Be Persistent

"Gee, Brain. What are we going to do tonight?  The same thing we do every night, Pinky. Try to take over the world."  Day after day, week after week, these 2 little rodents kept at it.  One day the world would be under Brain's control.  If there was an award for being persistent, it would go to these 2.

Being persistent is something I have either a) really gotten and beaten to a pulp or b) non-existent (or asked just once).  Certain things were easier to be persistent about, like asking my mom if I could go hang out with a friend or when dinner was.  Just ask my mom, being persistent wasn't an issue.  But, when it comes to asking our Heavenly Father, I was lacking. 

I was in the habit of asking maybe once or twice for something, but not much past that.  God loves us.  If you have gotten anything from reading my blogs, I hope it is that simple truth.  Because He loves us, He wants to hear from us.  He wants to know the desires of our hearts.  He wants us to ask Him for things.  The infamous James 1:5 says it all.  "1If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."  If we have a questions or lack "wisdom," we can ask God and He will give us the answer.  No question is a dumb question to Him.



Now, back to being persistent.  How does this apply to prayer?  It is essential!  Okay, in my mind, if someone only asks for something once, I'm not as inclined to think it is important to them.  It's like a phone call.  If someone calls me only once, and doesn't leave a message, I tend to not call them back.  But, if they leave a message, I probably will.  If you call a million times, leave messages, text me, and call from other phone's, I'll definitely call you back!  At that point you are either dying or have something extremely important to say or ask.  It is the same with God.

We have to continue to ask and pray for things.  He will answer in His own time and in His own way, but He will answer.  So, "are you pondering what I'm pondering?"  Be persistent and be ready for the answer, whatever it may be.

LIfe of a Sister Missionary part 10: The Final Chapter: The Sacred Hour

9:30-10:30

You'd think that we would have one hour to read a book, tell ghost stories, and bake cookies.  But alas, you'd be wrong.  This hour is a very important one for missionaries.  This is when we update our daily records, prepare for bed, write in our journals, and ponder upon how we can best help the people we serve.  It is the perfect time to receive inspiration.  And it is the most difficult hour to use wisely.  It is easy to get distracted by talking to each other, reading the Ensign, or playing on the piano.  However, this is the time to decompress and ponder, and to prepare for future lessons.  This hour ends with a prayer (shocked?) and bed.  As you can see from this series, we strive to focus each hour of the day on the people we teach, so that we can "earn our pillow" each night.  That is what being a Sister Missionary is all about. 

-Sister Nestman and Sister Franklin