Perfect Love Casteth Out All Fear

This week was a wonderful week for me to learn. We have talked before about the bus situation here in Geneva, because it's actually illegal, and I have encouraged the missionaries in Geneva to talk to people anyway and wait for those questions to come. However, when I got onto the bus on Tuesday morning, I found myself hesitant and reluctant to talk to anyone. I didn't understand why. I felt really hypocritical for a while before I realized that I have never really taken buses on my mission. This was my moment to learn!

Two things helped me:
1. What if love were out only motivation? This question was burned into my soul and I lost myself in the possibilities of it. I got so excited to love people! I always told myself that when I finish my mission, I will be so kind and loving, but I wasn't doing anything to improve that attribute.

2. Don't overcome your fears, just leave them behind. This is what the spirit told me when I was walking to the bus one morning this week. I was thinking about how I needed to over come the fear of what people would think of me on the bus and go to work. I often think of overcoming fears as a long, uphill battle. However, the spirit helped me realize that it would be much easier if I forgot that I had any fear. So, I figuratively took the fear out of myself and imagined myself placing the burden on the sidewalk next to me. The spirit just brought to my memory that "perfect love casteth out all fear." These two things are actually connected. I wouldn't have been able to cast out the fear if I didn't decide that I wanted to love people, no matter who they were or what they would think of me.

The rest of the week went really well on the buses. Not everyone wants to have a gospel conversation but I always seem to be able to tell them who I am and what I'm doing. I will get better. I really try to talk to everyone because I don't really care if someone thinks I'm weird. For example, one day, we talked to about 20 people from 16 different countries! Egypt, Kenya, Russia, Portugal, Zimbabwe, Togo, Poland, China, Bahamas, Greece, France, Switzerland, Colombia, Brazil, Afghanistan, England. Wow! I love Geneva. I hope I will stay here for a long time.

We lost a couple engages this week, but don't worry, we will find some more!

I love you,

Elder Marshall Underwood

Halloween Costume - A Missionary