• This zone conference, I took away that it is extremely important to stay grateful, that the places where things happened are important, and that we need to be more passionate and direct in our teaching. I really liked the break off lesson that spoke about the sacred grove, and a sign that was there which simply said " God the Father, and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith in this grove." We were taught the significance of what they chose not to include on that sign. It is an amazing event regardless of whatever other details.
• What I learned in the Zone conference was amazing the importance of the sharing the First Vision and testifyng about it, every time I heard the First Vision that day I felt the spirit so strong and keep testifiyng to me that this is true. What I will do is that I will testify of it more boldy not arrogantly but bold to have the spirit and tell people why that moment was so importance because some do know what happen in that moment but they dont know the why which is what is most important why did god and his son Jesus Christ appear to Joseph.
• Reading the Book of Mormon in 90 days has renewed my resolve to share the message it contains with all I see. And the assignment to write 10 reasons why we know Joseph was a prophet of God caused me to sincerely consider my feelings on the subject. What I learned from this previous Zone Conference was just how glorious it is to have a prophet on the earth. As I ponder on what the meaning of a prophet is, I marvel at the fact that Joseph Smith was a literal mouthpiece of the Eternal Father. To me, the fact that Christ would call another prophet to lead and guide us is yet another witness of his boundless love. My renewed conviction I have received from this Conference is to put myself to more sincere study and more frequent prayer about these matters. I've reached the conclusion that if I am going to challenge my investigators to read and pray to discover the reality of our message...I need to have an unshakable, unchangeable testimony of these things.
• Zone cnoference was great. I love going to zone conference and coming out totally pumped to work. I know that as we use the Lord's plan (The Perry Plan) our correlation between us and the wards will increase, and that's how we'll find more. I loved learning more about the prophet. the Spirit has always born strong testimony of him to me. Your example inspires me to learn more about him and his life.
• I really liked zone conference this week. Leading up to it, I prayed and studied all of the material I had on Joseph Smith in PMG and read multiple times JSH. I really prayed to increase my testimony of him. During the guest speaker, I felt a constant burning in my chest. I know that the prophet is true. I knew it before, but I have a firmer conviction when I now bear testimony of him. I learned a lot more about the towns and places that certain events happened. I have never studied or been interested much as to where exactly Alvin died or where the monument to Joseph Smith is. Now that I am more familiar with his history, I want to study more and know exactly what events happened where. I am going to go through the list of scriptures this week that were given to us in order to more fully develop my testimony and knowledge of Joseph Smith.
Monday, January 18, 2010
• Zone Conference was the highlight of the week. My testimony of Joseph Smith was strengthened last Wednesday. I've always realized the importance of the prophet and the Book of Mormon in missionary work, and my companion and I testify of them frequently. I'm thoroughly convinced that anyone who prayerfully reads the Book of Mormon will find an answer that it is true. During the conference, I felt the spirit testify to me again that the Book of Mormon is a true book.
• I know that the Lord blesses us for our obedience and dilligence. Again I prayed to have the investigators show up to church and yesterday we received a referral of someone that has been coming to church and 20 mins ago the relief society pres. called us and gaves another referral that also has been coming to church. Dilligence and Obedience are the keys to Finding.
• Zone Conference was great this week. I really enjoyed hearing about Joseph Smith. I needed it to help me build my knowledge of the prophet. I learned that there's a lot about the prophet that I don't know. I felt the power of Joseph Smith's personality that was given to him through the Holy Ghost. I'm going to be more bold in professing that Joseph Smith was the man Heavenly Father chose to bring the true church to the earth in these days. I plan on stressing Joseph Smith's importance in oym's and door approaches.
• Zone conference was great. I think that it was my favorite thus far. As always when we talk about Joseph Smith, I am renewed with a desire to study more about church history so I can better understand the Doctrine and Covenants. That will have to come later though. I am almost finished with the Book of Mormon challenge. I love it. I understand it more every time I read it, which helps me to be able to apply it more to myself and to my investigators. Treasure up!
• We had an interesting thing happen this week. There is a woman who we have been teaching for the past couple months, who shared a story with us that we didn't realize at the time we met. She said that the night we knocked on her door, she had already made preparations to end her life and her son's. She was so depressed from her divorce and financial situation that she was at her very end. As we taught, she felt the spirit, and she felt a hope that she hadn't had in a long time. She had been baptized about four years before, but had fallen away from the church because her work prevented her from going, then she had stopped reading the scriptures, and even stopped praying. Elder Sirmans and I were holding back tears as she told us this story, and how the day before we met, she had been praying on her knees for help. She gave us each a tie pin with a stripling warrior on it that I will cherish for the rest of my life. Her 12 year old son Angel is planning to be baptized this Saturday!
• I loved Zone Conference. What I learned most was actually in regards to that map that you printed out for us, and the significant events at those locations. What I felt was that I don't testify of Joseph Smith boldly enough, and what I am going to do is make sure that when I do testify of him, I am going to do it boldly with all the sincerity that I can
• We had a really good week. We have been focusing on trying to teach lessons to active members for practice and feedback. We have been getting names of members to teach from our ward mission leaders. I really felt that this would be important for us because my companion is still learning English and it would help to give her confidence, and I am still a new missionary and could use the practice as well. We will also be using this as a finding tool, when as ask members for referals after we teach them. So far this tactic has been working really well. We also had good visits with our investigators this week. The best news is that our eternal investigator is on date for baptism for this Saturday, and it looks like it is really going to happen!! I can't tell you how excited I am about that. His baptism would truely be a miracle. It was the bishop who FINALLY got him on date. I have really learned this week that it is important to keep the bishops involved in missionary work. They hold keys to the work in their wards.
• I have a testimony of sacrifice. Months ago I promised to sacrifice something, and I am still upholding that promise, and the blessings are still coming. Oddly enough, however, I have struggled with fasting. I know it is a true principle, however I have a hard time detecting specific blessings that come from it, and I have my whole mission. This past fast sunday I prayed and conversed with God about the matter. I mentioned the struggle my companion and I are having with our health and how going out and working is getting difficult, especially when we have very few referals to check, and very few people have been home over the holidays. I pleaded to see the blessings of fasting. Over the past 2 days, we have received 3 referals. 1 for a family in the only ward we have no work in, 1 for an unbaptized child who randomly showed up to church, and 1 for 2 eternal investigators who gave themselves a baptismal date for this month.God hears our prayers, and answers them. I have always been aware of the Justice of God, but I am more and more experiencing His Mercy.
• I am still doing the book of Mormon challenge, I am focusing more on studying for my investigators, I feel great everytime I do that.
• I got a calender so i can keep track of myself. Like an obedience calender, can keep track of the days i did everything i was supposed to, the days i didn't, ect. Its working out good, it puts life in perspective. You can see the days i worked hard, stuff happened. I write down how many lessons we had planned and how many actuals that day... so its good.
• to top it off I was biking and slipped on ice. I am grateful for helmets. Nothing bad happened but I realized how much we are looked after for our service. I'm glad to be a deciple of Christ. Being obedient isn't hard it just takes faith and love for our Father in Heaven.
• D&C 41:5 In this scripture, the Lord is speaking to the Church about obedience. It is one thing to say that we believe in Christ but it is another to actually follow His teachings in our thoughts and actions. Applying this to our missionary lives, we need to receive the law that is given us to live by, and we need to live it. This is how we can have the Spirit with us more because we will be true disciples of Jesus Christ.
• We found this Mexican family last week when we were knocking doors. We taught a restoration and we asked them to be baptized when they know this is true and they said yes!!!!They are awesome.
• We were able to teach more this week than we did last week which was a blessing. We went into Saturday with only 16 lessons, and Heavenly Father really helped us Saturday and Sunday to get lessons that we needed (28 Total).
• Zone conference was amazing. It strengthened my testimony of the restoration more and i learned that we need to testify even stronger of it in our teaching and I also learned some about prayer and getting answers. We have to be willing to act as Joseph was on those answers in order to recieve them. I also loved the stories related about President Hinkley. They both were such incredible men. I was just humbled and amazed hearing about them and thier lives. I cant wait to visit those historical church sites when i return home from my mission. Thank you for all that you do, I know we dont see the smallest part of it.
• When we recieve his law and follow it we will be his diciples and recieve all the blessings that come with this dicipleship. I want this in my mission. I have seen that you can still baptize when you don't follow the white handbook but what missionaries who do this don't realize is that they would baptize 10 times more people if they were obedient.
• We had a family who had absolutely no food in the house on new years eve and they were calling food banks to get food. Apparently they usually in the past go to the stores and steal their food when this happens but they said that since they have met with us they feel like they are not able to think of doing it. As missionaries I am truly amazed at the effect we have on people as we are obedient and follow the promtings of the spirit. Once i heard what they needed, I called the WML of the Ward who you have met multiple times, Clark Bullen, he sent out a massive text message to everyone in the ward he could to see if anyone could spare food. Within an hour, people began showing up and dropping off food to the extent that their cupboards were filled and they had to make shelves for everything they were not able to fit in the cupboards. They truly were overwhlmed and grateful for all that they recieved. This gospel helps those who are in need and sometimes, i have realized, someo
ne else needs to ask or initiate the aid.
• One of the wards told us that through the ward mission process that they found someone else for us to teach! We need to find more people to teach, and I honestly believe that we are doing all that we can to make sure that happens. We are exercising faith, working hard and being obedient. how could we not be successful??
• As for D&C 41:5; it teaches us to have integrity when we say we will do something. When we say that we will be at an appointment, we should be there on time. We should carry out assignments from Bishops promptly and report to the WML soon after. As we do what we say we'll do the wards will trust us, our investigators will trust us, and more importantly the Lord will trust us.
• When I read the scripture it reminded me of something that I heard in zone conference once, someone said every kind of missionary will baptize but only those missionaries that are obidient with exactness because they love the savior will become His disciples, also I remember that my trainer taught me once that my succes as a missionary wont be meassured for how many baptisms i had but how obedient i was on my mission.
• I know that the Lord blesses us for our obedience and dilligence. Again I prayed to have the investigators show up to church and yesterday we received a referral of someone that has been coming to church and 20 mins ago the relief society pres. called us and gaves another referral that also has been coming to church. Dilligence and Obedience are the keys to Finding.
• Zone Conference was great this week. I really enjoyed hearing about Joseph Smith. I needed it to help me build my knowledge of the prophet. I learned that there's a lot about the prophet that I don't know. I felt the power of Joseph Smith's personality that was given to him through the Holy Ghost. I'm going to be more bold in professing that Joseph Smith was the man Heavenly Father chose to bring the true church to the earth in these days. I plan on stressing Joseph Smith's importance in oym's and door approaches.
• Zone conference was great. I think that it was my favorite thus far. As always when we talk about Joseph Smith, I am renewed with a desire to study more about church history so I can better understand the Doctrine and Covenants. That will have to come later though. I am almost finished with the Book of Mormon challenge. I love it. I understand it more every time I read it, which helps me to be able to apply it more to myself and to my investigators. Treasure up!
• We had an interesting thing happen this week. There is a woman who we have been teaching for the past couple months, who shared a story with us that we didn't realize at the time we met. She said that the night we knocked on her door, she had already made preparations to end her life and her son's. She was so depressed from her divorce and financial situation that she was at her very end. As we taught, she felt the spirit, and she felt a hope that she hadn't had in a long time. She had been baptized about four years before, but had fallen away from the church because her work prevented her from going, then she had stopped reading the scriptures, and even stopped praying. Elder Sirmans and I were holding back tears as she told us this story, and how the day before we met, she had been praying on her knees for help. She gave us each a tie pin with a stripling warrior on it that I will cherish for the rest of my life. Her 12 year old son Angel is planning to be baptized this Saturday!
• I loved Zone Conference. What I learned most was actually in regards to that map that you printed out for us, and the significant events at those locations. What I felt was that I don't testify of Joseph Smith boldly enough, and what I am going to do is make sure that when I do testify of him, I am going to do it boldly with all the sincerity that I can
• We had a really good week. We have been focusing on trying to teach lessons to active members for practice and feedback. We have been getting names of members to teach from our ward mission leaders. I really felt that this would be important for us because my companion is still learning English and it would help to give her confidence, and I am still a new missionary and could use the practice as well. We will also be using this as a finding tool, when as ask members for referals after we teach them. So far this tactic has been working really well. We also had good visits with our investigators this week. The best news is that our eternal investigator is on date for baptism for this Saturday, and it looks like it is really going to happen!! I can't tell you how excited I am about that. His baptism would truely be a miracle. It was the bishop who FINALLY got him on date. I have really learned this week that it is important to keep the bishops involved in missionary work. They hold keys to the work in their wards.
• I have a testimony of sacrifice. Months ago I promised to sacrifice something, and I am still upholding that promise, and the blessings are still coming. Oddly enough, however, I have struggled with fasting. I know it is a true principle, however I have a hard time detecting specific blessings that come from it, and I have my whole mission. This past fast sunday I prayed and conversed with God about the matter. I mentioned the struggle my companion and I are having with our health and how going out and working is getting difficult, especially when we have very few referals to check, and very few people have been home over the holidays. I pleaded to see the blessings of fasting. Over the past 2 days, we have received 3 referals. 1 for a family in the only ward we have no work in, 1 for an unbaptized child who randomly showed up to church, and 1 for 2 eternal investigators who gave themselves a baptismal date for this month.God hears our prayers, and answers them. I have always been aware of the Justice of God, but I am more and more experiencing His Mercy.
• I am still doing the book of Mormon challenge, I am focusing more on studying for my investigators, I feel great everytime I do that.
• I got a calender so i can keep track of myself. Like an obedience calender, can keep track of the days i did everything i was supposed to, the days i didn't, ect. Its working out good, it puts life in perspective. You can see the days i worked hard, stuff happened. I write down how many lessons we had planned and how many actuals that day... so its good.
• to top it off I was biking and slipped on ice. I am grateful for helmets. Nothing bad happened but I realized how much we are looked after for our service. I'm glad to be a deciple of Christ. Being obedient isn't hard it just takes faith and love for our Father in Heaven.
• D&C 41:5 In this scripture, the Lord is speaking to the Church about obedience. It is one thing to say that we believe in Christ but it is another to actually follow His teachings in our thoughts and actions. Applying this to our missionary lives, we need to receive the law that is given us to live by, and we need to live it. This is how we can have the Spirit with us more because we will be true disciples of Jesus Christ.
• We found this Mexican family last week when we were knocking doors. We taught a restoration and we asked them to be baptized when they know this is true and they said yes!!!!They are awesome.
• We were able to teach more this week than we did last week which was a blessing. We went into Saturday with only 16 lessons, and Heavenly Father really helped us Saturday and Sunday to get lessons that we needed (28 Total).
• Zone conference was amazing. It strengthened my testimony of the restoration more and i learned that we need to testify even stronger of it in our teaching and I also learned some about prayer and getting answers. We have to be willing to act as Joseph was on those answers in order to recieve them. I also loved the stories related about President Hinkley. They both were such incredible men. I was just humbled and amazed hearing about them and thier lives. I cant wait to visit those historical church sites when i return home from my mission. Thank you for all that you do, I know we dont see the smallest part of it.
• When we recieve his law and follow it we will be his diciples and recieve all the blessings that come with this dicipleship. I want this in my mission. I have seen that you can still baptize when you don't follow the white handbook but what missionaries who do this don't realize is that they would baptize 10 times more people if they were obedient.
• We had a family who had absolutely no food in the house on new years eve and they were calling food banks to get food. Apparently they usually in the past go to the stores and steal their food when this happens but they said that since they have met with us they feel like they are not able to think of doing it. As missionaries I am truly amazed at the effect we have on people as we are obedient and follow the promtings of the spirit. Once i heard what they needed, I called the WML of the Ward who you have met multiple times, Clark Bullen, he sent out a massive text message to everyone in the ward he could to see if anyone could spare food. Within an hour, people began showing up and dropping off food to the extent that their cupboards were filled and they had to make shelves for everything they were not able to fit in the cupboards. They truly were overwhlmed and grateful for all that they recieved. This gospel helps those who are in need and sometimes, i have realized, someo
ne else needs to ask or initiate the aid.
• One of the wards told us that through the ward mission process that they found someone else for us to teach! We need to find more people to teach, and I honestly believe that we are doing all that we can to make sure that happens. We are exercising faith, working hard and being obedient. how could we not be successful??
• As for D&C 41:5; it teaches us to have integrity when we say we will do something. When we say that we will be at an appointment, we should be there on time. We should carry out assignments from Bishops promptly and report to the WML soon after. As we do what we say we'll do the wards will trust us, our investigators will trust us, and more importantly the Lord will trust us.
• When I read the scripture it reminded me of something that I heard in zone conference once, someone said every kind of missionary will baptize but only those missionaries that are obidient with exactness because they love the savior will become His disciples, also I remember that my trainer taught me once that my succes as a missionary wont be meassured for how many baptisms i had but how obedient i was on my mission.
Monday, January 11, 2010
• We decided that it might be a good jump start to go out and do some work the old fashioned way. It was the day that it started snowing a lot, so we picked an area and went out on foot and tracted most of one ward boundary. On two streets in particular, we would talk with every member we contacted about missionary work and ask if they knew anyone who could benefit from the message. We received 23 referrals this week. And if it was a nonmember who opened the door, we would share the message of the restoration and try to secure a time when we could come back and share more. And a small handful of them invited us to come back another time. We didn't get as many new investigators as we had hoped for. (We had a goal of at LEAST 3 for the effort,) but it really helped me to feel more excited. Because we were actually going out and trying, and bearing heartfelt and powerful testimony. If the people closed the door on us after that, I couldn't get as upset, because at least I had sincerely tried to reach out and touch that person's heart. And if they weren't receptive now, maybe a seed was planted. On one circle, we know the name of every single family living on the block. And when we came home I recorded it and a little story about each of them. It's a lot more organized, so that we can see where the potential investigators are. We were able to photocopy some of those forms so we have a lot more, now. And they're really useful. But today was a good week. But we've committed to try twice as hard to improve again next week.
• Me and my companion have fasted and we pray all the time to find people, I have been studying chapter 9 like it’s the only chapter in PMG, I am always looking for things to sacrifice, and in which I have sacrificed something I never thought I would have and I sacrificed talking to someone back home that I care about and the amazing thing is I feel so happy right now! I have no idea why! But I guess I am happy because I know I am doing all the right things!
• This week was yet another great week. Not only did we have a baptism but it was Christmas day. It was great the young man that got baptized is named Rene and his family was all baptized about two years ago. That had been waiting for that long for their son to make the same decision. Rene would attend church weekly with his family and most people thought he was already a member. Despite that little misunderstanding there was a lot of support from the ward. The best part of the whole thing for me was after his dad performed that the baptism they took a minute and hugged one another in the font. That right there to me is a sign that this family is now just one step closer to living together forever, and it makes me happy to know that I had just a hand helping them closer to that goal. It is days like that that makes me happy I served a mission.
• Like we've said before, obedience is the first law of heaven. We cannot pretend to be Disciples of Christ if we are unwilling to obey his law. And then we cannot qualify for the blessing of the Spirit as strongly as we should, especially when we teach people that THEY need to obey God's laws. If we cannot accept and comply with these laws, which we already agreed to obey, we will not be able to magnify our calling.
• What I liked about D&C 41:5 are that it equates discipleship to obedience. When we hear the Lord's voice through the Spirit we need to do it to be considered his disciple. It further describes the price that must be paid to be considered the Lord's disciple. I also liked your thought of the week. My obedience needs to free me not bind me.
• One day we decided to go about doing well and shoveling people’s driveways. So we started on the Kuhn’s block and shoveled away. An Indian lady came home and thanked us for doing it. We had a chat about India and about you and Dad... She thanked us again and went inside. About 5 minutes later she came back and asked us to stop. A lady came home and thanked me so much. I talked to her about the church and she mentioned she was less active and thanked me again before going inside. Soon after her husband came home and I think that he must have had a phone call from his wife who told him what we were doing. He thanked us as well and we had a chat about his hobbies and a bit about Canada and I asked him if he knew who we were as missionaries... he replied that his last name was Sunderland and that he was a member but hadn't gone for a while. I said we would love to talk to them about getting back to church to receive those blessings that our Father in Heaven has in store for us all. He asked for my number and said he would call. After we finished we went to return the shovels we borrowed from the Kuhn’s and I felt that we should return with a Book of Mormon. We went back to the house and we returned with a Book of Mormon. We rang his doorbell and told him that we finished. We were about to offer him a Book of Mormon when he invited us. We began talking and the subject came to religion. He told us of his concerns coming back to church. I told him that my life was a one point very similar and although I had grown up into the church, that my true conversion and gaining of sincere testimony came only two years ago. I shared with him how the gospel changed my life and he and his wife invited us back next week to talk to them and we invited them to come to church and read the Book of Mormon and Pray. It also turns out that they have a son who is 10 and was never baptized. It never showed up on our records because they had been less active when they moved here. Later in the week the Kuhn’s were having friends over to watch a UFC fight on TV. Brother Sunderland had mentioned how he loves watching UFC and is really into it. I asked the Kuhn’s who live two doors down to invite them so that they could start getting to know them and fellowship them. The Kuhn’s agreed and invited them over. Sure enough everybody hit it off and they have become great friends.
• Me and my companion have fasted and we pray all the time to find people, I have been studying chapter 9 like it’s the only chapter in PMG, I am always looking for things to sacrifice, and in which I have sacrificed something I never thought I would have and I sacrificed talking to someone back home that I care about and the amazing thing is I feel so happy right now! I have no idea why! But I guess I am happy because I know I am doing all the right things!
• This week was yet another great week. Not only did we have a baptism but it was Christmas day. It was great the young man that got baptized is named Rene and his family was all baptized about two years ago. That had been waiting for that long for their son to make the same decision. Rene would attend church weekly with his family and most people thought he was already a member. Despite that little misunderstanding there was a lot of support from the ward. The best part of the whole thing for me was after his dad performed that the baptism they took a minute and hugged one another in the font. That right there to me is a sign that this family is now just one step closer to living together forever, and it makes me happy to know that I had just a hand helping them closer to that goal. It is days like that that makes me happy I served a mission.
• Like we've said before, obedience is the first law of heaven. We cannot pretend to be Disciples of Christ if we are unwilling to obey his law. And then we cannot qualify for the blessing of the Spirit as strongly as we should, especially when we teach people that THEY need to obey God's laws. If we cannot accept and comply with these laws, which we already agreed to obey, we will not be able to magnify our calling.
• What I liked about D&C 41:5 are that it equates discipleship to obedience. When we hear the Lord's voice through the Spirit we need to do it to be considered his disciple. It further describes the price that must be paid to be considered the Lord's disciple. I also liked your thought of the week. My obedience needs to free me not bind me.
• One day we decided to go about doing well and shoveling people’s driveways. So we started on the Kuhn’s block and shoveled away. An Indian lady came home and thanked us for doing it. We had a chat about India and about you and Dad... She thanked us again and went inside. About 5 minutes later she came back and asked us to stop. A lady came home and thanked me so much. I talked to her about the church and she mentioned she was less active and thanked me again before going inside. Soon after her husband came home and I think that he must have had a phone call from his wife who told him what we were doing. He thanked us as well and we had a chat about his hobbies and a bit about Canada and I asked him if he knew who we were as missionaries... he replied that his last name was Sunderland and that he was a member but hadn't gone for a while. I said we would love to talk to them about getting back to church to receive those blessings that our Father in Heaven has in store for us all. He asked for my number and said he would call. After we finished we went to return the shovels we borrowed from the Kuhn’s and I felt that we should return with a Book of Mormon. We went back to the house and we returned with a Book of Mormon. We rang his doorbell and told him that we finished. We were about to offer him a Book of Mormon when he invited us. We began talking and the subject came to religion. He told us of his concerns coming back to church. I told him that my life was a one point very similar and although I had grown up into the church, that my true conversion and gaining of sincere testimony came only two years ago. I shared with him how the gospel changed my life and he and his wife invited us back next week to talk to them and we invited them to come to church and read the Book of Mormon and Pray. It also turns out that they have a son who is 10 and was never baptized. It never showed up on our records because they had been less active when they moved here. Later in the week the Kuhn’s were having friends over to watch a UFC fight on TV. Brother Sunderland had mentioned how he loves watching UFC and is really into it. I asked the Kuhn’s who live two doors down to invite them so that they could start getting to know them and fellowship them. The Kuhn’s agreed and invited them over. Sure enough everybody hit it off and they have become great friends.
Monday, January 4, 2010
• All we need to do is be obedient, work hard, and sacrifice, and the Lord will make up the difference.
• So after having only 2 people to teach the lord blessed us with some more people and now we have 6 people getting baptized on the 24th and one in January.
I have such a strong testimony of diligence. Even when it seems that you have knocked every door and talked to everyone, the lord wants to test you to see how you work and then He will bless you with the people He has prepared to hear the gospel.
• I have been obedient president and have noticed an increase in my faith; and it shows in the work and in my spirituality. We just FORGET sometimes, but I am grateful for the reminders we get from others. We should all be constantly reminding each other of our main goal which is eternal.
• Hey, we're getting a lot closer to meeting or exceeding all of our goals! We're going to be doing it very soon; it won't take long until this area is one of the most successful in the mission. We have the people, we have the members and ward, and now we have the missionaries. Now we just need to do our part.
• D&C 6:20 to me means that if we keep the commandments of God, (including mission rules) are faithful in that the Lord has work for us in our areas and are diligent everyday in trying to find new investigators, the Lord will bless us with investigators and will make us feel love and happiness.
• D&C 6:20 I love the promise that the Lord gives to Oliver and to all of us that as we faithfully and diligently keep the commandments the Lord will love us. This is one of the greatest desires of my heart. I want to feel his love I want the Lord to be pleased with my life and with the person I am. I will strive to be more faithful and diligent so that I can feel His love more abundantly.
• Doctrine & Covenants 6:20 means that we should follow the answers to our prayers and the promptings we receive, and if we do so and follow the commandments of God we will receive help in all that we do and will be able to feel His love for us and bring that feeling to others.
• The scripture of the week, D&C6:20. When you are diligent and faithful in keeping the commandments, you not only get blessings, but are filled with God's love. Mosiah 4:11-12 talks about this also. It talks about keeping the commandments among other things and you will always be filled with the love of God and always retain a remission of your sins. So what do we learn from this? We learn that if we don't keep the commandments, we are only cheating ourselves out of the full blessings of the gospel. So, be diligent in keeping the commandments. The rewards are more than any of us can comprehend.
• 20 Behold, thou art Oliver, and I have spoken unto thee because of thy desires; therefore treasure up these words in thy heart. Be faithful and diligent in keeping the commandments of God, and I will encircle thee in the arms of my love. I guess everything falls in being more obedient. I know that we should be more obedient, and there is always a way to be more obedient, I guess we are good at it but we need to be perfect on it to receive the ultimate blessing.
• D&C 6:20- Be faithful and do what the Lord wants you to do and the Lord will continually bless you.
• I love this time of year that we get to think of all the things the savior has done for us. Christ has been a huge role in my life. Just this week I was thinking of a scripture. The Scripture is Alma 37:7 which in summary says that by small and simple means are great things brought to pass. The reason why this scripture came up was because I got thinking of all the small things that have impacted my life greatly. One huge thing that has and will forever was my decision to serve a mission. I am so grateful for my family and for them serving to set that example for me. Other great things that have influenced me are my companions, friends, amazing friends and the list goes on and on.
• I think that the scripture means that as long we are faithful and diligent meaning finding joy where there is none, the Lord will have us in his arms of love, I especially like where it says "thou art Oliver", it teaches me that the Lord is caring about each one of us personally, He knows us by name, He knows that we can do it. It was amazing receive good news as Christmas present one of the families that I went back to, to visit, they told me that they are getting sealed on January 9th. and it was so amazing to see this miracles, and it brought me back to the beginning of my mission when I told you, that instead of having a goal of baptisms I wanted a goal for sealings, because I really know that is what is all about seal families and this is getting me closer to that goal because it helped focus more on families.
• We had a great and a slow week. Great because I had a family gets sealed in the temple and we had a baptism. Slow because we didn't teaching very much. Our teaching pool is very low and so we are working with the bishops to find more people. I am doing great. I loved Christmas. I love this work. Thanks for everything!
• This is a great week and I’m happy we will have a baptism tomorrow the recent converts are sharing the gospel with friends. My study this week helps me to be more diligent and understand more how to pray with my heart. No concerns.
• I have been doing the 7 page a day challenge for the Book of Mormon and it’s really amazing how many different attributes and names refer to Jesus Christ. I really enjoy reading that every day.
• Something that I learn this week is that Obedience to the authorities of the church is important because if we refuse to obey them we are refusing to obey God. I never thought them that way before, but I can see that God really show us our weaknesses.
• I want to thank you for the BOM challenge. While I am behind a little, I am still learning a lot. I think the biggest impact it has had on me is what happens when I really truly eliminate all the distractions, invite the spirit to be with me, and sit down and actively and seriously read the BOM. I have found, more so than really ever before in my life, that the BOM comes alive. It’s like I really can see and feel what is happening in the scriptures. Like Nephi says in 2 Nephi 26, I have felt the power that the Lord gives to the book of Mormon to really have the effect of "whispering out of the dust" and into my ear. I feel the enlightening that Alma talks about in Alma 32:28.
We told a dinner appt about the challenge we had been given, and he asked us why? Why would you ask us to do this? We said maybe you just want us to know the BOM inside and out. He said he thought it was more than that. He told us that he had worked with mission Presidents before, and he had gone to seminars and stuff. He said at one he learned that the minority of people baptize the majority of converts. He said they have found that there are two things that separate the minority missionaries from the majority missionaries. key #1) becoming more like Christ key#2)learning certain skills, one of the most important of which is how to follow up. So any who he suggested that maybe you are doing this so that we can become more Christ like missionaries. That got me thinking about how I have heard from you that you are here to save us and as we are saved the saving others part will come. Also, I have heard Elder Holland has said that the most important convert on our mission is our self. I have thought about that a lot and want to convert myself more fully and become a more Christ like missionary. So that was my "why we are doing the BOM challenge" epiphany.
• Also we had 2 Japanese investigators this month. They are getting baptized next month!!!!! One is from Saitama exchange student from Japan. Her name is Hazumi and she is getting baptized this Sunday. We only visited her 3 times and she decided to get baptized. We are so excited for her. Her parents are interested too so we are going to send missionaries in Japan for her parents too. When she met me she cried because she didn’t have any Japanese friends in Utah and she was really homesick. When we taught her atonement, she cried again because she knew that was something she needed to hear. I am so grateful to meet her and teach the gospel.
Also another Japanese lady Yumiko is getting baptized on 17th of January. Her husband is less active but since we came to teach Yumiko, they both decided to go to church. He never had testimony but it was right time for him to really think about it again. So they are both excited for the baptism and learn the gospel as a family. So yea Lord really knows who we suppose to meet and where to go. I am so amazed. I am amazed with investigators too. When we met her 3 weeks ago, she didn't believe in God at all. Now she believes in God and Jesus Christ. I truly know that Faith is everything. If you have a tiny seed of faith, it will grow like crazy. It becomes something BIG. I am so happy to serve mission.
• This week we went to one of our investigator homes and when she opened the door her eyes became moist and she told us that we always seem to come at the perfect time. She asked for a blessing of comfort. So we gave her one. Her husband had got really sick and she was about to take him to the hospital when we came over. We offered a blessing to him but he rejected it. Later the next day they called bishop and he asked for a priesthood blessing. The spirit was strong while we were at her house. It was a very special moment.
We also had a baptism on Christmas. It went great. There was still a good turnout despite the holiday.
The rest of the week was rough but we still were successful. We are still pushing toward 21 lessons a week and know that we can through our faith.
• So after having only 2 people to teach the lord blessed us with some more people and now we have 6 people getting baptized on the 24th and one in January.
I have such a strong testimony of diligence. Even when it seems that you have knocked every door and talked to everyone, the lord wants to test you to see how you work and then He will bless you with the people He has prepared to hear the gospel.
• I have been obedient president and have noticed an increase in my faith; and it shows in the work and in my spirituality. We just FORGET sometimes, but I am grateful for the reminders we get from others. We should all be constantly reminding each other of our main goal which is eternal.
• Hey, we're getting a lot closer to meeting or exceeding all of our goals! We're going to be doing it very soon; it won't take long until this area is one of the most successful in the mission. We have the people, we have the members and ward, and now we have the missionaries. Now we just need to do our part.
• D&C 6:20 to me means that if we keep the commandments of God, (including mission rules) are faithful in that the Lord has work for us in our areas and are diligent everyday in trying to find new investigators, the Lord will bless us with investigators and will make us feel love and happiness.
• D&C 6:20 I love the promise that the Lord gives to Oliver and to all of us that as we faithfully and diligently keep the commandments the Lord will love us. This is one of the greatest desires of my heart. I want to feel his love I want the Lord to be pleased with my life and with the person I am. I will strive to be more faithful and diligent so that I can feel His love more abundantly.
• Doctrine & Covenants 6:20 means that we should follow the answers to our prayers and the promptings we receive, and if we do so and follow the commandments of God we will receive help in all that we do and will be able to feel His love for us and bring that feeling to others.
• The scripture of the week, D&C6:20. When you are diligent and faithful in keeping the commandments, you not only get blessings, but are filled with God's love. Mosiah 4:11-12 talks about this also. It talks about keeping the commandments among other things and you will always be filled with the love of God and always retain a remission of your sins. So what do we learn from this? We learn that if we don't keep the commandments, we are only cheating ourselves out of the full blessings of the gospel. So, be diligent in keeping the commandments. The rewards are more than any of us can comprehend.
• 20 Behold, thou art Oliver, and I have spoken unto thee because of thy desires; therefore treasure up these words in thy heart. Be faithful and diligent in keeping the commandments of God, and I will encircle thee in the arms of my love. I guess everything falls in being more obedient. I know that we should be more obedient, and there is always a way to be more obedient, I guess we are good at it but we need to be perfect on it to receive the ultimate blessing.
• D&C 6:20- Be faithful and do what the Lord wants you to do and the Lord will continually bless you.
• I love this time of year that we get to think of all the things the savior has done for us. Christ has been a huge role in my life. Just this week I was thinking of a scripture. The Scripture is Alma 37:7 which in summary says that by small and simple means are great things brought to pass. The reason why this scripture came up was because I got thinking of all the small things that have impacted my life greatly. One huge thing that has and will forever was my decision to serve a mission. I am so grateful for my family and for them serving to set that example for me. Other great things that have influenced me are my companions, friends, amazing friends and the list goes on and on.
• I think that the scripture means that as long we are faithful and diligent meaning finding joy where there is none, the Lord will have us in his arms of love, I especially like where it says "thou art Oliver", it teaches me that the Lord is caring about each one of us personally, He knows us by name, He knows that we can do it. It was amazing receive good news as Christmas present one of the families that I went back to, to visit, they told me that they are getting sealed on January 9th. and it was so amazing to see this miracles, and it brought me back to the beginning of my mission when I told you, that instead of having a goal of baptisms I wanted a goal for sealings, because I really know that is what is all about seal families and this is getting me closer to that goal because it helped focus more on families.
• We had a great and a slow week. Great because I had a family gets sealed in the temple and we had a baptism. Slow because we didn't teaching very much. Our teaching pool is very low and so we are working with the bishops to find more people. I am doing great. I loved Christmas. I love this work. Thanks for everything!
• This is a great week and I’m happy we will have a baptism tomorrow the recent converts are sharing the gospel with friends. My study this week helps me to be more diligent and understand more how to pray with my heart. No concerns.
• I have been doing the 7 page a day challenge for the Book of Mormon and it’s really amazing how many different attributes and names refer to Jesus Christ. I really enjoy reading that every day.
• Something that I learn this week is that Obedience to the authorities of the church is important because if we refuse to obey them we are refusing to obey God. I never thought them that way before, but I can see that God really show us our weaknesses.
• I want to thank you for the BOM challenge. While I am behind a little, I am still learning a lot. I think the biggest impact it has had on me is what happens when I really truly eliminate all the distractions, invite the spirit to be with me, and sit down and actively and seriously read the BOM. I have found, more so than really ever before in my life, that the BOM comes alive. It’s like I really can see and feel what is happening in the scriptures. Like Nephi says in 2 Nephi 26, I have felt the power that the Lord gives to the book of Mormon to really have the effect of "whispering out of the dust" and into my ear. I feel the enlightening that Alma talks about in Alma 32:28.
We told a dinner appt about the challenge we had been given, and he asked us why? Why would you ask us to do this? We said maybe you just want us to know the BOM inside and out. He said he thought it was more than that. He told us that he had worked with mission Presidents before, and he had gone to seminars and stuff. He said at one he learned that the minority of people baptize the majority of converts. He said they have found that there are two things that separate the minority missionaries from the majority missionaries. key #1) becoming more like Christ key#2)learning certain skills, one of the most important of which is how to follow up. So any who he suggested that maybe you are doing this so that we can become more Christ like missionaries. That got me thinking about how I have heard from you that you are here to save us and as we are saved the saving others part will come. Also, I have heard Elder Holland has said that the most important convert on our mission is our self. I have thought about that a lot and want to convert myself more fully and become a more Christ like missionary. So that was my "why we are doing the BOM challenge" epiphany.
• Also we had 2 Japanese investigators this month. They are getting baptized next month!!!!! One is from Saitama exchange student from Japan. Her name is Hazumi and she is getting baptized this Sunday. We only visited her 3 times and she decided to get baptized. We are so excited for her. Her parents are interested too so we are going to send missionaries in Japan for her parents too. When she met me she cried because she didn’t have any Japanese friends in Utah and she was really homesick. When we taught her atonement, she cried again because she knew that was something she needed to hear. I am so grateful to meet her and teach the gospel.
Also another Japanese lady Yumiko is getting baptized on 17th of January. Her husband is less active but since we came to teach Yumiko, they both decided to go to church. He never had testimony but it was right time for him to really think about it again. So they are both excited for the baptism and learn the gospel as a family. So yea Lord really knows who we suppose to meet and where to go. I am so amazed. I am amazed with investigators too. When we met her 3 weeks ago, she didn't believe in God at all. Now she believes in God and Jesus Christ. I truly know that Faith is everything. If you have a tiny seed of faith, it will grow like crazy. It becomes something BIG. I am so happy to serve mission.
• This week we went to one of our investigator homes and when she opened the door her eyes became moist and she told us that we always seem to come at the perfect time. She asked for a blessing of comfort. So we gave her one. Her husband had got really sick and she was about to take him to the hospital when we came over. We offered a blessing to him but he rejected it. Later the next day they called bishop and he asked for a priesthood blessing. The spirit was strong while we were at her house. It was a very special moment.
We also had a baptism on Christmas. It went great. There was still a good turnout despite the holiday.
The rest of the week was rough but we still were successful. We are still pushing toward 21 lessons a week and know that we can through our faith.
Monday, December 28, 2009
• All we need to do is be obedient, work hard, and sacrifice, and the Lord will make up the difference.
• We had a huge break through last week during our weekly planning session. We realized that all of our success in this area has come from having the members make the invitations. Nearly all of the invitations we've made have been declined. So many members in this area have friends whom are coming to church and other activities. It's simply a matter of determining who their best member friends are and asking them to invite them.
• I love Christmas. Everyone loves each other at Christmas. And we had a Christmas miracle this week. A few months ago we had a baptism for a 14-year-old boy who moved in with his active member cousins. His grandma also moved in. She is not a member of the Church and we were teaching her as well, but she was just not progressing. I don't know what happened over the past couple months - maybe it's the Christmas spirit - but now she wants to get baptized! We went to visit their family on Saturday, not really expecting anything, and Grandma Bolton's son asked her, "So, do you want to get baptized now, or are we going to have to wait until after you croak?" She decided that she wanted to get baptized now. She started telling us about all of the experiences she has had since living with this family, and she knows the Church is true. She just has health problems and has a hard time making it to sacrament meeting. But she'll get there.
• We have an investigator that we started working with and we had given him at least 3 baptismal goals and he never made any of them. My current companion continued to give him dates but to no avail. I was prompted one night as I was praying and asking what I should do. The spirit prompted me that I should give him full reign over the baptismal date and have him give his own date. Never in my wildest dreams would I do such a thing because from what I think, such an idea would be an eternal mistake. Needless to say, it was and is such a blessing because I did so and he confronted us on Sunday and told us he wanted to be baptized on the 24th of December
• I guess the Scripture of the week Hebrews 5:8-9 is actually related to my letter subject. I’ve heard and I’ve seen sadly the doctrine that some missionaries are preaching with their example, it is sad to know that some missionaries have in their minds that even with disobedience they can baptize, and I am sure that disobedient missionaries can baptize, some probably they can baptize more than some obedient missionaries, but I think about the process and about the final destination of us and the people we teach, then I know that it’s not about the numbers, it’s not about people under water, is people actually changing their lives, it’s actually leading them to eternal life through obedience to the commandments of God, so I just think what are some missionaries preaching?
• In the last zone conference the missionaries asked me if it was true that I was baptizing 8 people this month. I don't know how they got that out, but I hope that they can tell that they can baptize weekly, just like you told us. It is possible, I know it, and honestly I hope they have this same attitude and say “If he can do it, we can do it'”.
• Everything is going great right now we are schedule to have a baptism on the 19th so that is really good and we are schedule to have two more on the 26th so even though we weren’t able to teach a lot we are going to have a good week with a baptism coming up and next week we are going to pick up a couple new investigators for us.
• It seems like we are making great progress with our eternal investigator and his family. I mentioned before that we had challenged them to read the Book of Mormon and pray as a family. They have been doing great with the challenge! I am still so glad that I followed through on the prompting to give them that challenge. Also, Sunday morning we went to their ward's ward council and told them about the progress we had made with the family. The bishop decided that he is going to meet with the investigator and invite him to be baptized. Because of what the bishop had said, we weren't going to talk about baptism when we went to their house that afternoon, but he brought it up himself! He said that he and his wife were talking about baptism. Sister Callahan then challenged him to pray about Dec 25 as a baptismal date, and he said that he would! We could hardly believe it! It now seems very possible that he could be baptized this month after investigating the church for 15 years. I guess we'll see what happens. His baptism would be the Christmas miracle that we have been praying for.
• Hebrews 5:8-9 Because of what Jesus went through he learned obedience. He obeyed the father and now we can enjoy of eternal life if we obey him.
• I'm new but what I've learned so far about a mission with so many members is basically resolving investigators concerns and sharing the spirit with everyone. Once their concerns are out of the way and they've felt the spirit, they usually have a strong desire to be baptized. That comes from working diligently and being obedient to gain that spirit that touches others I guess. Less active members do like to go to church most of the time because they feel like people are judging and staring. My companion and I usually just explain that the members are people with problems too and usually the spirit touches them and they know they should go back and they usually say they will. I'm starting to sense that as I’m diligent and obedient, I know what to study and what to say at the right time. I guess if I’m worthy of the lords spirit, the work can be done. It’s amazing to see how I’m not really doing anything! It’s all the lord, I can bear my testimony and stuff but it’s that spirit that makes the tears start to flow.
• The spirit of Christ is here in the mission during this Christmas Season and it truly brings many blessings and miracles, especially in missionary work.
• On Tuesday, we met a new investigator, Paris Thomas. She was a little hesitant at accepting a baptismal date for January 23, but her friends helped resolve her concerns. Her main concern was that her family would be opposed to becoming a member. But, yesterday we found out that she got up the courage to talk to her sister, who said she would love her just the same. Also, her grandmother is an active member and is very excited for her.
• Something I have been reflecting on is making you a tool in the Lords hands and how we most effectively do that. And I think it boils down to one thing learning to recognize and follow the Spirit. We can have all the skills in the world but if we use our own judgment then we will be wrong. But the Lord will always guide in the right way and make up for our lack of ability.
• Gerry Li was baptized on Sat. , it was a nice service, and 23 families from the ward were in attendance have been sharing a Christmas message with our investigators, and it has been a great opportunity to strengthen their faith in the Savior.
• Right now we are just going through the area book and following up with EVERYONE to see where they are at. We are also doing a lot of tracting to get familiar with the area and to get to know neighborhoods. I seriously LOVE tracting. It is just so humorous. I honestly crave the crazy, weird reactions that we get. I love introducing ourselves and asking if we can serve them in anyway. Everyone loves the little business cards we leave that have our numbers on them.
• My companion has been focusing on being more grateful in our prayers and more specific also. This has changed my attitude about missionary work and it has given me an opportunity to show love to those around me since I am so thankful for everyone around me.
• When the assistants announced that I would be whitewash training, I was scared to death and felt completely inadequate. A million times a day I still feel like that, but I know that I wouldn't have been asked to do this if the Lord didn't already know that I could do it. And it also helps to know that really, it's not my work. It's the Lord's work.
• My studies this week in all honesty, were less than I had hoped for. I think I just got stuck in a rut of reading the Book of Mormon solely for the assignment and not for the investigators. However, the last two days I have been keeping with the seven to eight pages a day, but I have looked for specific answers to questions that investigators have, within those seven to eight pages. And I have found answers. I love the Book of Mormon. If you read it with the right frame of mind, you will find whatever you need. The Lord blessed us in so many different ways through that book.
• With the zone we will be focusing on faith and keeping the line in the water (the basics: work and faith. We are focusing on every companionship teaching at least 10 lessons with members a week, and finding 3 every week. It is more than possible we just need to believe it and pray and work for it. I know we will see great miracles this transfer and we will accomplish our goals to not only teach and find, but be consistent at it as well.
• And we have a great district leader. He covers the same territory but in English. He gives us so many referrals.
• We're getting there President Laney. We're working harder and I can feel the greater portion of God's Spirit because of increased diligence. Diligence and obedience I think are close to, if not right on, the most important Eternal Principles.
• We found!!!! It was amazing! We just came to the realization that ALL of the work that we've had in this area is directly from members. Meaning we have not been able to get into any non-member doors unless a member has done the inviting. Even what seem like golden referrals from members aren't so good unless they introduce us. So we're going to figure out how to make things more successful with our new efforts.
• To answer the question we got last week about the kingdoms of glory (sorry that I forgot). As far as I understand so can you not get to a higher kingdom once you already have had your final judgment. However, there are certain levels in every kingdom where you can "get higher up" but not to another kingdom. Those who are in the higher kingdoms can visit the lower kingdoms but not the opposite.
If you are sealed in the temple but your kids or other family members don't live up to the standards nor commandments results in that they will deny that blessings of eternal families. You have to live up to celestial laws if you want to come to the celestial kingdom. If you're not living up to the temple covenants then you can’t follow your family but they can visit you. That's my understanding at least.
• •Doctrinal Question from a weekly letter
• Our zone also has a doctrinal question with which there are many controversies. Is there progression between kingdoms? For example, can someone in the telestial kingdom progress into the celestial kingdom. Also, what about people who were sealed to their parents yet don't hold up their covenants? How can families be together in the celestial kingdom if the kids don't do what they should? (Respond in your weekly letter!)
• Answer:
• Joseph Smith taught that “The eternal sealing’s of faithful parents and the divine promises made to them for valiant service in the Cause of Truth, would save not only themselves, but likewise their posterity. Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold. Either in this life or the life to come, they will return. They will have to pay their debt to justice; they will suffer for their sins; and may tread a thorny path; but if it leads them at last, like the penitent Prodigal, to a loving and forgiving father’s heart and home, the painful experience will not have been in vain. Pray for your careless and disobedient children; hold on to them with your faith. Hope on; trust on, till you see the salvation of God. Who are these straying sheep—these wayward sons and daughters? They are children of the covenant; heirs to the promise…Could all of that go for naught?” (Quoted by Orson F. Whitney, Conference Report, Apr.1929, 110).
• Brigham Young said, “Let the father and mother, who are members of this Church and Kingdom, take a righteous course, and strive with all their might never to do a wrong, but to do good all their lives; if they have one child or one hundred children, if they conduct themselves towards them as they should, binding them to the Lord by their faith and prayers, I care not where those children go, they are bound up to their parents by an everlasting tie, and no power of earth or hell can separate them from their parents in eternity; they will return again to the fountain from whence they sprang” (quoted by Joseph Fielding Smith in Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, vol.2, p.90-91).
• Lorenzo Snow taught that “If you succeed in passing through these trials and afflictions and receive a resurrection, you will, by the power of the Priesthood, work and labor, as the Son of God has, until you get all your sons and daughters in the path of exaltation and glory. This is just as sure as that the sun rose this morning over yonder mountains. Therefore, mourn not because all your sons and daughters do not follow in the path that you have marked out to them, or give heed to your counsels. Inasmuch as we succeed in securing eternal glory, and stand as saviors, as kings and priests to our God, we will save our posterity” (in Collected Discourses, comp. Brian H. Study, [1987-92], vol.3, and p.364).
• Elder Boyd K. Packer said that “The measure of our success as parents…will not rest solely on how our children turn out. That judgment would be just only if we could raise our families in a perfectly moral environment, and that now is not possible. It is not uncommon for responsible parents to lose one of their children for a time, to influences over which they have no control. They agonize over rebellious sons or daughters. They are puzzled over why they are so helpless when they have tried so hard to do what they should…We cannot overemphasize the value of temple marriage, the binding ties of the sealing ordinance, and the standards of worthiness required of them. When parents keep the covenants they have made at the altar of the temple, their children will be forever bound to them” (“Our Moral Environment,” Ensign, May 1992, 68).
• Submitted by Elder and Sister Richardson of the Taylorsville Zone
• So after having only 2 people to teach the lord blessed us with some more people and now we have 6 people getting baptized on the 24th and one in January. I have such a strong testimony of diligence. Even when it seems that you have knocked every door and talked to everyone, the lord wants to test you to see how you work and then He will bless you with the people He has prepared to hear the gospel.
• We had a huge break through last week during our weekly planning session. We realized that all of our success in this area has come from having the members make the invitations. Nearly all of the invitations we've made have been declined. So many members in this area have friends whom are coming to church and other activities. It's simply a matter of determining who their best member friends are and asking them to invite them.
• I love Christmas. Everyone loves each other at Christmas. And we had a Christmas miracle this week. A few months ago we had a baptism for a 14-year-old boy who moved in with his active member cousins. His grandma also moved in. She is not a member of the Church and we were teaching her as well, but she was just not progressing. I don't know what happened over the past couple months - maybe it's the Christmas spirit - but now she wants to get baptized! We went to visit their family on Saturday, not really expecting anything, and Grandma Bolton's son asked her, "So, do you want to get baptized now, or are we going to have to wait until after you croak?" She decided that she wanted to get baptized now. She started telling us about all of the experiences she has had since living with this family, and she knows the Church is true. She just has health problems and has a hard time making it to sacrament meeting. But she'll get there.
• We have an investigator that we started working with and we had given him at least 3 baptismal goals and he never made any of them. My current companion continued to give him dates but to no avail. I was prompted one night as I was praying and asking what I should do. The spirit prompted me that I should give him full reign over the baptismal date and have him give his own date. Never in my wildest dreams would I do such a thing because from what I think, such an idea would be an eternal mistake. Needless to say, it was and is such a blessing because I did so and he confronted us on Sunday and told us he wanted to be baptized on the 24th of December
• I guess the Scripture of the week Hebrews 5:8-9 is actually related to my letter subject. I’ve heard and I’ve seen sadly the doctrine that some missionaries are preaching with their example, it is sad to know that some missionaries have in their minds that even with disobedience they can baptize, and I am sure that disobedient missionaries can baptize, some probably they can baptize more than some obedient missionaries, but I think about the process and about the final destination of us and the people we teach, then I know that it’s not about the numbers, it’s not about people under water, is people actually changing their lives, it’s actually leading them to eternal life through obedience to the commandments of God, so I just think what are some missionaries preaching?
• In the last zone conference the missionaries asked me if it was true that I was baptizing 8 people this month. I don't know how they got that out, but I hope that they can tell that they can baptize weekly, just like you told us. It is possible, I know it, and honestly I hope they have this same attitude and say “If he can do it, we can do it'”.
• Everything is going great right now we are schedule to have a baptism on the 19th so that is really good and we are schedule to have two more on the 26th so even though we weren’t able to teach a lot we are going to have a good week with a baptism coming up and next week we are going to pick up a couple new investigators for us.
• It seems like we are making great progress with our eternal investigator and his family. I mentioned before that we had challenged them to read the Book of Mormon and pray as a family. They have been doing great with the challenge! I am still so glad that I followed through on the prompting to give them that challenge. Also, Sunday morning we went to their ward's ward council and told them about the progress we had made with the family. The bishop decided that he is going to meet with the investigator and invite him to be baptized. Because of what the bishop had said, we weren't going to talk about baptism when we went to their house that afternoon, but he brought it up himself! He said that he and his wife were talking about baptism. Sister Callahan then challenged him to pray about Dec 25 as a baptismal date, and he said that he would! We could hardly believe it! It now seems very possible that he could be baptized this month after investigating the church for 15 years. I guess we'll see what happens. His baptism would be the Christmas miracle that we have been praying for.
• Hebrews 5:8-9 Because of what Jesus went through he learned obedience. He obeyed the father and now we can enjoy of eternal life if we obey him.
• I'm new but what I've learned so far about a mission with so many members is basically resolving investigators concerns and sharing the spirit with everyone. Once their concerns are out of the way and they've felt the spirit, they usually have a strong desire to be baptized. That comes from working diligently and being obedient to gain that spirit that touches others I guess. Less active members do like to go to church most of the time because they feel like people are judging and staring. My companion and I usually just explain that the members are people with problems too and usually the spirit touches them and they know they should go back and they usually say they will. I'm starting to sense that as I’m diligent and obedient, I know what to study and what to say at the right time. I guess if I’m worthy of the lords spirit, the work can be done. It’s amazing to see how I’m not really doing anything! It’s all the lord, I can bear my testimony and stuff but it’s that spirit that makes the tears start to flow.
• The spirit of Christ is here in the mission during this Christmas Season and it truly brings many blessings and miracles, especially in missionary work.
• On Tuesday, we met a new investigator, Paris Thomas. She was a little hesitant at accepting a baptismal date for January 23, but her friends helped resolve her concerns. Her main concern was that her family would be opposed to becoming a member. But, yesterday we found out that she got up the courage to talk to her sister, who said she would love her just the same. Also, her grandmother is an active member and is very excited for her.
• Something I have been reflecting on is making you a tool in the Lords hands and how we most effectively do that. And I think it boils down to one thing learning to recognize and follow the Spirit. We can have all the skills in the world but if we use our own judgment then we will be wrong. But the Lord will always guide in the right way and make up for our lack of ability.
• Gerry Li was baptized on Sat. , it was a nice service, and 23 families from the ward were in attendance have been sharing a Christmas message with our investigators, and it has been a great opportunity to strengthen their faith in the Savior.
• Right now we are just going through the area book and following up with EVERYONE to see where they are at. We are also doing a lot of tracting to get familiar with the area and to get to know neighborhoods. I seriously LOVE tracting. It is just so humorous. I honestly crave the crazy, weird reactions that we get. I love introducing ourselves and asking if we can serve them in anyway. Everyone loves the little business cards we leave that have our numbers on them.
• My companion has been focusing on being more grateful in our prayers and more specific also. This has changed my attitude about missionary work and it has given me an opportunity to show love to those around me since I am so thankful for everyone around me.
• When the assistants announced that I would be whitewash training, I was scared to death and felt completely inadequate. A million times a day I still feel like that, but I know that I wouldn't have been asked to do this if the Lord didn't already know that I could do it. And it also helps to know that really, it's not my work. It's the Lord's work.
• My studies this week in all honesty, were less than I had hoped for. I think I just got stuck in a rut of reading the Book of Mormon solely for the assignment and not for the investigators. However, the last two days I have been keeping with the seven to eight pages a day, but I have looked for specific answers to questions that investigators have, within those seven to eight pages. And I have found answers. I love the Book of Mormon. If you read it with the right frame of mind, you will find whatever you need. The Lord blessed us in so many different ways through that book.
• With the zone we will be focusing on faith and keeping the line in the water (the basics: work and faith. We are focusing on every companionship teaching at least 10 lessons with members a week, and finding 3 every week. It is more than possible we just need to believe it and pray and work for it. I know we will see great miracles this transfer and we will accomplish our goals to not only teach and find, but be consistent at it as well.
• And we have a great district leader. He covers the same territory but in English. He gives us so many referrals.
• We're getting there President Laney. We're working harder and I can feel the greater portion of God's Spirit because of increased diligence. Diligence and obedience I think are close to, if not right on, the most important Eternal Principles.
• We found!!!! It was amazing! We just came to the realization that ALL of the work that we've had in this area is directly from members. Meaning we have not been able to get into any non-member doors unless a member has done the inviting. Even what seem like golden referrals from members aren't so good unless they introduce us. So we're going to figure out how to make things more successful with our new efforts.
• To answer the question we got last week about the kingdoms of glory (sorry that I forgot). As far as I understand so can you not get to a higher kingdom once you already have had your final judgment. However, there are certain levels in every kingdom where you can "get higher up" but not to another kingdom. Those who are in the higher kingdoms can visit the lower kingdoms but not the opposite.
If you are sealed in the temple but your kids or other family members don't live up to the standards nor commandments results in that they will deny that blessings of eternal families. You have to live up to celestial laws if you want to come to the celestial kingdom. If you're not living up to the temple covenants then you can’t follow your family but they can visit you. That's my understanding at least.
• •Doctrinal Question from a weekly letter
• Our zone also has a doctrinal question with which there are many controversies. Is there progression between kingdoms? For example, can someone in the telestial kingdom progress into the celestial kingdom. Also, what about people who were sealed to their parents yet don't hold up their covenants? How can families be together in the celestial kingdom if the kids don't do what they should? (Respond in your weekly letter!)
• Answer:
• Joseph Smith taught that “The eternal sealing’s of faithful parents and the divine promises made to them for valiant service in the Cause of Truth, would save not only themselves, but likewise their posterity. Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold. Either in this life or the life to come, they will return. They will have to pay their debt to justice; they will suffer for their sins; and may tread a thorny path; but if it leads them at last, like the penitent Prodigal, to a loving and forgiving father’s heart and home, the painful experience will not have been in vain. Pray for your careless and disobedient children; hold on to them with your faith. Hope on; trust on, till you see the salvation of God. Who are these straying sheep—these wayward sons and daughters? They are children of the covenant; heirs to the promise…Could all of that go for naught?” (Quoted by Orson F. Whitney, Conference Report, Apr.1929, 110).
• Brigham Young said, “Let the father and mother, who are members of this Church and Kingdom, take a righteous course, and strive with all their might never to do a wrong, but to do good all their lives; if they have one child or one hundred children, if they conduct themselves towards them as they should, binding them to the Lord by their faith and prayers, I care not where those children go, they are bound up to their parents by an everlasting tie, and no power of earth or hell can separate them from their parents in eternity; they will return again to the fountain from whence they sprang” (quoted by Joseph Fielding Smith in Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, vol.2, p.90-91).
• Lorenzo Snow taught that “If you succeed in passing through these trials and afflictions and receive a resurrection, you will, by the power of the Priesthood, work and labor, as the Son of God has, until you get all your sons and daughters in the path of exaltation and glory. This is just as sure as that the sun rose this morning over yonder mountains. Therefore, mourn not because all your sons and daughters do not follow in the path that you have marked out to them, or give heed to your counsels. Inasmuch as we succeed in securing eternal glory, and stand as saviors, as kings and priests to our God, we will save our posterity” (in Collected Discourses, comp. Brian H. Study, [1987-92], vol.3, and p.364).
• Elder Boyd K. Packer said that “The measure of our success as parents…will not rest solely on how our children turn out. That judgment would be just only if we could raise our families in a perfectly moral environment, and that now is not possible. It is not uncommon for responsible parents to lose one of their children for a time, to influences over which they have no control. They agonize over rebellious sons or daughters. They are puzzled over why they are so helpless when they have tried so hard to do what they should…We cannot overemphasize the value of temple marriage, the binding ties of the sealing ordinance, and the standards of worthiness required of them. When parents keep the covenants they have made at the altar of the temple, their children will be forever bound to them” (“Our Moral Environment,” Ensign, May 1992, 68).
• Submitted by Elder and Sister Richardson of the Taylorsville Zone
• So after having only 2 people to teach the lord blessed us with some more people and now we have 6 people getting baptized on the 24th and one in January. I have such a strong testimony of diligence. Even when it seems that you have knocked every door and talked to everyone, the lord wants to test you to see how you work and then He will bless you with the people He has prepared to hear the gospel.
Monday, December 14, 2009
• One thing I really wanted to mention was the Spirit I felt as listened to the Christmas Devotional. We didn't get to watch it last night, but we did today. I especially liked the end of President Monson's talk, where he quoted the final verse of O Little Town of Bethlehem, which says "No ear may hear his coming, but in this world of sin, where meek souls will receive him, still the dear Christ enters in."
I just think that really applies to what we do. Even though there are so many hard-hearted people out there, the meek and humble still will receive Christ into their lives.
• It is our goal to see the zone surpass 100 lessons. 10 per companionship. I have full faith this is possible as we pray and work for it. This is looking up to be a white Christmas and New Years.
• OBEDIENCE=MORE FAITH Helaman 10:4-5 I’m sure that's a PMG scripture but I just thought I wanted to share with you. It struck me this week. 4 Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments. 5 And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will.
• We had a good week. It seems like weeks worth of finding efforts finally came to fruition, as we found 8 new investigators. It was great. We also should have at least 3 this week. It is proof to me that to find consistently it is important to be working hard all the times and it will finally add up. We won’t stop though.
• However from the zone conference I learn how important to ask question, so that we will know there concerns not only that is the language that were using we should try to be careful when we teach of using "yea"instead of "yea"use "Yes"or the using of the word "COOL" and It is so important that we should using respectful language when we teach not only that I learn how to use the book of Mormon to answer every question, and it was so true and mostly all of our investigator love readying the book of Mormon and I know that it is so powerful when we use the Book Of Mormon.
• At Zone Conference I learned that obedience gives us more faith and it also prevents us from becoming sinful. Obedience is the first law of heaven.
• Mosiah 2:41 - This is an easy one to understand, difficult to put into practice sometimes. But if we choose to be obedient to the commandments we've been given, if we're 100% obedient, we will be happier. The more we can focus the happier we are. I know this to be absolutely true. I'm more focused than I was weeks ago and I am very much happier for it.
• Also as I've been reading the book of Mormon looking for Christ in it. It has really helped me grow closer to my savior. I have been able to apply the things I've learned in my teaching as well. I love it.
• So something I learned from zone conference was that I needed to testify more of the book of Mormon. I have begun doing that and everyday I have testified and I have seen miracles happen. We were teaching a young man who has recently come back into activity and we were reading D&C 5 and 17, asking the question "what does it mean to be a witness?" After reading the D&C 5 a salesman came in, and actually sat down with us and started to listen in. We didn’t know his situation at all but we thought we would just carry on, so we read section 17 and had he read it. When he read the saviors testimony on the book of Mormon, he stopped, and nodded his head. We testified of the book of Mormon in simplicity and I believe that the sprit was carried to that salesman because he said "I'm not a member of the church, but I'm opening minded". We asked if he wanted a book of Mormon, and he accepted without hesitation. It was amazing because he did not know the beginning of lesson 1, he came in at the last principle and yet it was good enough because the book of Mormon covers all the principles before it in lesson 1. We will be meeting with him this week. And this all happened because we bore pure testimony of the book of Mormon.
• We had a great week! It was amazing! We've been praying and striving to hit 30 lessons a week, and things weren't looking too good by Saturday night. We had 21 lessons by then. That's still amazing, but we promised to hit 30. On Sunday, something amazing happened. It just so happened that EVERYONE we tried to contact was home and willing to hear a lesson! We got 9 lessons in one day with members present! It just goes to show that prayer, study and diligence all together with the Lord's will in it makes anything happen. This area's doing amazing and we have two more baptisms scheduled for this upcoming Saturday.
• We have been working on our OYM's for the past couple weeks and they are paying off. I went to talk to a young lady and she came out and said she wanted to meet with us before I could really get anything out. He fiancé is a member and she isn't. We are hoping they will make the temple their final goal. Right after that we talked to another young lady and she invited us over. It's amazing how the Lord works.
• What I learned at Zone conference was that I can be a better witness of the Book of Mormon. I have seem as of late just an increase in opposition to our investigators and it has been a struggle to get them to keep their commitments. The world is getting worse and we need the saving power of the Book of Mormon even more. I will not let Moron’s efforts of 37 years go to waste! The world needs to know about this!
• This Zone Conference I was touched profoundly by the spirit. Teaching is one of the things that I struggle with on my mission and at times I get sad because I feel like no matter how hard I study and strive to improve on my teaching skills I fail. At times I am overwhelmed with sadness because I feel like I am not improving or feel eloquent enough to teach. So last week I was thinking why the Lord called me on a mission when He knew that I was a horrible teacher. President Laney I have gotten on my needs pleading for help but it sometimes seems like I am not improving. When I went to Zone Conference and we watched the video about the man who testified to Brigham Young about his testimony of the Book of Mormon and how he felt like he wasn't good enough to testify yet his simple testimony touched Brigham Young. That eventually led to his desire to read the Book of Mormon and his conversion. I was so touched by that because I feel like that man I don't think I will ever feel good enough to teach the gospel beause I don't have words the Lord's truth deserves but I do have a TESTIMONY OF THE GOSPEL!!! I have a strong testimony that HE LIVES!! That Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God that the Book of Mormon is true and no matter how horrible I think I am teaching the investigators they will always know that I know that this church is true! I have a simple testimony and I was called to proclaim it and to testify what I know. The spirit told me at Zone Conference that I have something to offer even as I struggle with my teaching. Moses is always an inspiration to me because when he was called to be a prophet he felt like he wasn't good enough to speak to the people yet he was strengthen and became an amazing man. I know that my weaknesses can become strong in Christ for he is mighty and he knows and has compassion of my weaknesses and fears. I love my Savior he truly is my Friend and is always by my side to strengthen me.
• I'm doing the book of Mormon challenge and I've learned a lot so far. I know that by the end of the challenge I'll have a bigger testimony of it.
• Something that really stuck out to me at Zone Conference is when you said that you cannot replace the knowledge and time you have to learn and study the gospel in the next 2 years, with decades. So I have been taking a more serious thought to my study time. Because I would like to learn all that I can in the next 2 years... believe me when I tell you that time has been like a speeding freight train. It's heavy, loud, cause’s lots of commotion, but as soon as you see it, it’s gone again. I hope to savor the precious moment I have left thus far on my mission. Ring zone conference I learned that I need to use the book of Mormon more often and that I need to help my investigators gain a testimony of its truthfulness.
• Zone Conference was great. I felt like I needed to use the Book of Mormon better. I especially liked the training on Questions of the soul. I guess I am just too straightforward sometimes and say "Hey, do you want to listen or not." (Not exactly like that, but the general idea.) I need to show people why the Book of Mormon is going to answer their questions and how it will help them in their lives. And if they don't express questions I can come up with ways it has helped me resolve questions of the soul. I was also called to repentance by the film a man without eloquence and realized that while I try to bear testimony frequently, I can always do it more.
• My favorite part of zone conference was when we talked about using the Book of Mormon to answer the questions of the soul, and that’s something that sometimes we forget. Something I started doing was to write down the questions of my investigators and try to find the answers in the Book of Mormon. That's one of the activities in pmg that I've enjoyed the most, because you get the same questions over and over through out your mission and it’s great when they see and feel that the book contains all the answers they need.
• That reminds me that I need to write about zone conference. First of all, I simply love the Book of Mormon and testify about it every chance that I get. I have a strong personal testimony based on experiences that I've had on the mission that the Book of Mormon is the key to conversion. Even if an investigator rejects everything taught in a lesson, as long as they read the Book of Mormon, they will know that the church is true, and will overcome their doubts. I also like how we applied Alma 26:22 in the conference. How we can exercise faith in to find and the importance of being obedient. There are definitely some things that I can work on to increase my faith and improve obedience.
• Zone Conference was great on Thursday, and I'm glad it was very much focused on the Book of Mormon. Throughout my mission I've read to much of the New Testament, and not enough of the Book of Mormon. It's really nice getting the reminder that the Book of Mormon is the most correct book on the earth. I finally realized again that it doesn't matter what other people think about. It's true whether they want to believe it or not. Now our mission has a challenge to read the Book of Mormon in tree months along with marking the names of Christ, his attributes, and the words that he speaks. It's been very rewarding so far.
• What I learned in zone conference was never be afraid to bear your testimony about the book of Mormon, not matter the situation.
• Last week was an amazing week on Sunday we had a family baptism. When we started teaching the restoration and asked them to be baptized they accepted without hesitation. They said that they had heard the discussions before but that they were ready now to make the commitment of baptism. The daughter started taking seminary at school and her knowledge of the gospel gave her a desire to get baptized. At first the mother was hesitant about her daughters desire to be baptized but she was able to see the change that the gospel was taking place in her daughter and she had a desire to learn about the gospel. They bore their testimonies at the baptism and they were all crying from joy they said that they knew that the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was the true church of Christ. That they wanted to always stay faithful to the commandments.
• Don't worry, that 10 up there for investigators to church is NOT a typo, unfortunately neither is the 0 on date...
We have come down with the cold finally, it was only a matter of time, so we figured that since our health was failing us Sunday, our investigators finally wouldn't, and if this hypothesis is true, I'm going to try and stay sick the rest of my mission!! Not really, but the sacrifice was worth it. And yes, those 10 people at church last week will translate into people on date this week.
• In Zone conference I learned that I need to testify of the Book of Mormon more, I always call the Book of Mormon my "Weapon of Mass Instruction" since I'm deprived of 6 shooter. But I did like the training from Elder Tolman at the end, he's so great. I REALLY don't like it when people always have kids come up to the font when someone gets baptized. So I'm going to start telling the WML or who ever is conducting NOT to invite kids to do that more often, and just set up little chairs in front. I also LOVE it when random people come in before the baptism and sit on the soft chairs in the front row, the seats that are obviously there for the family and people involved in the ordinance.
• This past week was a great learning experience for me personally. I loved Zone Conference, especially the insights and impressions I received about what the Savior thinks about the Book of Mormon. I had never really thought about that before. I think I had always had a testimony that it was true, but I never took the time to think about how valuable the Savior thinks the Book of Mormon is. It really strengthened my faith and courage in sharing the message of the Restoration and the Book of Mormon.
• Zone Conference which really helped me learns about the Savior. Then after Zone Conference, I studied all of the scripture references that were used during conference. That really fortified my testimony and faith in the power and spirit that comes with the Book of Mormon.
• Thanks for a good ZC, I really enjoyed it. I felt like I need to use the Book of Mormon more effectively and more often during lessons, and that is what I am going to do. And I learned, or I guess re-learned, how to resolve concerns from Elder England and Elder Pearson's training.
• I enjoyed Zone conference although I was really out of it the whole time. I learned how important the Book of Mormon it is in helping investigators gains a true conversion. I need to make sure my testimony of the Book of Mormon is kept sharp.
• I also learned that I should start using unique ideas for finding people.
• Should get many more on date this upcoming week, and our stake president had training on getting members to lessons for the Ward Mission Leaders here that I think will help us do that. We won't let the snow slow us down, working hard to be diligent. Zone Conference was great, we're role-playing asking questions and resolving those more. That may be what we need most to work on as a companionship is involving investigators more. It’s great to read the Book of Mormon and focus on the words of Christ. It’s pretty easy to tell whose talking by the way they speak. It’s very interesting to see that.
• I've been keeping up with the Book of Mormon challenge, and been loving it. I wish that I had appreciated the BoM like I do now before my mission. It's a beautiful, powerful compilation which has so much LIFE to it. Sometimes it seems incredible to me that people can read it and not feel a thing.
• What I got out of the zone conference was that my prayer's need to be more specific, and that the reward for obedience is faith. I learned quite a bit more about Moroni, and I liked that.
• I was reminded that I need to pray MORE specifically. That was a message I got from last zone conference as well and I got it again just this past week so I guess I am not doing it right. Also it reaffirmed that I need to teach from the Book of Mormon. Which is how I teach?
• This week I learned to be obedient with exactness, and to follow the Spirit in all decisions in finding investigators.
• We have been OYMing everybody. We've been checking referrals. We're asking to speak in every ward. We're starting a scripture study class. We're setting up appointments with our investigators. We're trying out all the finding tools we've been given. We're both going to work as hard as we can and we know the Lord will always help us as we ask him to.
• This past zone conference was very interesting and inspiring for us to keep going and keep working as hard as we have been to bring more souls unto Christ but, that our best tool of helping them receive that personal revelation is through reading and praying about the scriptures. I love the Book of Mormon challenge and so every person we meet with we try to start them on the 90-day challenge not only to help their testimonies but, also to feel like they are apart of the work in reading and thinking of the souls who still have yet to know the fullness of the gospel.
• I'm really enjoying the Book of Mormon challenge. Every time I read through the Book of Mormon, I find more that stands out to me. During zone conference I realized how much I have to work on memorizing scriptures. I've never been too good at memorization, but as I am persistent in my efforts as well as in prayer I know that the Lord will help me. I learnt a lot about asking question at Zone Conference. It really helps others when they can answer questions for themselves. It helps them to remember better and almost teach themselves. I will be trying to apply this as much as I can in future teaching.
• I really liked that sheet on Moroni. Just today I was reading Ether and it said that Moroni was going to stand during judgment for everyone to see that he has authority. So for those that discredit the Book of Mormon and the work that Moroni did, they will see and will regret not accepting it. Mosiah 2:41 means to me that obedience to the commandments is everything. You may have worldly things to loose, but absolutely everything to gain. You can't go wrong following the commandments.
• What I learned from the zone conference was mostly about the small but yet important details about the baptism services don't close the curtain etc.
• Zone Conference was very awesome as always. Learning about the Book of Mormon like that was really something I felt I needed. I feel that I am learning more about the Book of Mormon than I ever had, not just from reading the notes I took during the conference, but also taking that challenge of reading the Book of Mormon in 90 days.
• Finding is one of my favorite aspects of missionary work! One of the best things that I learned from Elder Collado, is that there are always golden investigators waiting to be found, the missionary just needs to have faith in the Lord so that you can be lead to the 1 percent. It was proven very true! On the way to a lesson that we were quite possibly going to be late for, the spirit prompted us to talk to this man named John who had been standing outside his apartment with his wife Tammy. John has gone to church the past three months or so in a different ward, just moved into the area, and his wife is a member. The first thing he said to us is that he wants to be sealed to his wife in the temple. But apparently- baptism is the first step. We caught John at the perfect time, because he had just barely gotten out of his apartment so that he could head off to work (which he was late for). And after talking with, and setting up a lesson with John, we traveled to our appointment which had to cancel on u.Just goes to show that the Lord works on his own timing.
• After bearing our testimonies this Sunday in Sacrament meeting, the bishop walked up to we and his eyes became moist. He told us that as we spoke a rush went through his face and he felt the spirit strongly. He also said that he enjoyed our simple testimonies. Also after bearing our testimonies, a brother by the name of David Rice walked up to us and told us that he had not been to church in over 30 years and would like for us to teach him. We set up a date and will be teaching him on Tuesday. Well I want you to know that I know that miracles are still occurring today. God is still a God of miracles (Mormon 9). I also know that obedience leads to stronger faith. Faith leads to miracles. And miracles are what we are looking for.
• Their area is still struggling though for some reason. I reminded them about Elder Snows advice to just sacrifice something, anything, the bigger the better. I love that concept because it's something you can do even when you can’t see anything wrong with the way you are working your area, if you are working your best. Kind of an indirect way to boost your area.
I just think that really applies to what we do. Even though there are so many hard-hearted people out there, the meek and humble still will receive Christ into their lives.
• It is our goal to see the zone surpass 100 lessons. 10 per companionship. I have full faith this is possible as we pray and work for it. This is looking up to be a white Christmas and New Years.
• OBEDIENCE=MORE FAITH Helaman 10:4-5 I’m sure that's a PMG scripture but I just thought I wanted to share with you. It struck me this week. 4 Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments. 5 And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will.
• We had a good week. It seems like weeks worth of finding efforts finally came to fruition, as we found 8 new investigators. It was great. We also should have at least 3 this week. It is proof to me that to find consistently it is important to be working hard all the times and it will finally add up. We won’t stop though.
• However from the zone conference I learn how important to ask question, so that we will know there concerns not only that is the language that were using we should try to be careful when we teach of using "yea"instead of "yea"use "Yes"or the using of the word "COOL" and It is so important that we should using respectful language when we teach not only that I learn how to use the book of Mormon to answer every question, and it was so true and mostly all of our investigator love readying the book of Mormon and I know that it is so powerful when we use the Book Of Mormon.
• At Zone Conference I learned that obedience gives us more faith and it also prevents us from becoming sinful. Obedience is the first law of heaven.
• Mosiah 2:41 - This is an easy one to understand, difficult to put into practice sometimes. But if we choose to be obedient to the commandments we've been given, if we're 100% obedient, we will be happier. The more we can focus the happier we are. I know this to be absolutely true. I'm more focused than I was weeks ago and I am very much happier for it.
• Also as I've been reading the book of Mormon looking for Christ in it. It has really helped me grow closer to my savior. I have been able to apply the things I've learned in my teaching as well. I love it.
• So something I learned from zone conference was that I needed to testify more of the book of Mormon. I have begun doing that and everyday I have testified and I have seen miracles happen. We were teaching a young man who has recently come back into activity and we were reading D&C 5 and 17, asking the question "what does it mean to be a witness?" After reading the D&C 5 a salesman came in, and actually sat down with us and started to listen in. We didn’t know his situation at all but we thought we would just carry on, so we read section 17 and had he read it. When he read the saviors testimony on the book of Mormon, he stopped, and nodded his head. We testified of the book of Mormon in simplicity and I believe that the sprit was carried to that salesman because he said "I'm not a member of the church, but I'm opening minded". We asked if he wanted a book of Mormon, and he accepted without hesitation. It was amazing because he did not know the beginning of lesson 1, he came in at the last principle and yet it was good enough because the book of Mormon covers all the principles before it in lesson 1. We will be meeting with him this week. And this all happened because we bore pure testimony of the book of Mormon.
• We had a great week! It was amazing! We've been praying and striving to hit 30 lessons a week, and things weren't looking too good by Saturday night. We had 21 lessons by then. That's still amazing, but we promised to hit 30. On Sunday, something amazing happened. It just so happened that EVERYONE we tried to contact was home and willing to hear a lesson! We got 9 lessons in one day with members present! It just goes to show that prayer, study and diligence all together with the Lord's will in it makes anything happen. This area's doing amazing and we have two more baptisms scheduled for this upcoming Saturday.
• We have been working on our OYM's for the past couple weeks and they are paying off. I went to talk to a young lady and she came out and said she wanted to meet with us before I could really get anything out. He fiancé is a member and she isn't. We are hoping they will make the temple their final goal. Right after that we talked to another young lady and she invited us over. It's amazing how the Lord works.
• What I learned at Zone conference was that I can be a better witness of the Book of Mormon. I have seem as of late just an increase in opposition to our investigators and it has been a struggle to get them to keep their commitments. The world is getting worse and we need the saving power of the Book of Mormon even more. I will not let Moron’s efforts of 37 years go to waste! The world needs to know about this!
• This Zone Conference I was touched profoundly by the spirit. Teaching is one of the things that I struggle with on my mission and at times I get sad because I feel like no matter how hard I study and strive to improve on my teaching skills I fail. At times I am overwhelmed with sadness because I feel like I am not improving or feel eloquent enough to teach. So last week I was thinking why the Lord called me on a mission when He knew that I was a horrible teacher. President Laney I have gotten on my needs pleading for help but it sometimes seems like I am not improving. When I went to Zone Conference and we watched the video about the man who testified to Brigham Young about his testimony of the Book of Mormon and how he felt like he wasn't good enough to testify yet his simple testimony touched Brigham Young. That eventually led to his desire to read the Book of Mormon and his conversion. I was so touched by that because I feel like that man I don't think I will ever feel good enough to teach the gospel beause I don't have words the Lord's truth deserves but I do have a TESTIMONY OF THE GOSPEL!!! I have a strong testimony that HE LIVES!! That Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God that the Book of Mormon is true and no matter how horrible I think I am teaching the investigators they will always know that I know that this church is true! I have a simple testimony and I was called to proclaim it and to testify what I know. The spirit told me at Zone Conference that I have something to offer even as I struggle with my teaching. Moses is always an inspiration to me because when he was called to be a prophet he felt like he wasn't good enough to speak to the people yet he was strengthen and became an amazing man. I know that my weaknesses can become strong in Christ for he is mighty and he knows and has compassion of my weaknesses and fears. I love my Savior he truly is my Friend and is always by my side to strengthen me.
• I'm doing the book of Mormon challenge and I've learned a lot so far. I know that by the end of the challenge I'll have a bigger testimony of it.
• Something that really stuck out to me at Zone Conference is when you said that you cannot replace the knowledge and time you have to learn and study the gospel in the next 2 years, with decades. So I have been taking a more serious thought to my study time. Because I would like to learn all that I can in the next 2 years... believe me when I tell you that time has been like a speeding freight train. It's heavy, loud, cause’s lots of commotion, but as soon as you see it, it’s gone again. I hope to savor the precious moment I have left thus far on my mission. Ring zone conference I learned that I need to use the book of Mormon more often and that I need to help my investigators gain a testimony of its truthfulness.
• Zone Conference was great. I felt like I needed to use the Book of Mormon better. I especially liked the training on Questions of the soul. I guess I am just too straightforward sometimes and say "Hey, do you want to listen or not." (Not exactly like that, but the general idea.) I need to show people why the Book of Mormon is going to answer their questions and how it will help them in their lives. And if they don't express questions I can come up with ways it has helped me resolve questions of the soul. I was also called to repentance by the film a man without eloquence and realized that while I try to bear testimony frequently, I can always do it more.
• My favorite part of zone conference was when we talked about using the Book of Mormon to answer the questions of the soul, and that’s something that sometimes we forget. Something I started doing was to write down the questions of my investigators and try to find the answers in the Book of Mormon. That's one of the activities in pmg that I've enjoyed the most, because you get the same questions over and over through out your mission and it’s great when they see and feel that the book contains all the answers they need.
• That reminds me that I need to write about zone conference. First of all, I simply love the Book of Mormon and testify about it every chance that I get. I have a strong personal testimony based on experiences that I've had on the mission that the Book of Mormon is the key to conversion. Even if an investigator rejects everything taught in a lesson, as long as they read the Book of Mormon, they will know that the church is true, and will overcome their doubts. I also like how we applied Alma 26:22 in the conference. How we can exercise faith in to find and the importance of being obedient. There are definitely some things that I can work on to increase my faith and improve obedience.
• Zone Conference was great on Thursday, and I'm glad it was very much focused on the Book of Mormon. Throughout my mission I've read to much of the New Testament, and not enough of the Book of Mormon. It's really nice getting the reminder that the Book of Mormon is the most correct book on the earth. I finally realized again that it doesn't matter what other people think about. It's true whether they want to believe it or not. Now our mission has a challenge to read the Book of Mormon in tree months along with marking the names of Christ, his attributes, and the words that he speaks. It's been very rewarding so far.
• What I learned in zone conference was never be afraid to bear your testimony about the book of Mormon, not matter the situation.
• Last week was an amazing week on Sunday we had a family baptism. When we started teaching the restoration and asked them to be baptized they accepted without hesitation. They said that they had heard the discussions before but that they were ready now to make the commitment of baptism. The daughter started taking seminary at school and her knowledge of the gospel gave her a desire to get baptized. At first the mother was hesitant about her daughters desire to be baptized but she was able to see the change that the gospel was taking place in her daughter and she had a desire to learn about the gospel. They bore their testimonies at the baptism and they were all crying from joy they said that they knew that the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was the true church of Christ. That they wanted to always stay faithful to the commandments.
• Don't worry, that 10 up there for investigators to church is NOT a typo, unfortunately neither is the 0 on date...
We have come down with the cold finally, it was only a matter of time, so we figured that since our health was failing us Sunday, our investigators finally wouldn't, and if this hypothesis is true, I'm going to try and stay sick the rest of my mission!! Not really, but the sacrifice was worth it. And yes, those 10 people at church last week will translate into people on date this week.
• In Zone conference I learned that I need to testify of the Book of Mormon more, I always call the Book of Mormon my "Weapon of Mass Instruction" since I'm deprived of 6 shooter. But I did like the training from Elder Tolman at the end, he's so great. I REALLY don't like it when people always have kids come up to the font when someone gets baptized. So I'm going to start telling the WML or who ever is conducting NOT to invite kids to do that more often, and just set up little chairs in front. I also LOVE it when random people come in before the baptism and sit on the soft chairs in the front row, the seats that are obviously there for the family and people involved in the ordinance.
• This past week was a great learning experience for me personally. I loved Zone Conference, especially the insights and impressions I received about what the Savior thinks about the Book of Mormon. I had never really thought about that before. I think I had always had a testimony that it was true, but I never took the time to think about how valuable the Savior thinks the Book of Mormon is. It really strengthened my faith and courage in sharing the message of the Restoration and the Book of Mormon.
• Zone Conference which really helped me learns about the Savior. Then after Zone Conference, I studied all of the scripture references that were used during conference. That really fortified my testimony and faith in the power and spirit that comes with the Book of Mormon.
• Thanks for a good ZC, I really enjoyed it. I felt like I need to use the Book of Mormon more effectively and more often during lessons, and that is what I am going to do. And I learned, or I guess re-learned, how to resolve concerns from Elder England and Elder Pearson's training.
• I enjoyed Zone conference although I was really out of it the whole time. I learned how important the Book of Mormon it is in helping investigators gains a true conversion. I need to make sure my testimony of the Book of Mormon is kept sharp.
• I also learned that I should start using unique ideas for finding people.
• Should get many more on date this upcoming week, and our stake president had training on getting members to lessons for the Ward Mission Leaders here that I think will help us do that. We won't let the snow slow us down, working hard to be diligent. Zone Conference was great, we're role-playing asking questions and resolving those more. That may be what we need most to work on as a companionship is involving investigators more. It’s great to read the Book of Mormon and focus on the words of Christ. It’s pretty easy to tell whose talking by the way they speak. It’s very interesting to see that.
• I've been keeping up with the Book of Mormon challenge, and been loving it. I wish that I had appreciated the BoM like I do now before my mission. It's a beautiful, powerful compilation which has so much LIFE to it. Sometimes it seems incredible to me that people can read it and not feel a thing.
• What I got out of the zone conference was that my prayer's need to be more specific, and that the reward for obedience is faith. I learned quite a bit more about Moroni, and I liked that.
• I was reminded that I need to pray MORE specifically. That was a message I got from last zone conference as well and I got it again just this past week so I guess I am not doing it right. Also it reaffirmed that I need to teach from the Book of Mormon. Which is how I teach?
• This week I learned to be obedient with exactness, and to follow the Spirit in all decisions in finding investigators.
• We have been OYMing everybody. We've been checking referrals. We're asking to speak in every ward. We're starting a scripture study class. We're setting up appointments with our investigators. We're trying out all the finding tools we've been given. We're both going to work as hard as we can and we know the Lord will always help us as we ask him to.
• This past zone conference was very interesting and inspiring for us to keep going and keep working as hard as we have been to bring more souls unto Christ but, that our best tool of helping them receive that personal revelation is through reading and praying about the scriptures. I love the Book of Mormon challenge and so every person we meet with we try to start them on the 90-day challenge not only to help their testimonies but, also to feel like they are apart of the work in reading and thinking of the souls who still have yet to know the fullness of the gospel.
• I'm really enjoying the Book of Mormon challenge. Every time I read through the Book of Mormon, I find more that stands out to me. During zone conference I realized how much I have to work on memorizing scriptures. I've never been too good at memorization, but as I am persistent in my efforts as well as in prayer I know that the Lord will help me. I learnt a lot about asking question at Zone Conference. It really helps others when they can answer questions for themselves. It helps them to remember better and almost teach themselves. I will be trying to apply this as much as I can in future teaching.
• I really liked that sheet on Moroni. Just today I was reading Ether and it said that Moroni was going to stand during judgment for everyone to see that he has authority. So for those that discredit the Book of Mormon and the work that Moroni did, they will see and will regret not accepting it. Mosiah 2:41 means to me that obedience to the commandments is everything. You may have worldly things to loose, but absolutely everything to gain. You can't go wrong following the commandments.
• What I learned from the zone conference was mostly about the small but yet important details about the baptism services don't close the curtain etc.
• Zone Conference was very awesome as always. Learning about the Book of Mormon like that was really something I felt I needed. I feel that I am learning more about the Book of Mormon than I ever had, not just from reading the notes I took during the conference, but also taking that challenge of reading the Book of Mormon in 90 days.
• Finding is one of my favorite aspects of missionary work! One of the best things that I learned from Elder Collado, is that there are always golden investigators waiting to be found, the missionary just needs to have faith in the Lord so that you can be lead to the 1 percent. It was proven very true! On the way to a lesson that we were quite possibly going to be late for, the spirit prompted us to talk to this man named John who had been standing outside his apartment with his wife Tammy. John has gone to church the past three months or so in a different ward, just moved into the area, and his wife is a member. The first thing he said to us is that he wants to be sealed to his wife in the temple. But apparently- baptism is the first step. We caught John at the perfect time, because he had just barely gotten out of his apartment so that he could head off to work (which he was late for). And after talking with, and setting up a lesson with John, we traveled to our appointment which had to cancel on u.Just goes to show that the Lord works on his own timing.
• After bearing our testimonies this Sunday in Sacrament meeting, the bishop walked up to we and his eyes became moist. He told us that as we spoke a rush went through his face and he felt the spirit strongly. He also said that he enjoyed our simple testimonies. Also after bearing our testimonies, a brother by the name of David Rice walked up to us and told us that he had not been to church in over 30 years and would like for us to teach him. We set up a date and will be teaching him on Tuesday. Well I want you to know that I know that miracles are still occurring today. God is still a God of miracles (Mormon 9). I also know that obedience leads to stronger faith. Faith leads to miracles. And miracles are what we are looking for.
• Their area is still struggling though for some reason. I reminded them about Elder Snows advice to just sacrifice something, anything, the bigger the better. I love that concept because it's something you can do even when you can’t see anything wrong with the way you are working your area, if you are working your best. Kind of an indirect way to boost your area.
Monday, December 7, 2009
• My companion and I have had great success. Yesterday we spoke in sacrament meeting three times. Every time we spoke about members working with the missionaries. After a day of what seemed like no success and pointless walking in the snow, we decided to go the extra mile. After we came in for the night, we got several phone calls. One person called, saying that their daughter wants to be baptized and has been attending church with them for several weeks. All of a sudden we were able to teach families that we were not allowed to before. By Wednesday of this week we will have taught more lessons than we have in the last few weeks. Miracles are still happening today. What I'm trying to say is we MUST go the extra mile.
• We also found 3 new investigators this week. Even though all three were from referrals that members having working with for awhile, I know it is because of our efforts to ask our investigators for referrals. Teach when you find, find when you teach.
• We've been trying to include the less-active members in missionary work. We invited a less-active returned-missionary to share his testimony at the baptismal service, but he wouldn't so we invited the less-active Dad of a recent convert to do the same, but he didn't come, but we'll keep trying! I've realized that I've made the mistake of just including the active members that I think are best for the job, when including everyone foments a lot more unity and helps a lot more people out.
• I forgot to email you last few times about zone conference. I learned that when we are obedient, it not only helps with the work, but with our faith. I also learned more of the importance of the book of Mormon (not like I didn't already) but I think it helped inspire me to read it more and I had a desire by the time I left ZC. Things get old, but it's always good to get a reminder.
• Reading the Book of Mormon, I noticed that the most commonly mentioned Christ-like attribute isn't faith or obedience or any of that. It's power. The power of God, his atonement. So I'm going to try to be more powerful.
• This has been a great week! We are finding some new investigators and seeing success. One of the families that were previously taught before I moved into the area has accepted the missionaries to come back. I'm glad I had the opportunity to meet them, they are a fantastic family. Also, we are having much success with the Ward Mission Leaders in using their help in finding more people that speak Spanish. The Stake President has been a tremendous blessing as well. The Lord truly does have his hand in all things, especially his work. One night this last we week we decided to stop by one of our investigators without an appointment but we were in the area at the time and wanted to check up. Turns out the father wanted a blessing and was going through some pretty hard times. Turns out, we were exactly in the right place, at the right time.
• What I learned at Zone Conference: I learned the importance of getting more familiar with the Book of Mormon. What I felt: I really did feel the spirit testifying to me of the importance of obedience, how it's the greatest act of faith we can do now.
• The BoM challenge is going wonderfully. I am really enjoying it. The pages just seem to fly by! I have never realized before how many references there are to the Savior. It's awesome!
• This week went very well. I've been working on my faith and diligence with the work, and we've seen immediate results. We started to talk to more people and we started finding people (surprise surprise). Imagine that. We kind of fell in a groove, like we all do, and we're getting out of it. Tracting, trying new things with the ward, getting people to come out with us, and a few other things. It really goes to show that there are people ready to receive the gospel EVERYWHERE. Even people, who have lived in Utah their whole lives, attended church until they are 14 and want their son to be baptized.
• What I'm going to apply: I'm going to read the Book of Mormon in 90 days! I want to continue reading it the rest of my life! It's the book that brings me mo9st joy!
• What Mosiah 2 means to me is that those that keep the commandments are blessed in many ways. Ways here in this life and after, physically and spiritually. Blessed are they that keep the commandments of God for they will have never-ending happiness! What a great scripture!!
• This week we’re trying to get our investigators solidified for their baptismal dates, because the 14 people who are on date look great on achieving their baptismal date. And the zone conference was perfect for them, because almost all of them have been stressed with the necessity of reading the BOM to know the Truth. And they all have said that they felt the Holy Ghost when they are reading it. Even in the families, the couples are reading them together.
• So we had the baptisms yesterday for the Zamora family. It was great! We had a lot of people there and the spirit was strong. That really helped the non-members at the baptism realize that baptism is very important ordinance. I have a great testimony of using baptismal services as finding tools. There's always at least one person that wants to get baptized afterwards and yesterday was not an exception. We started to talk to this guy and he said he wanted to get baptized and we'll start teaching him right away....
• The Stake President got up after I did and confirmed what I said to be true He asked if we had hit our goal for teaching 21 lessons this week and I said no. He than turned to the congregation and said that it was the fault of the members and he called them all to repentance. It was amazing, the power of the spirit that I could feel in the room was tremendous and I will never forget it.
• This past week has been a pretty good one. The top two highlights were Zone Conference…But it was something I needed to hear. And reading the Book of Mormon and specifically looking for the Savior's name and his words. Just from reading 1 Nephi there were so many things that I had not noticed before. I also realized that faith is something I need to work on; I have been lacking faith in this area and in myself.
• Then Zone Conference was great Learned Allot. Faith Is Essential to this work and obedience is the price for that. Learned to ask more questions when I teach and better ones. The spirit was very strong the entire meeting. To be honest with you president I have no idea why I cried. Maybe its because I realized I’m going home and I’m not going to be doing this full time anymore. Or because I just felt very peaceful. I feel really good about everything no bad feelings about on anything. That night we had a baptism and that was wonderful.
• I really learned a lot at Zone Conference. One thing that really hit me was that the Book of Mormon can solve any concerns. That any doubts of the gospel can be solved with a testimony of the Book of Mormon. I was even able to put this into practice the very next day after zone conference. It was amazing to see the Spirit bring the things I learned in Zone Conference to my remembrance.
• I learned from Zone Conference, more reminded, the most was the importance of using questions and being a good teacher from that most wonderful senior couple that instructed us so wonderfully. It was profound and it has influenced me to want to use a lot more questions in my teaching again. I also learned all the things and greatness of Moroni to get the Book of Mormon here. I didn't know he wandered for about 37 years alone; just to get the record to the correct spot so Joseph Smith could bring it up in a future time.
• The area is picking up a little bit. I think by the end of this week we'll have at least 8 people on date. And hopefully we baptized more before the transfer is over. The companionship is doing very well; we do not have any problems. We're improving in our teaching skills and our unity while teaching.
• The week went well and zone conference was amazing. I know I shouldn't say that but it is the only work to describe it. I learned that the Book of Mormon has a sweet spirit to it and we should use it in all the aspects of our lives. It helps out a lot and we are going to start reading the whole thing with an investigator and hope that he feels the spirit. I am testifying of it more and I am using it and carrying it all over the place. No matter where I go I have a Book of Mormon with me.
• We had 2 more baptisms yesterday and it was incredible! The father is less-active and the mother is a non-member but they have wanted the kids to be baptized for a while and yesterday they were! The next step is to get the mom baptized and then to get the family to the temple! I really want to see a family be sealed on my mission and there is nothing I want more than to see that happen and it can! The mom has wanted to be baptized for a while too but she is overcoming smoking but after seeing her son and daughter is baptized she really wants to be baptized now! The lord is working on the family and I can tell he really wants them to be sealed in his temple and that is what I want for them! It was incredible to see the family come closer and after the baptism I just keep seeing them getting sealed in the temple!!! They are almost there and I hope and pray that they will keep working towards that!
• To see how great a miracle that was please look about 4 months back and again about 2 1/2 months back to see their family situation. Let's just say that they were thinking of getting a divorce 4-5 months ago when we knocked on the door. Since the whole family has become active, she teaches primary, he gave a lesson in High Priests, and their 12 year old un-baptized son who was rebellious as all get out got baptized, and they were all smiling and I think the parents actually kind of like each other now!!! The gospel does bless families.
• Church was great this week, we had Mark and Sonya’s whole family comes. They have 4 kids, and 3 who are at baptism age. They told us to not come back a few weeks ago, but told us to come back Wednesday at church. The 18 year old Victor, who was the hardest to work with, loved church and is gaining a testimony of the book of Mormon. He has read a little and prayed about it. A member he works with gave him a few scriptures and told him to pray about it, so it’s been great! He was even mentioning the other day about a mission and what he would have to do to go on one. It was an amazing experience to hear that out of him... Everything for this Saturday’s baptism with Spencer Lamb is ready, he is excited and there will be over a hundred people there, so good turn out!!
• The baptisms we had yesterday were absolutely great. We had a family of five that were baptized. The amount of support displayed by the branch was amazing. We made sure to make invitations and talk about the service with as many people as we could during the week because we wanted the baptism to be special. It was truly amazing how strong the Spirit was. We also were able to find a referral for another mission because of the service. He felt the Spirit and told us afterward that he wants to be baptized.
• Our work with recent converts and less actives slacked a little this week because we were focused on the baptism so much. However, we did invite one of our recent convert families to bear their testimonies at the baptism. It was so fulfilling to hear their testimonies of the restoration and about the importance of baptism. My studies this week really lifted my spirituality. I have been surprised just how much I can learn in two hours. I don't learn anything that I did not know before; I think the Lord is just showing me new ways to apply things that I already knew.
• I finished the book of Mormon last week and restarted doing the challenge now. I already noticed many things I hadn't before. This will be the 4th time I read the book of Mormon on my mission.
• We had a great baptism last weekend. Tanner, who had been taught for a long time by the missionaries in Provo (he used to live in Provo until recently), decided for himself the Church was true. How was it done? Superior fellowship, I have never seen members rally around an investigator with so much friendliness. After he was baptized all his friends.
• I made some sacrifices last week, and just in the last two days we received 2 referrals from members, the first time in a long time. This week we should be picking up 2 new investigators.
• I think we definitely have seen the blessings that have come with sacrifice as we have found 7 new investigators in the last two weeks.
• On Sunday we had a wonderful opportunity to go to a gospel essentials class where a less active couple we are working with came. It was an amazing lesson on prayer and they both were asking questions and everyone opened up to them and both felt extremely welcomed. It was amazing. Also the teacher also brought her inactive daughter in law along (which we had no idea) and she opened up and said she had an amazing feeling and said she now wanted you come back to church. And she hadn’t been to church in 20 years!!! It was awesome.
• We also found 3 new investigators this week. Even though all three were from referrals that members having working with for awhile, I know it is because of our efforts to ask our investigators for referrals. Teach when you find, find when you teach.
• We've been trying to include the less-active members in missionary work. We invited a less-active returned-missionary to share his testimony at the baptismal service, but he wouldn't so we invited the less-active Dad of a recent convert to do the same, but he didn't come, but we'll keep trying! I've realized that I've made the mistake of just including the active members that I think are best for the job, when including everyone foments a lot more unity and helps a lot more people out.
• I forgot to email you last few times about zone conference. I learned that when we are obedient, it not only helps with the work, but with our faith. I also learned more of the importance of the book of Mormon (not like I didn't already) but I think it helped inspire me to read it more and I had a desire by the time I left ZC. Things get old, but it's always good to get a reminder.
• Reading the Book of Mormon, I noticed that the most commonly mentioned Christ-like attribute isn't faith or obedience or any of that. It's power. The power of God, his atonement. So I'm going to try to be more powerful.
• This has been a great week! We are finding some new investigators and seeing success. One of the families that were previously taught before I moved into the area has accepted the missionaries to come back. I'm glad I had the opportunity to meet them, they are a fantastic family. Also, we are having much success with the Ward Mission Leaders in using their help in finding more people that speak Spanish. The Stake President has been a tremendous blessing as well. The Lord truly does have his hand in all things, especially his work. One night this last we week we decided to stop by one of our investigators without an appointment but we were in the area at the time and wanted to check up. Turns out the father wanted a blessing and was going through some pretty hard times. Turns out, we were exactly in the right place, at the right time.
• What I learned at Zone Conference: I learned the importance of getting more familiar with the Book of Mormon. What I felt: I really did feel the spirit testifying to me of the importance of obedience, how it's the greatest act of faith we can do now.
• The BoM challenge is going wonderfully. I am really enjoying it. The pages just seem to fly by! I have never realized before how many references there are to the Savior. It's awesome!
• This week went very well. I've been working on my faith and diligence with the work, and we've seen immediate results. We started to talk to more people and we started finding people (surprise surprise). Imagine that. We kind of fell in a groove, like we all do, and we're getting out of it. Tracting, trying new things with the ward, getting people to come out with us, and a few other things. It really goes to show that there are people ready to receive the gospel EVERYWHERE. Even people, who have lived in Utah their whole lives, attended church until they are 14 and want their son to be baptized.
• What I'm going to apply: I'm going to read the Book of Mormon in 90 days! I want to continue reading it the rest of my life! It's the book that brings me mo9st joy!
• What Mosiah 2 means to me is that those that keep the commandments are blessed in many ways. Ways here in this life and after, physically and spiritually. Blessed are they that keep the commandments of God for they will have never-ending happiness! What a great scripture!!
• This week we’re trying to get our investigators solidified for their baptismal dates, because the 14 people who are on date look great on achieving their baptismal date. And the zone conference was perfect for them, because almost all of them have been stressed with the necessity of reading the BOM to know the Truth. And they all have said that they felt the Holy Ghost when they are reading it. Even in the families, the couples are reading them together.
• So we had the baptisms yesterday for the Zamora family. It was great! We had a lot of people there and the spirit was strong. That really helped the non-members at the baptism realize that baptism is very important ordinance. I have a great testimony of using baptismal services as finding tools. There's always at least one person that wants to get baptized afterwards and yesterday was not an exception. We started to talk to this guy and he said he wanted to get baptized and we'll start teaching him right away....
• The Stake President got up after I did and confirmed what I said to be true He asked if we had hit our goal for teaching 21 lessons this week and I said no. He than turned to the congregation and said that it was the fault of the members and he called them all to repentance. It was amazing, the power of the spirit that I could feel in the room was tremendous and I will never forget it.
• This past week has been a pretty good one. The top two highlights were Zone Conference…But it was something I needed to hear. And reading the Book of Mormon and specifically looking for the Savior's name and his words. Just from reading 1 Nephi there were so many things that I had not noticed before. I also realized that faith is something I need to work on; I have been lacking faith in this area and in myself.
• Then Zone Conference was great Learned Allot. Faith Is Essential to this work and obedience is the price for that. Learned to ask more questions when I teach and better ones. The spirit was very strong the entire meeting. To be honest with you president I have no idea why I cried. Maybe its because I realized I’m going home and I’m not going to be doing this full time anymore. Or because I just felt very peaceful. I feel really good about everything no bad feelings about on anything. That night we had a baptism and that was wonderful.
• I really learned a lot at Zone Conference. One thing that really hit me was that the Book of Mormon can solve any concerns. That any doubts of the gospel can be solved with a testimony of the Book of Mormon. I was even able to put this into practice the very next day after zone conference. It was amazing to see the Spirit bring the things I learned in Zone Conference to my remembrance.
• I learned from Zone Conference, more reminded, the most was the importance of using questions and being a good teacher from that most wonderful senior couple that instructed us so wonderfully. It was profound and it has influenced me to want to use a lot more questions in my teaching again. I also learned all the things and greatness of Moroni to get the Book of Mormon here. I didn't know he wandered for about 37 years alone; just to get the record to the correct spot so Joseph Smith could bring it up in a future time.
• The area is picking up a little bit. I think by the end of this week we'll have at least 8 people on date. And hopefully we baptized more before the transfer is over. The companionship is doing very well; we do not have any problems. We're improving in our teaching skills and our unity while teaching.
• The week went well and zone conference was amazing. I know I shouldn't say that but it is the only work to describe it. I learned that the Book of Mormon has a sweet spirit to it and we should use it in all the aspects of our lives. It helps out a lot and we are going to start reading the whole thing with an investigator and hope that he feels the spirit. I am testifying of it more and I am using it and carrying it all over the place. No matter where I go I have a Book of Mormon with me.
• We had 2 more baptisms yesterday and it was incredible! The father is less-active and the mother is a non-member but they have wanted the kids to be baptized for a while and yesterday they were! The next step is to get the mom baptized and then to get the family to the temple! I really want to see a family be sealed on my mission and there is nothing I want more than to see that happen and it can! The mom has wanted to be baptized for a while too but she is overcoming smoking but after seeing her son and daughter is baptized she really wants to be baptized now! The lord is working on the family and I can tell he really wants them to be sealed in his temple and that is what I want for them! It was incredible to see the family come closer and after the baptism I just keep seeing them getting sealed in the temple!!! They are almost there and I hope and pray that they will keep working towards that!
• To see how great a miracle that was please look about 4 months back and again about 2 1/2 months back to see their family situation. Let's just say that they were thinking of getting a divorce 4-5 months ago when we knocked on the door. Since the whole family has become active, she teaches primary, he gave a lesson in High Priests, and their 12 year old un-baptized son who was rebellious as all get out got baptized, and they were all smiling and I think the parents actually kind of like each other now!!! The gospel does bless families.
• Church was great this week, we had Mark and Sonya’s whole family comes. They have 4 kids, and 3 who are at baptism age. They told us to not come back a few weeks ago, but told us to come back Wednesday at church. The 18 year old Victor, who was the hardest to work with, loved church and is gaining a testimony of the book of Mormon. He has read a little and prayed about it. A member he works with gave him a few scriptures and told him to pray about it, so it’s been great! He was even mentioning the other day about a mission and what he would have to do to go on one. It was an amazing experience to hear that out of him... Everything for this Saturday’s baptism with Spencer Lamb is ready, he is excited and there will be over a hundred people there, so good turn out!!
• The baptisms we had yesterday were absolutely great. We had a family of five that were baptized. The amount of support displayed by the branch was amazing. We made sure to make invitations and talk about the service with as many people as we could during the week because we wanted the baptism to be special. It was truly amazing how strong the Spirit was. We also were able to find a referral for another mission because of the service. He felt the Spirit and told us afterward that he wants to be baptized.
• Our work with recent converts and less actives slacked a little this week because we were focused on the baptism so much. However, we did invite one of our recent convert families to bear their testimonies at the baptism. It was so fulfilling to hear their testimonies of the restoration and about the importance of baptism. My studies this week really lifted my spirituality. I have been surprised just how much I can learn in two hours. I don't learn anything that I did not know before; I think the Lord is just showing me new ways to apply things that I already knew.
• I finished the book of Mormon last week and restarted doing the challenge now. I already noticed many things I hadn't before. This will be the 4th time I read the book of Mormon on my mission.
• We had a great baptism last weekend. Tanner, who had been taught for a long time by the missionaries in Provo (he used to live in Provo until recently), decided for himself the Church was true. How was it done? Superior fellowship, I have never seen members rally around an investigator with so much friendliness. After he was baptized all his friends.
• I made some sacrifices last week, and just in the last two days we received 2 referrals from members, the first time in a long time. This week we should be picking up 2 new investigators.
• I think we definitely have seen the blessings that have come with sacrifice as we have found 7 new investigators in the last two weeks.
• On Sunday we had a wonderful opportunity to go to a gospel essentials class where a less active couple we are working with came. It was an amazing lesson on prayer and they both were asking questions and everyone opened up to them and both felt extremely welcomed. It was amazing. Also the teacher also brought her inactive daughter in law along (which we had no idea) and she opened up and said she had an amazing feeling and said she now wanted you come back to church. And she hadn’t been to church in 20 years!!! It was awesome.
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