Week 86 in the Field - Leaders´ Meeting, Elder Jackson, and Emulation

Weekly Letter June 6th 2016

Hey guys; I hope you've all had a great week.

This week we had a leaders' meeting in the capital and we stayed the night at the assistants' house. The meeting was good; we talked about focusing on families, having effective planning sessions and developing leadership qualities.

Someone this week called me Elder Jackson. Felt like I'd been struck by a smooth criminal.

Other than that this week has been pretty normal. I'm getting along well with my companion and generally enjoying life.

My spiritual thought for this week has its root in a quote by Neal A. Maxwell who said: "We simply can't get most mortal things by celestial customs. Only the eternal things are portable."

Jeffrey R. Holland has taught that the only two things we really retain after this life are our personal character (character being the sum of our testimony, intelligence, Christ-like attributes, etc.) and the family relationships we have which have been sealed by priesthood power found in the Holy Temples of God.

How important it is, therefore, that we refine our personal character and strengthen our family relationships. Joseph F. Smith sums up this principle very well:

"Our affections and our desires are found fitted and prepared to endure not only throughout the temporal or mortal life, but through all eternity...We are living for eternity and not merely for the moment. We are immortal beings, and we are looking forward to the growth that is to be attained in an exalted life after we have proved ourselves faithful and true to the convenants that we have entered into here, and then we will receive a fulness of joy. A man and woman...should be able by their power, example and influence to cause their children to emulate them in lives of virtue, honor, and in integrity to the kingdom of God which will redound to their own interest and salvation We are, therefore, to develop our personal character to such a degree that our children, by emulating us, might receive their exaltation along with us. By having this as our goal, we focus on the two things that we really can take through celestial customs.

I love you all; have a great week!

-Elder Dawson

Nuestro tres amigos! The Arizona Missionaries. Elder Dawson, Elder Flygare, Elder Aubrey

Really good ceviche I ate this week.