Hi people!
A lot has happened this week. Good and bad like usual. It has been kind of a struggle to stay healthy. Despite the health struggles we had a good week I'd say. We have lost a few investigators that stopped progressing but others are also progressing now so that is the good news.
Can I just say that some of our investigators are prolly the coolest people I've met on my mission. Sooo down to earth and honest. They admitted they have been slacking on their reading but felt bad about it because they knew it was helping them. We talked about obedience to God's commandments and the blessings that come. I bore testimony of tithing and how I somehow got jobs and money when I shouldn't have in college times and how God gave me all the blessings I needed to pay for my schooling without a cent from mom and dad. Then we read Malachi 3 with her in which God says, paraphrased, "try me and see if I won't bless you." Our investigator then was like, "well I guess it is pretty obvious what I need to do." Such faith I've seen very rarely on my mission. That is incredible to me. AMAZING
Elder A and I exchanged this week and that was a really good experience. Elder A is a great example to me. His leadership and work ethic have been a great thing for our apartment. Elders R and J got to work together for the day and I think it was a really positive thing for both companionships to learn from each other.
A lot has happened this week. Good and bad like usual. It has been kind of a struggle to stay healthy. Despite the health struggles we had a good week I'd say. We have lost a few investigators that stopped progressing but others are also progressing now so that is the good news.
Can I just say that some of our investigators are prolly the coolest people I've met on my mission. Sooo down to earth and honest. They admitted they have been slacking on their reading but felt bad about it because they knew it was helping them. We talked about obedience to God's commandments and the blessings that come. I bore testimony of tithing and how I somehow got jobs and money when I shouldn't have in college times and how God gave me all the blessings I needed to pay for my schooling without a cent from mom and dad. Then we read Malachi 3 with her in which God says, paraphrased, "try me and see if I won't bless you." Our investigator then was like, "well I guess it is pretty obvious what I need to do." Such faith I've seen very rarely on my mission. That is incredible to me. AMAZING
Elder A and I exchanged this week and that was a really good experience. Elder A is a great example to me. His leadership and work ethic have been a great thing for our apartment. Elders R and J got to work together for the day and I think it was a really positive thing for both companionships to learn from each other.
We had a cool experience on our exchange. We planned a lesson on the priesthood and apostasy for an investigator who kind of has trouble understanding the need for our church. The man was humble which allowed the spirit to be there and we had an awesome lesson. The Joseph Smith story and some inspired questions brought the spirit strong. There was a long silence at the end and the man said, I know what I have to do. He committed to prepare himself for baptism through the correct power and authority from God. It was wayyy cool. I live for such spirit filled appointments.
My district is doing really well. Everyone's spirits seemed up at district meeting and everyone is working hard although half of them are going home this transfer. I'm super proud of this group for its faithfulness. They are also a lot of fun.
My companion is doing great. He is ready for me to go and to take over. He knows what he is doing and is a powerful servant of the Lord. Seriously excited to give him the reins.
Our focus this week is to step up our faith in our finding efforts. We want to stop finding new appointments and start finding people that will get baptized.
Sunday was great too. Had a few investigators at church. T finally made it after forever and she loved it. She is going to meet with the employment specialist again and try to get a job where she can make it on Sundays. I spoke in church about baptism. It went well I thought. I shared the story of the S family and how they sacrificed to make this covenant. Then we ate with one of my favorite families here which was a ton of fun.
Anyway this is the last week of the transfer! I'm almost certainly leaving so that will be bittersweet. Lots of goodbyes this week and hopefully this will all be more happy than sad. I really want this area to do well after I go. So many great experiences and people here.
So I must finsh, have a great week everyone!
Elder Clayton
November 5, 2012
So this week was great!
Tuesday we had a great appointment. We helped our investigator learn about receiving revelation and she really really loved it. It was hilarious too cause because of my sickness my voice was completely shot. But anyways she needs some help in getting answers to her prayers, about her family life and about the Book of Mormon. After reading in D&C 9 about studying it out, she decided for herself that she needed to read more in the Book of Mormon before she expected to get an answer. That was exactly what we knew she needed and we taught the doctrine and she applied it herself. Really cool lesson. One of those lessons that just make missionary work a joy. One where you can step back and say, that was teaching a person, not a lesson, by the spirit. When did I learn how to do that?!
We are meeting almost everyday with another investigator because it is really helping him and we have seen some real improvements with him this week. He is really super close right now to baptism. His last thing is just giving up smoking, which he is working on right now.
Thursday we had an intense lesson that really just got me thinking. My companion and I did everything we could but our investigator just wasn't getting it, he just keeps fighting it even though we know he feels the spirit. I think we both learned something about free agency that night and it was really intense. After the lesson it was just super clear to me how our choices determine everything. Probably some of the most intense pondering I've done in my life. I talked to my Father in Heaven about it for a while that night and everything just stood still.
Friday we had some sweet stuff happen. We gained contact with a wayyy awesome investigator again who had moved away for the summer but is back now, found some other cool people, and then had a great and hilarious time at our ward party. We brought a less active family with us and they seemed to really enjoy it. We just have a hilarious ward, I love it.
Saturday we did another service project in another city for this really old couple. They have a huge piece of land and the husband is 77 and still goes out and works everyday. I loved doing yard work of course and we all had a lot of fun as a district. I love our district. That night I was in a major pondering mood too and it was just one of those times where you feel like you are in unity with God. I felt the spirit basically the whole night telling me what to say in our appointments and found a way cool new person from a prompting to stop her on the street. Basically I'm learning a ton about the power of pondering and working through the spirit.
So those where the highlights from the week.
I'm sort of healthy, had some problems yesterday but ibuprofen works miracles. I'm happy cause I'm feeling the spirit. and things are good. In spite of major setbacks with certain investigators things are good.
Hope you all have a great week!!!
Tuesday we had a great appointment. We helped our investigator learn about receiving revelation and she really really loved it. It was hilarious too cause because of my sickness my voice was completely shot. But anyways she needs some help in getting answers to her prayers, about her family life and about the Book of Mormon. After reading in D&C 9 about studying it out, she decided for herself that she needed to read more in the Book of Mormon before she expected to get an answer. That was exactly what we knew she needed and we taught the doctrine and she applied it herself. Really cool lesson. One of those lessons that just make missionary work a joy. One where you can step back and say, that was teaching a person, not a lesson, by the spirit. When did I learn how to do that?!
We are meeting almost everyday with another investigator because it is really helping him and we have seen some real improvements with him this week. He is really super close right now to baptism. His last thing is just giving up smoking, which he is working on right now.
Thursday we had an intense lesson that really just got me thinking. My companion and I did everything we could but our investigator just wasn't getting it, he just keeps fighting it even though we know he feels the spirit. I think we both learned something about free agency that night and it was really intense. After the lesson it was just super clear to me how our choices determine everything. Probably some of the most intense pondering I've done in my life. I talked to my Father in Heaven about it for a while that night and everything just stood still.
Friday we had some sweet stuff happen. We gained contact with a wayyy awesome investigator again who had moved away for the summer but is back now, found some other cool people, and then had a great and hilarious time at our ward party. We brought a less active family with us and they seemed to really enjoy it. We just have a hilarious ward, I love it.
Saturday we did another service project in another city for this really old couple. They have a huge piece of land and the husband is 77 and still goes out and works everyday. I loved doing yard work of course and we all had a lot of fun as a district. I love our district. That night I was in a major pondering mood too and it was just one of those times where you feel like you are in unity with God. I felt the spirit basically the whole night telling me what to say in our appointments and found a way cool new person from a prompting to stop her on the street. Basically I'm learning a ton about the power of pondering and working through the spirit.
So those where the highlights from the week.
I'm sort of healthy, had some problems yesterday but ibuprofen works miracles. I'm happy cause I'm feeling the spirit. and things are good. In spite of major setbacks with certain investigators things are good.
Hope you all have a great week!!!
Elder Clayton
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