What a joyful week this has been. I've had so many wonderful opportunities to learn, grow, and to practice loving others. It was a challenging week, but I got to have so much fun! On Tuesday we continued our Christian Cupboard service, and on Wednesday we got to visit the beautiful San Antonio Temple. I know every time I enter a temple for my first time, I say it's the best one, but wow that is truly the most beautiful place I have been. It has wonderful stained glass everywhere, intricate woodworking, wonderful stone work, and stunning crystal chandeliers and so many artworks of the Savior. 

After the Temple I was also able to make it to the Great and Spacious Building of the Lord of Texas and center of the All Powerful Beaver at Buc-ee's!! It was insane and was a lot to take in with so little time! It felt like a very authentic experience with an oversized drink, a basket full of Beaver related merchandise, and a bunch of yummy snacks. Right as I walked by they also had their Fresh Brisket on the Board which looked so good but I didn't have time to try it. I am hopefully going back later today and will be able too!! My favorite thing I got there was my Buc-ee's slippers, which our apartment has zero carpet and I am so tired of the fake wood floor so I had to get them! Also they have sugar free marhsmallow mints that literally taste like a marshmallow. 

On Saturday we also had a massive trunk or treat! Me and my companion ran a Jurassic Park themed car with a cup shooting game and kids really loved it! Half of the town pretty much showed up and we got to see lots of friends we've been meeting with and teaching. I got to play some games myself and my favorite was where you used a slingshot to fire water balloons at a picture of Bishop Birds face!!

So yes, I have had lots of fun this week and have seen many blessings. And I know without a doubt that it is because of my current focus on Jesus Christ. This week I also have been facing many difficult challenges to overcome but what I am learning is that when I focus on Jesus Christ and serving Him then I find peace admist the storms.

Our late and beloved prophet, President Russell M. Nelson has said, “… The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives… When the focus of our lives is on … Jesus Christ and His gospel, we can feel joy regardless of what is happening—or not happening—in our lives.”

This statement is certainly ringing true for me. As I have been getting better and more familiar with teaching the way the Savior taught, I have found this to be my greatest way to help others. As you learn of the Gospel and participate in the Church of Jesus Christ, it can at times feel overwhelming and make us wonder why am I even doing this when its so hard? And so I have been using this idea of focusing to help those I am teaching. 

A young couple we are currently teaching and planning a baptism for, have received a lot of information this past week, a lot of it being God's commandments. But as I have taught those I have come up with two things. One is to view God's commandments as “Safeguards.” Picture you are standing on the edge of a cliff and you want to get closer to the edge to take a good picture. But there is a railing in front of you warning you of loose rocks and danger. But you see others hopping over and leaning over the edge just fine! So you choose to cross that safeguard of a railing and you step to the edge, and unfortunately, the rocks below you slip and you fall off the cliff. Now you may see that it would've been pretty easy to avoid such an awful fate if you hadn't given into the temptation to cross over what may have seemed like a silly railing. My Friends, this is exactly what God's commandments are. He knows the pain of sin and thus has given us his commandments to help us avoid that pain. Even if you don't understand a commandment, I would encoruage you to still strive to follow it, and trust that Jesus Christ is warning you for a good reason and that His sincere desire is to keep you safe and happy.

The second one, is that often while we walk difficult paths we look down at our feet and the steps we are taking. But I have told this couple and many others I have been teaching, that they must keep their eyes up! Keep your eyes up to the heavens and look forward to Jesus Christ, whose arms are open to all, and look forward with hope and faith to those wonderful blessings he promises. So while they have to make changes in their lives, and make hard sacrifices I reminded them to remember their Why. And they have expressed that they believe baptism by proper authority will truly bless their lives in every way. And to all of you, my friends, remember you are still on your own lifelong path. Remember that as you walk your path, to keep your eyes on Jesus Christ no matter the difficulties you face. You may even feel like Peter walking on water, who while he walked towards Christ and kept his eyes on Him, the water held him. But as soon as he took his eyes off of Jesus, he saw the waves and became afraid and he began to sink. But Jesus acted as his Savior in that moment as he stretched out his hand and caught him. My Friends, if you are sinking, remember he is Your Savior too. I promise you that if you look up, reach up, the Savior will stretch forth his hand to you! Just Keep Your Eyes, Your Focus, on Jesus Christ! I love you and miss you dearly my friends, and I wish peace from God our Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ to be upon you. 

With Love,

Elder Noble