I've officially hit a year now.

Dear everyone who happens by,                                              July 23, 2012

Hi!  This week was very hard for me.  I don't want to sound ungrateful
or as though I'm complaining, it was just simply hard.  However, it
ended with some huge tender mercies and the Lord blessed my
companionship so much.  If you've ever doubted that He loves His
children, you're just ignoring the tender mercies you receive every
day.

I've officially hit a year now.  It's a weird feeling.  I haven't done
enough.  I'm not who or where I want to be.  I'm not humble enough.
I'm not patient enough.  I don't love enough.  I don't have the focus
I want.  I have a million faults still.  I'm not the super-cool,
incredibly-converted, nearly-Christlike man that I envisioned early
on.  I've also realized that I'll never be quite that.  And, I've
realized that it's okay.  We all grow at our pace.  Mine's a little
slow.  I'm working at it, though--with all force of heart and soul.  I
just want to be the man that the Lord wants me to be.  That said, I'm
learning to be patient with myself.  The blessings are definitely
coming.

I feel so strongly that I should share with you all my thoughts on
purity.  Purity is power, trust, love, and comfort.  Purity allows us
to be so much more than this world and to grow to a state of happiness
that is much higher than this world has to offer.  Purity brings love.
 It starts outside--what we do, what we say, how we act, etc.--but
slowly becomes something inside of us.  That's when it is true power.
When we change what we are inside we become more like Christ.  That's
the goal.  Be as He is.  Just think on that.

Anyhow, life here is good.  Elder Borden and I are trying really hard
to find people in Nova Vida.  I've officially knocked my first door.
(It went really well, actually.)  We are growing the area and it's
going well.  The Thompsons still have no word on VISAs.  The Abdos
will arrive soon, however.

Well, I love y'all!

Elder Cody R. Eckman