Pick Your Battles

Hello Family,

Today was awesome, I studied Acts chapter 19 and I think this is an example of the phrase "picking your battles". The Man who stood up the second time and calmed the group of Ephesians down after they had been chanting for 2 hours said, in effect, "Ok, we get it. You worship Dianna and Zeus. There is nothing we can do about that and we aren't going to argue over what you believe. If you have a real concern to bring before the people we have a court and the court days are open so come see us, if not, stop doing these rash things and be quiet." 

I learn a lot from that chapter. Pick your battles, don't fight over the stuff that doesn't matter. If it's a real concern, bring it up and address it, if it's not a real concern just go with the flow and you might find out that you were the one that needed to change. In this story the Ephesian Demetrius was angry because Paul was converting his customers and taking away the need for his silversmith business. "If everyone worships Christ, no one needs the Idols I make" he said, all the while stirring up others to anger as well. If he would have "picked his battles" he would realize nothing Paul was doing was wrong, and in fact, what Paul was doing was much right and Demetrius would have had the opportunity to believe in the gospel and be converted as well. 

I have companions who do things differently than I do. Sometimes I get mad or I develop "pet peeves" at the little things that they do. When I have been able to relax on the things that don't matter, or the things that bug me but aren't necessarily wrong, (maybe I think my companion is taking away from my silversmith business) I have been able to realize that I am usually the one in need of the change, and it's usually a big doctrinal difference that needs changed. Most of the time I realize that I was worshipping myself or my talents and my companion was just trying to do the right thing. I was really thankful for that study today. 

Our investigators are doing well. Sister C got baptized yesterday!!! SURPRISE!!!! ON Tuesday she said she was ready and didn't want to wait so we did it yesterday. Elder Hart baptized her and confirmed her. The Roach's are doing well and we have had some solid lessons over there. We got two new investigators this week, one is the adopted daughter of the Webb family in the ward and she's super cool, the other was a girl named Cynthia who is the best friend of our recent convert Sara and is super solid. We invited her to read and pray and we meet with her tomorrow.

Not much time today, Gotta go :) Love you all

Love,

Elder Skyler Mark Andreasen

P.S.I choose Christ!!!!!