A Mormon, a Catholic, an Adventist and an Evangelist.

Well, this has been another really good week that I have enjoyed here with Elder Moore!! 

On Friday, we had divisions and I left to go with Elder Lindow in his sector for the day which was great!! We taught some really good lessons and we had a great day overall! We also made brownies once we got home!

ON Saturday, we had arguably one of the most successful working days on my mission. We shared with our neighbors after lunch and we were able to talk about the restoration and answer their questions that they had about the missionaries and our religion as it was the first time any of them had spoken with missionaries (they moved in a few weeks ago). They were of three different religions; Catholic, Adventist, and Evangelist. Really cool to listen to their different views and perspective on certain things we shared.

Later, we met and shared with the niece of a member that moved in just days prior to us stopping by. She talked about how she saw good values in church members and wanted her son to grow up with strong values in a tough world. We expressed and talked about the children’s and youth programs that we have and she had lots of interest! We will be passing by this week to see her again!

 After that, we went to a family home evening with a family we met the week before. The dad is a member and the mom and daughters are not. We talked about the plan of salvation and we read a letter from God! It was a really neat letter that Elder Moore had used in one of his previous wards. It talked about us being in his presence right before we left and how he anxiously waits for us to do the things he wants us to do and to obey the commandments. After reading the letter, you could tell that it had left them thinking about it. Looking at it from Gods perspective really helped them grasp it a little better! I think It helps all of us. As we imagine a loving Heavenly Father concerned for His children that make bad decisions, He is just as much pleased, appreciative, and joyful when His children obey Him and honor Him by obeying and sticking to the plan. I see a lot of opinions and different insights and lifestyles. Many people choose to live their lives how they wish or want. To me, I find it important to live it how God wants me to. Following His plan brings true joy and eternal happiness.

I am really looking forward to this weekend with the opportunity to sustain and hear from our Prophet and other church leaders!

Elder Moore, Pierre and Quenne

Well, another week in the books...It was a really good one that I enjoyed with Elder Moore. I am not sure If I’ve talked about him but Elder Moore is from Wyoming!!! And a great missionary! I am really going to enjoy my service with him over the next month and potentially future time here.

We have been working lots with our member lists going back and checking to see if the members live in their houses, if they have moved out, and or how we can help them in what they need.

So, we met a family that lives fairly close to where we live and we got to go in and meet with the dad who was really nice. We talked about his work profession because Elder Moore had worked in something along those same lines that he did for his job, and we planned a family home evening with the family (mom and two daughters) who are not members of the church for this upcoming Saturday! We are stoked to be working and visiting with them now!

We also had stake conference this week where I sang in the choir with the youth of the stake. Our Bishops wife REALLY wanted our help so we obliged to help and sing. It turned out well and the stake conference was great! We had an investigator show up who’s the cousin of a member that’s a recent convert. He really enjoyed it as well!!

On Monday, we had divisions and I had the opportunity to go on divisions with Elder Elmont who is from Utah and a great missionary who is in his training!! We had a great day, talked with lots of people, and we had a lesson with Pierre and we reset his baptismal date and he is much more motivated now! 

I also had the chance to go back and visit with Quenne today and it was awesome to see her and Diego!!! (her newborn son). I really enjoyed it and it was wonderful to see and talk with her for a few hours!!!!

Alfonso's Baptism and Perserverance

·       Well, this week was one for the books!!! We had an incredible one!! Thursday and Friday and really Saturday, were some really rough days of contacts and finding efforts that we didn’t see too much success with....They were tougher days but we kept on trucking and working hard. However, we didn’t see the fruits of our works. Our lessons fell, we got rejected time after time at the door, and it was hot! As I was working, I was thinking back to our area president, Elder Braggs, comments to us in a zone conference about trusting the process. That if we do good things, success will eventually come! As those tough days came, I thought about that as well as the Michael Jordan video about how his failures gave him strength that after missing thousands of shots, losing hundreds of games, missing the game winning shot, he found success in that and it helped him become a better player! I look at it like that here as a missionary. After getting denied so many times, not seeing success, it helps to develop me into a better missionary allowing me to strive to be better and to know that eventually success will come. But it only comes through grit and hard work. As elder Holland says, Gods opportunities are man’s extremity!! Which is so true!! 

                        

And the good always comes after the bad! We had a baptism of Alfonso this weekend and I was filled with Joy and Happiness for him!! Such a cool experience to see that happen! Elder Scott baptized him and he was filled with emotion! Highlight of the week for sure! Alfonso has been going to church for some time now and its cool to see it all come full circle!!! I am really excited for the decision that he has made! 

Those moments are always gratifying to witness as a missionary! Seeing others joy in the gospel makes every failure or mission difficulty worth it

We had changes and I am with Elder Moore from Wyoming!! We are really excited for this change and the great things that will happen!!! Time to get to work.

Seeing Elder McKane is always a great thing

 Cool new scripture case I had made