"More Holiness Give Me" Hymn 131

I love the Hymn "More Holiness Give Me." I love the process it describes. Verse one is about getting over the natural man and receiving forgiveness for our sins. Verse two is about being grateful for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ for the things that They have done for us. The third verse is about how we can be pure and be disciples of Jesus Christ. That is the steps that we need to take to be effective instruments in Heavenly Father's hands. We all have moments of each state that this song mentions. The amazing thing is that Heavenly Father will always help us progress to the next phase.  I have grown to really love this song on my mission because of the things that it has to say and how it relates to all of us. 

One day when we had some extra time during dinner we decided that we would got to the Rural King, one, because we wanted to see what was in there and two, we were told that an excommunicated member who really wants to come back to the church works there. We go in and start looking for him and we didn't have to look for him very long before he approached us. We had a really good conversation with him. He has a very sincere desire to join the church again, but he can't because his wife is very anti-mormon. It was very interesting talking to him because he has such a desire to come back to the gospel and even though he can't due to the views of his wife, he is still doing his best to live the gospel and do the things that he should do. We had a very good talk with him. We asked if there was a quiet place that we could go to say a prayer and he took us to the back room. Elder Demke then asked if he wanted a blessing and he said yes. We gave him that blessing and that was probably the most powerful blessing that I have ever been a part of. I know that he is doing all that he can and we really hope and pray that she will let Heavenly Father will soften his wife's heart.

I had an interesting thought this last Saturday. It was February 13th, a year after I broke my leg in Fiddler on the Roof rehearsal. That was an interesting day to think about. Prior to me breaking my leg that day, the productions that Southern Utah University were going to perform were announced and one of my favorite musicals was one of them. That was hard. I have wanted to be in that musical for quite a while, but I planned on going on a mission that summer. That night I was debating about staying one semester longer so that I could be in the musical. I figured I could wait just long enough to be in the musical, finish the semester, and then head out on my mission. I was thinking about it for quite a while. That night I went to rehearsal, two weeks before the show opened. During one of the dances I broke my leg. Even after that experience, I still fought going on a mission like I originally planned. I still really wanted to be in that musical. I am not sure exactly what changed, but I decided that going on a mission was what I needed to do. I am so very glad that I chose to go on a mission instead of wait. Who knows what would have gotten in the way a second time! After that, the decision to go on a mission would get harder and harder. I know that this is where I need to be. I have needed to be here helping the people that I have helped, learning the things that I have learned, and changing in ways that Heavenly Father wants me to much more than I needed to be in that musical. I love being here on my mission, because I am closer to my Savior, Jesus Christ, than I would be at school right now. I look forward to the many things that I have to learn and experience while I am here.

Thank you all for your support. 

I love you!

Elder Hayden Cannon