prayer we came walking in from behing singing We will Bring the World His Truth. It was a powerful close and people were talking about it for quite a while. Brought a lot of emotion to the people there and also to me as I sang.

I am learning so much how to problem solve. I feel like my capacity to identify, address, and solve problems of all types has increased and enhanced immensely. Personal, emotional, logistical, economical, you name it. But I know I have much to learn still.

And lastly, I am learning the power of love. It is a real thing. If I, as a leader, develop, feel, and express love for the people I am leading and serving, the things we can acheive together multiply. If I lead by some other principle, intellect, fear, earned respect, etc it can function to a certain degree. But it cannot be compared to the purtity and power of love. Other words for love could be, kindness, compassion, comprehension, sacrifice...

I know the message I am sharing is true. I know Jesus is the Christ and the Savior of me and of the human race. I know that He will come again, although I do not know when. And I know that He has established and restored His kingdom in the earth to prepare us for that day and moment. If I do not live to see it I know I will be raised up, along with each and every one of you, to stand before Him and give an account for how I used the time, energy, and opportunities that He lovingly gave me. Of these things I have no doubt.

With love,

Elder Brighton