This week was full of ups and downs for me. I thought this
missionary thing was simple. Our purpose is to invite others to come
unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in
Jesus Christ and His atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift
of the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end. We recite that every morning
along with the Vision of the South. It seems super simple right? It is
simply hard! I know I can do hard things but down here the people
believe in most of that purpose already. It is difficult to have them
read the Book of Mormon an pray about it so then all that we taught them
can fall into place. If they know the Book of Mormon is true, they know
Joseph Smith was a true prophet, and if they know that, then God's
kingdom is here on this earth today. (Last two paragraphs of the
introduction) Elder Ihler and I talk about how crazy lucky we are to
have been born in the one true church. Think about it, you are one in 15
million members, one in 7 billion people and in this time through out
history! We are so lucky! We have the priesthood! Let's exercise that
priesthood and grow in it.
This week we built some more of the deck at the Coakley's. When we finished there we went over to the Ravenberg's to mow their lawn. They are currently out of town. While we were mowing, this old guy, Jim, who is their neighbor, came up to us and told us we were an answer to his prayer. He had been praying for someone to mow his own lawn and right as he was done praying he saw us! The Lord knows how to put people in your path. We got to talking with him and he kept wanting to pay us. We used the missionary currency and told him we couldn't accept money, but he could pay us by coming to church. He thought we were clever missionaries. He agreed but then he didn't show up to church on Sunday. This leads me to my next point ....
I have been so sad that we cannot get anyone to baptism. All the people we have spoken to have some reason not to accept the message. I have been getting pretty frustrated because I feel like we are trying so hard! Why hasn't anyone accepted it yet? This past week there have been two things I realized that I want to remember. While I was complaining all week I missed the first time the Lord tried to help me. On Wednesday we were studying Enos for our Book of Mormon study. The first 3 verses talk about how Enos remembered what his father said. The Lord is always working on people to help them grow. He is the ultimate gardener. Enos was converted because his father taught him the gospel throughout his whole life. We must never give up on people. I didn't realize that because I was too frustrated. The second thought came to me on Sunday, and this one really hit me. A high council men was recounting his story about his conversion. It took him 14 years to be converted. His brother gave him a Book of Mormon and it took 14 years later for him to be effected by that gesture. All those years his brother taught him about how to feel the Holy Ghost but he never pressed it on him. He eventually had a spiritual experience with some missionaries and that was what finally clicked for him. That following Sunday he was baptized. What I learned, and what God has been trying to get through my thick skull, is that even if we are not baptizing a lot of people we are still helping the Lord grow his crop. It took that man a long time but the missionaries, combined with the placement of a Book of Mormon, had an effect on his life several years later. We just never know the effect we have on people. It is all in God's plan. We must never give up and know that one day God will have a way for them to be converted. (D&C 4:4)
This week I went fishing on Pday and I am going again tomorrow. I caught a bluegill .... those fins are sharp! I also had this random thought come to my head while I was biking. I have killed so many bugs on my mission already, do you think they will all be there when I am judged? Hahaha!! While I was thinking this random though, a bug flew in my mouth while I was singing. I really miss the west where bugs are actually normal size, not these huge ones over here. I feel like if one of those giant black wasps stung me then I might just amputate wherever the sting was because it would hurt so bad.
Until next time! Good luck to all of you going to college! I kinda sorta know how you feel about leaving your home and family. If you ever want to chat write me an email. Also, to those of you starting school today good luck! Let me know how it all goes. Love you!
Elder QuiringThis week we built some more of the deck at the Coakley's. When we finished there we went over to the Ravenberg's to mow their lawn. They are currently out of town. While we were mowing, this old guy, Jim, who is their neighbor, came up to us and told us we were an answer to his prayer. He had been praying for someone to mow his own lawn and right as he was done praying he saw us! The Lord knows how to put people in your path. We got to talking with him and he kept wanting to pay us. We used the missionary currency and told him we couldn't accept money, but he could pay us by coming to church. He thought we were clever missionaries. He agreed but then he didn't show up to church on Sunday. This leads me to my next point ....
I have been so sad that we cannot get anyone to baptism. All the people we have spoken to have some reason not to accept the message. I have been getting pretty frustrated because I feel like we are trying so hard! Why hasn't anyone accepted it yet? This past week there have been two things I realized that I want to remember. While I was complaining all week I missed the first time the Lord tried to help me. On Wednesday we were studying Enos for our Book of Mormon study. The first 3 verses talk about how Enos remembered what his father said. The Lord is always working on people to help them grow. He is the ultimate gardener. Enos was converted because his father taught him the gospel throughout his whole life. We must never give up on people. I didn't realize that because I was too frustrated. The second thought came to me on Sunday, and this one really hit me. A high council men was recounting his story about his conversion. It took him 14 years to be converted. His brother gave him a Book of Mormon and it took 14 years later for him to be effected by that gesture. All those years his brother taught him about how to feel the Holy Ghost but he never pressed it on him. He eventually had a spiritual experience with some missionaries and that was what finally clicked for him. That following Sunday he was baptized. What I learned, and what God has been trying to get through my thick skull, is that even if we are not baptizing a lot of people we are still helping the Lord grow his crop. It took that man a long time but the missionaries, combined with the placement of a Book of Mormon, had an effect on his life several years later. We just never know the effect we have on people. It is all in God's plan. We must never give up and know that one day God will have a way for them to be converted. (D&C 4:4)
This week I went fishing on Pday and I am going again tomorrow. I caught a bluegill .... those fins are sharp! I also had this random thought come to my head while I was biking. I have killed so many bugs on my mission already, do you think they will all be there when I am judged? Hahaha!! While I was thinking this random though, a bug flew in my mouth while I was singing. I really miss the west where bugs are actually normal size, not these huge ones over here. I feel like if one of those giant black wasps stung me then I might just amputate wherever the sting was because it would hurt so bad.
Until next time! Good luck to all of you going to college! I kinda sorta know how you feel about leaving your home and family. If you ever want to chat write me an email. Also, to those of you starting school today good luck! Let me know how it all goes. Love you!
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