Elder Mitchell Rush: Elder Rush's Analogy of the Banana

Hello!
Hope you are having a great week!
This last week was full of meetings and that is all I really remember
from it. We had half the mission at a zone conference in Pocatello on
Tuesday and the other half at zone conference in Idaho Falls on
Thursday! We spend a lot of time preparing for those meetings. The
mission is experiencing miracles all over the place. One of my favorite
happened in Idaho Falls. Two separate families showed up at church and

told the missionaries they want to be baptized! Two families! One family

of 8 and the other of 5. I rejoice hearing of these miracles.
These families can be together forever even overcome the bands of
death. I feel so blessed to be able to share this gospel with
everyone. I truly know God lives and loves each one of us!

This youngman we are teaching is a member of the church, but has not

been since he was 13, for 6 years. He told us he was not really interested in
God and church but we invited him to come if he ever wanted to. He
came to church yesterday and said it was alright. Later that day we
went back to the church building and he was just hanging out there. He
wouldn't tell us why but you could see that he was happier. I love the
peace that comes from God and this young man was experiencing it! I
wish the world would embrace the purpose, peace, and direction the
gospel of Jesus Christ brings to our lives!

At zone training I talked about confidence or otherwise known as trust
in God, and I used an analogy that I wrote down on a napkin while
eating my breakfast on Tuesday morning.

Analogy of the Banana
We all know a banana cannot do anything on its own other than become
bruised. We see bruised spots and we throw the banana away or we cut
them out and we don't get the whole banana. We forget that even
bruised bananas make really good cakes, breads or smoothies and
disregard them. We focus so much on the weaknesses. That is like us.
We too focus so much on our weaknesses or others weaknesses, that we

forget the positives. When we allow our weaknesses to be a part of us and

let God make them into strengths then we can become better. Just as a

banana cannot turn itself into banana bread we cannot turn ourselves into
what God wants us to be without letting Him in!
I like how President Hinckley put it:

“I am asking that we stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully
the sunlight. I am suggesting that as we go through life we
‘accentuate the positive.’ I am asking that we look a little deeper
for the good, that we still voices of insult and sarcasm, that we more
generously compliment virtue and effort.

“I am not asking that all criticism be silenced. Growth comes of
correction. Strength comes of repentance.”

President Gordon B. Hinckley

As we focus on the positives and go through the refines fire we will
become better in the end. We will experience more joy and happiness! I
know that to be true. And I know as we follow the example of Jesus
Christ we can become what we need to be!
I love you all!