Elder Aidan Rich : Prayer sustains me

I’m felling better and my impetigo is gone. Yes mom, I am doing fine. Those prayers have been received. I really don’t have anything to report. We are just working hard. We work so hard. I just finished my first year as a missionary and looking back there is so much I would change. I feel that I have accomplished much; I have more baptisms than lots of people have their entire missions here, but I don’t know, I just feel like I have been accepting limits and I am done. Looking back on my life I feel like I have always done that. I am naturally above average in a lot of things, but when it gets hard, when my all out effort is required, I slack or quit. Like piano or guitar or wrestling or school or contacting or knocking doors, and I just looked at myself in the mirror this morning and just decided to change. I want this fire or this desire to burn not only for this year but for the rest of my life. I think my mission is finally giving me an eternal perspective. I always “got it” but now I GET IT. I don’t know if that makes sense. Prayer is so real. It sustains me. It is what keeps me going. I want to work hard. My mom’s words before I left the second time rang in my mind this week, “Aidan, before I prayed that you would be okay and taken care of like my little boy. Now I expect more of you and pray that you work hard as a man.” I want to do that. I am on my way down the mountain in the mission and I want to show you that I am that person.

Love you all,

Elder Rich