Mac n Cheese

(Anziano Wilkinson)

This week has been a good one. Anziano Larsen and I have been keeping nice and busy and I have been helping him to get a taste of Italian cuisine along the way. On a more American note, however, this week we decided to take on the challenge of making Mac n Cheese for lunch despite the lack of cheddar in Italy. So in order to find the appropriate substitute we decided to make a meat and cheese plate for one of our meals. It was amazing, to say the least. Anziano Larsen go the chance to sample for the first time all of the most common meats and cheeses and I got to chow down along side him.

After our very "scientific" inquiry into which cheese would serve as the best substitute for cheddar, we decided to try a combination of cheeses. The result didn't taste at all like traditional Mac n Cheese, but it still tasted amazing; probably better! We're going to continue to try new combinations until we find the best one, so wish us luck!

We also had a zone training this week for all the missionaries in our zone. Among the topics discussed was sincere prayer, which I found to be quite helpful. It helped me to think more on the sincerity of my own prayers. I think often prayer can be overlooked sometimes, but truly when we put our heart into our prayers we begin to see the Lord work even greater miracles in our lives. When we pray, do we have real intent to act on the promptings we receive? Do we strive to do our part after we have prayed or do we just talk the talk? Do we fall into hasty, repetitious patterns or do we speak from the heart?

The difference between a meaningful prayer and one said without meaning is like night and day. Prayer is like a conversation with our Father in Heaven; we express our gratitude to Him and petition for help and guidance and He responds through feelings and promptings of the Holy Ghost. If we were to ask our earthly fathers, for instance, for something (like a car or money to go to the movies) with a half-hearted attempt, then we are not very likely to get what we are looking for. The same is true with our Heavenly Father. When we don't really put our hearts into our prayers and petitions, He   gives with an equally pathetic response. But when our prayers are sincere and meaningful, He gives us an outpouring of blessings. If we want to access the blessings our Father in Heaven offers us, then we must ask as Moroni teaches in in the Book of Mormon, "with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ" then "he will manifest" unto us the blessings we seek (Moroni 10:4). This principle is so true! I've seen the difference that sincere prayer makes in my life and it never ceases to amaze me. God answers the prayers of His sincere children!

Have a great week and strive to make your prayers a little more meaningful while you're at it!

-Anziano Jake Wilkinson

I didn't get a picture of the Mac n Cheese, but here's a picture of the amazing meat and cheese plate! And yes, there are indeed ten different cheeses on that plate haha.