"What are some possible "nets" in our lives?"

Hello!
      This week was amazing! We had some of the best church attendance by our investigators, less actives, and recent converts this week! It was so awesome! We taught a lot of quality lessons this week too. Elder Valladares and I have been focusing a lot on how we can teach a lot of quality lessons. Not just teach a lot to get numbers or something like that but to teach people and what they need. I know that the spirit was guiding us this week. It was very inspiring for me and helped me
grow a lot in the gospel. The part of my testimony that was strengthened a lot this week was how relying on the spirit brings miracles. During a lot of lessons we tried very hard to listen to the people that we were teaching but also to the spirit. We saw testimonies strengthened as a result. I loved it so much!
     We also went to temple square yesterday to watch Meet the Mormons with Juan Martinez and his family. That was a fun experience.
     I read a lot from the New Testament this week. I love reading about the a Savior and His earthly ministry. He is the perfect example for us and I know that if we try to be like Him that we will receive
Heaven's help to become better everyday. At the end of Matthew 4 I learned a valuable lesson. It's during the part when Christ commanded His future apostles to follow him. They were simple fishermen before they heard the call. Casting their nets into the Sea of Galilee, Peter and Andrew stopped as Jesus approached, looked into their eyes, and spoke the simple words, "Follow me."
Matthew writes that the two fishermen "straightway left their nets, and followed him." Now let me ask you a questions, If the Savior were to call you today, would you be just as willing to leave your nets and follow Him?’ I am confident that many of you would.
     Now, what are some possible "nets" in our lives? We might define a net as anything that entices or prevents us from following the call of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God. Nets in this context can be our work, our hobbies, our pleasures, and, above all else, our temptations and sins. In conclusion, a net can be anything that pulls us away from our relationship with our Heavenly Father or from His restored Church. Many of us enjoy watching television. But if this simple activity makes us neglect our families or ignore the opportunity to render acts of Christlike service, then television may also be an entangling net.
     Joseph B. Wirthlin stated the following; “It is impossible to list the many nets that can ensnare us and keep us from following the Savior. But if we are sincere in our desire to follow Him, we must straightway leave the world’s entangling nets and follow Him” (“Follow Me,” Ensign, May 2002, 15).
     My goal for the upcoming week is to identify some of the "nets" in my life and drop them. I want to invite all of you to do the same. It doesn't have to be something big. Pray and seek the Lord's guidance and I promise you that you will find some form of "net" to drop.
     Love you! Have a great week!
     Love,
      Elder Derek Strate

       Someone surprised our car! I think they got the wrong car though because my companion and I aren't greenies! Hahaha