Are some missions harder than others?

Well this week Elder Pilling starts a new transfer, drives with Elder Campbell, and enjoys MLC

So hello people. Tuesday was transfer day. Went smooth and everyone is settling in nicely. We had an emergency transfer Friday/Saturday because of a creepy guy the sisters were teaching who asked to marry one of them... Anyway they went to Ventura and we now have a trainee in the zone!!! Which means I get to do a new missionary exchange. I'm excited, haven't done one yet. Our exchange is Saturday. 

Thursday was MLC again... President Nakken wasn't sure we were going to have one but decided we needed to set our mission goals together. We've had 3 MLC's in 40 days haha 

It's very interesting because P and Sister Nakken have been talking a lot about marriage. What about "leaving behind all other personal affairs?" No I'm joking. They are inspired and we clearly need to hear that. Wow I just roasted P. Nakken but MLC was good. Mission goal for the month of September is 22 souls being baptised. Ugh "Why is Baptism so hard?Why doesn't it go better? This is the truth! We believe in miracles! Why isn't our success more rapid?" That's a quote from an Elder Holland address I quote all the time because literally it's not easy!!! I have pondered the fact that other missions baptize 100's and I pose this idea and want you to ask yourself this question, 

" Are some missions harder than others? State side missions get fed good, have clean water, cars, overall they live pretty all right but that's not what a mission is all about. It's about "inviting others to come unto Christ... Baptism..." and if other missions baptize more, then they are reaching their purpose more, so are some easier than others? "

I ponder, and it's probably because I just don't know, are other missions easier or harder? Now I ask that party because I'm personally curious but mainly just for people to ponder and I'd love to hear thoughts. I know I've really come to know that it's all about Jesus and it doesn't matter if I baptize a billion of God's children or if I baptize 1 because Jesus has a perfect plan for each of His kids and we, all of us, have a responsibility to bring them unto Jesus. It doesn't matter the current number of baptisms because He knows where everyone is at. He understands what everyone needs and who can give it to them. I know with all of my heart that it truly is all about Jesus. Even though I'm not perfect, in fact I'm quite selfish.

But I know where Im supposed to be and I try my very best to put my faith in Him and do as I'm directed by the spirit. I love this work. It's rough, I don't see much initial success, but I know what I do is good in His eyes. Just takes patience. 

That is pretty interesting right there. I ask to ask. I want to hear what others think who serve elsewhere because I know part of the gospel is "endure to the end" and some areas in the world that is very low. So they might  make it to have faith, repentance, baptism, Holy Ghost but miss endure to the end. Which in my opinion is the most important. And for me in this mission I see a lot of "faith in Jesus Christ" . A lot of people go to church, a lot of people have faith in Jesus but they miss the rest. Anyway I'm done.

Met some Cool people this week. 

 Love you all. This has been interesting. 

OK I need to write more. In my setting apart blessing, part of it talks about reports home and I've read other missionarie's emails and I tend to spend more time than others. But it helps me recount and learn and helps you, I hope, learn as well. I wanted to share one more experience:

Met Ozzie. He says, "Oh I work with Roger cook".  He's our Elders Quorum President, whom I know works for SRAM as an engineer so I dove Into SRAM. Ozzie Is the manager of the testing station. He literally destroys cranks all day long😓.  Anyway we also learned he's an XPro and super cool. But after warming him up and meeting his super drunk neighbour Kirk, we slide in the question about religion. He shoots it down, nope no God, the world is too horrible for a God and he starts talking about bad experience and about bad things happening to good people. He does this all very friendly though. Well here's the genius part, we say, "You refine SRAM cranks by putting them through hard tests and the point is to make the them better." I thought it was a cool analogy but he still didn't buy into it. But he probably will think about it now. He also said that the XX1 cranks and bottom bracket set is the lightest on the market. Which I didn't know. Anyway. 

Love ya 

Elder P

2375 Johnson Ave 

San Luis Obispo CA 

93401