Week #7:

This week I had the opportunity to go and visit my girlfriend's family in Los Angeles, California. Her parents are currently serving as Mission President and wife of the Redlands, California mission. Yesterday, I had the chance to listen to both of her parents talk about the current struggles the Redlands, California mission has been facing; and what they are wanting to do to resolve the missions' concerns. One of the main concerns both President Dixon and Sister Dixon mentioned was the lack of love their missionaries had for the people of Redlands. Their point is that people will feel less like they are being preached to, and more like a close friend sharing loving counsel, as missionaries take the time to develop a true love for the people they are teaching in each of their areas.

A personal application I was able to make from that conversation, is that in my personal relationships with day-to-day relationships, I can help people feel that my intentions are pure as I help people feel as if I am consistently acting out of love. I believe that the best way to develop any relationship is off of a basis of love. As a father/mother shares counsel with their children, or a teacher has counsel for his/her students, the best way to promote a positive attitude in the individual receiving counsel, is for th adult to develop a relationship built off of love.

I feel like the Redlands mission will be bursting at the seams if they are able to develop this characteristic for members, investigators, and everyday members of the Redlands community. I also believe that any individual can build and promote strong relationships in day-to-day life as they build relationships with a foundation of love.