So This week I got the opportunity to give Elder U and Elder B2 a ride to an appointment (since their area doubled they are frequently short of miles). I am VERY impressed with Elder U as a trainer. Here he has a brand new training elder in Elder B2 who has been out five and a half weeks and already Elder B2 is making all the calls and running the show.
As we arrived at the appointment Elder U offered a wonderful prayer (before we left the car) and when we went in to the appointment Elder B2 did all the talking. He presented a wonderful message and worked hard to bring the spirit into that home. After the message the person we were visiting asked for a blessing. I don't recall all of the words of the blessing which Elder B2 spoke, but it really touched her feelings. She committed to attend church this Sunday and the spirit was very strong there. I am truly blessed for being able to witness a small part of what these elders do!
This opportunity to go with the missionaries brought back lots of memories (both good and not so good). I remembered the stress I would feel wondering what I should say - if anything. But I remember the feeling you get when testimony of the love of our Savior is being shared. That wonderful, sweet, peaceful assurance that the gospel is true, that God lives and that Jesus Christ is indeed our Savior. What these missionaries are doing is good! The work is important. The Lord has reserved His most precious children for this time and I have had the opportunity to witness greatness.
May the Lord bless each who reads this blog. BE AWESOME this week. Always remember, the Lord loves missionaries, missionaries love referrals. Share the love- share your testimony- give a missionary a referral.
Smile at someone you don't know.
This is a blog about my experiences hosting Elders who are full-time missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also called Mormons.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Challenges and Blessings
I'm late posting this week's entry. I just haven't had much to report on. I am struggling with what to say, so this will be a rather odd posting.
Friday I learned that Elder U and B2 had 4 lessons to teach and that there was a possibility to maybe commit two people to baptism. Well three of the four appointments cancelled. That's kind of a let down, but that will not deter these fine young men in their efforts to share the important message of truth they are offering. Saturday was a much better day, they even taught an entire family. A few weeks ago when they came up to visit, the elders asked me if I was able to teach any families while I was a missionary. That brought back some very fond memories and almost immediately my memory went back to Potosi, Bolivia and the wonderful family that my companion and I were blessed to teach. It was difficult at first, but they finally listened with the desire to learn and they were baptized. That is a very fond memory, even in spite of the fact that the baptismal font there was a concrete box that we filled with water that we had to put a rag over the faucet so that it would filter out the little red worms. It was all worth it just for the memory of that family accepting the gospel. That family was a great strength to the branch of the church in Potosi. I certainly hope that they are still active in the church, but they were so strong, that I can't imagine that they would be anything else.
I tell this story because we get challenges all the time, especially as missionaries, but the blessings will come.
Doctrine and Covenants 95:1 "Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you whom I love, and whom I alove I also chasten that their sins may be bforgiven, for with the cchastisement I prepare a way for their ddeliverance in all things out of etemptation, and I have loved you—"
I'm not saying that there is any sin involved with what the Elder U and Elder B2 are doing. Rather it feels like there is something big in store for these two servants of the Lord. They are doing everything right. They study the gospel like hebrew scholars, they search for opportunities to teach in everything they do - even to the point of stopping at a yard sale and finding a new person to teach. They spend their free time in planning how best to serve the people in this area. The apartment is spotless, it has never been cleaner! There is nothing amiss in their situation, yet they are being tried.
The deliverance will come, and they will be blessed for their sacrifices. It may be other elders who benefit from their hard work, but that isn't the point, they aren't here for their glory, they are here to serve the Lord and bring souls to Him, what does it matter who does the actual ordinances, it is the people who are brought back to God that matter. We are all children of our Heavenly Father and if we can help one another get in a better position to return to Him then it is our responsibility to do just that. I challenge each of you to do as these missionaries are doing and take the challenge to OYM - Open Your Mouth. I first heard that challenge from Hartman Rector Jr. of the Seventy when I lived in San Diego and his challenge was to not miss the opportunity to share the gospel with everyone and anyone. He quoted the scripture that says to "open your mouths and they shall be filled." That takes a GREAT deal of faith, but if you do it, the Holy Ghost will help you know what to say. I put that challenge to the test years ago, on an airplane heading to Salt Lake City of all places, I brought up the topic of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the person I was sitting next to. As we got off the airplane I offered a Book of Mormon and he accepted it - he even said that he would read it.
The Gospel is true, it is the most important thing on this earth. You have IT, you need to share it. The gospel is something that you can give away and still keep. Do IT.
Remember, the Lord loves missionaries (even the armchair quarterback type) and missionaries love referrals. Share the love share a referral. Help your friends find the most important thing they can find in this life.
Do you have comments for me? e-mail me eldersinmyhome@gmail.com
Have a wonderful week.
Friday I learned that Elder U and B2 had 4 lessons to teach and that there was a possibility to maybe commit two people to baptism. Well three of the four appointments cancelled. That's kind of a let down, but that will not deter these fine young men in their efforts to share the important message of truth they are offering. Saturday was a much better day, they even taught an entire family. A few weeks ago when they came up to visit, the elders asked me if I was able to teach any families while I was a missionary. That brought back some very fond memories and almost immediately my memory went back to Potosi, Bolivia and the wonderful family that my companion and I were blessed to teach. It was difficult at first, but they finally listened with the desire to learn and they were baptized. That is a very fond memory, even in spite of the fact that the baptismal font there was a concrete box that we filled with water that we had to put a rag over the faucet so that it would filter out the little red worms. It was all worth it just for the memory of that family accepting the gospel. That family was a great strength to the branch of the church in Potosi. I certainly hope that they are still active in the church, but they were so strong, that I can't imagine that they would be anything else.
I tell this story because we get challenges all the time, especially as missionaries, but the blessings will come.
Doctrine and Covenants 95:1 "Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you whom I love, and whom I alove I also chasten that their sins may be bforgiven, for with the cchastisement I prepare a way for their ddeliverance in all things out of etemptation, and I have loved you—"
I'm not saying that there is any sin involved with what the Elder U and Elder B2 are doing. Rather it feels like there is something big in store for these two servants of the Lord. They are doing everything right. They study the gospel like hebrew scholars, they search for opportunities to teach in everything they do - even to the point of stopping at a yard sale and finding a new person to teach. They spend their free time in planning how best to serve the people in this area. The apartment is spotless, it has never been cleaner! There is nothing amiss in their situation, yet they are being tried.
The deliverance will come, and they will be blessed for their sacrifices. It may be other elders who benefit from their hard work, but that isn't the point, they aren't here for their glory, they are here to serve the Lord and bring souls to Him, what does it matter who does the actual ordinances, it is the people who are brought back to God that matter. We are all children of our Heavenly Father and if we can help one another get in a better position to return to Him then it is our responsibility to do just that. I challenge each of you to do as these missionaries are doing and take the challenge to OYM - Open Your Mouth. I first heard that challenge from Hartman Rector Jr. of the Seventy when I lived in San Diego and his challenge was to not miss the opportunity to share the gospel with everyone and anyone. He quoted the scripture that says to "open your mouths and they shall be filled." That takes a GREAT deal of faith, but if you do it, the Holy Ghost will help you know what to say. I put that challenge to the test years ago, on an airplane heading to Salt Lake City of all places, I brought up the topic of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the person I was sitting next to. As we got off the airplane I offered a Book of Mormon and he accepted it - he even said that he would read it.
The Gospel is true, it is the most important thing on this earth. You have IT, you need to share it. The gospel is something that you can give away and still keep. Do IT.
Remember, the Lord loves missionaries (even the armchair quarterback type) and missionaries love referrals. Share the love share a referral. Help your friends find the most important thing they can find in this life.
Do you have comments for me? e-mail me eldersinmyhome@gmail.com
Have a wonderful week.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Progressing
It's kind of hard to get much to put on this blog when I rarely get to talk to the elders. This week I did get to talk with them and it was nice to spend a few minutes with them. I was sitting on the front porch, studying for a class I had to take for work and Elder U. and Elder B2 had just come home for the evening. I was just expecting them to go down to their apartment, but instead they came around to the front and talked with me for a minute. They asked if they could come by the next p-day and maybe play a game or something so that we could get to know them a little better. Wow, I would think that they would rather spend their p-day doing other things, but I'm not complaining. I love spending time talking with the missionaries, it builds me up. So the next p-day we played Chicken Foot (you play it with dominoes) and had a lot of fun. It was nice to hear more about them and the work they are doing, and it was fun to see them a little less serious.
I did learn that their area about doubled in size during this last transfer. They now cover 2 stakes instead of just one. That explains why they were teaching a family from outside our area- (at least I thought it was outside our area.) They are getting lots of referrals and having trouble following up on all of them in a timely manner. Last night I asked them about one referral our bishop got from our ward and they said that they haven't been able to make contact with them. I asked if it would help to have Priests (16-18 year old priesthood holders) split up with them so that they could do double the work. My nephew went out on splits with Elder K. and had a wonderful experience. They said that last night it would have made it easier to make all of their appointments. I kind of chewed them out and said that if they needed help and they were desperate they could ask me to go with one of them. They actually said they would think about it. (I would still love to have that opportunity). Our ward executive secretary spent a few days in Texas last month and didn't have anything to do, so he went on splits with the missionaries down there, he had a great experience and spoke very fondly about it.
Tonight the elders came home and said that they just found a new investigator. They happened by a yard sale and the lady there told them that she had received the missionary lessons and she wants to continue learning, so could they please start teaching her. What do you say to that? Well duh, yeah! Well be right over. So they are pretty stoked about that. I am so very happy that all the hard work they have been putting into this area is finally paying off for them, the Lord is blessing them. Thank all of you for your prayers in their behalf.
Please continue to pray for all of our missionaries. They need the blessings, they deserve the blessings and the people they will teach because of your prayers need the blessings.
Remember, the Lord loves missionaries. Missionaries love referrals. Share the love, give a missionary a referral.
May God bless you this week.
I did learn that their area about doubled in size during this last transfer. They now cover 2 stakes instead of just one. That explains why they were teaching a family from outside our area- (at least I thought it was outside our area.) They are getting lots of referrals and having trouble following up on all of them in a timely manner. Last night I asked them about one referral our bishop got from our ward and they said that they haven't been able to make contact with them. I asked if it would help to have Priests (16-18 year old priesthood holders) split up with them so that they could do double the work. My nephew went out on splits with Elder K. and had a wonderful experience. They said that last night it would have made it easier to make all of their appointments. I kind of chewed them out and said that if they needed help and they were desperate they could ask me to go with one of them. They actually said they would think about it. (I would still love to have that opportunity). Our ward executive secretary spent a few days in Texas last month and didn't have anything to do, so he went on splits with the missionaries down there, he had a great experience and spoke very fondly about it.
Tonight the elders came home and said that they just found a new investigator. They happened by a yard sale and the lady there told them that she had received the missionary lessons and she wants to continue learning, so could they please start teaching her. What do you say to that? Well duh, yeah! Well be right over. So they are pretty stoked about that. I am so very happy that all the hard work they have been putting into this area is finally paying off for them, the Lord is blessing them. Thank all of you for your prayers in their behalf.
Please continue to pray for all of our missionaries. They need the blessings, they deserve the blessings and the people they will teach because of your prayers need the blessings.
Remember, the Lord loves missionaries. Missionaries love referrals. Share the love, give a missionary a referral.
May God bless you this week.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Very Pleasant Surprise
Yesterday the district had missionary exchanges. That's where one missionary goes and spends a day or so with another missionary and so forth, so that the companionships get split up and can learn from other elders. Well, yesterday when the missionaries drove up, I was didn't really see who was there, but when he got out of the car, I saw Elder M. (from Mexico) he was staying with us in the November-December time frame. Wow was it good to see him. He was brand new when he was with us. It was great to catch up on what he is up to. He was one that was hard for my mom to say good bye to also.
They only visited for a few minutes, but it gave us a chance to hear about what is happening with the missionary work in our area. (Elder U. is afraid to visit with us, he is all about work, work, work). Anyway, we found out that they are getting lots of referrals from the leaders in the area and have about 35-45 referrals to follow up on. That will keep them busy for a while. They are checking back on a family that stopped getting taught and think that this family might be receptive to their message, that is great.
Elder U. and Elder B2 spent a week mainly riding around on their bikes, instead of traveling by car. That gave them the opportunity to be more visible to the people in the area. As they were out, they stopped people on the street and asked them about the church and if they were members they asked for referrals. That helped them to get some more possibilities for people to teach. So I guess their hard work is paying off.
Whenever we do get to talk with Elder U. and Elder B2. (they are never separated- that's the way it is supposed to be) they are always asking if there is anything they can do for us and I always say no, but last night when Elder U. and Elder M. were up, I first said no, but later thought how nice it would be for them to leave us with an evening prayer before going to bed. What a wonderful blessing Elder U. left on our home and family. I won't miss that opportunity again.
It really is a blessing to have the missionaries live in my home. I love having them here and it really brings the spirit. If any of you readers are given the opportunity to have the missionaries stay with you, take the opportunity, you will be blessed.
I pray the Lord's choicest blessing on all of you. Keep praying for our missionaries everywhere. Remember: The Lord loves missionaries, missionaries love referrals. Show the love, share a referral. MAKE IT A GREAT WEEK.
They only visited for a few minutes, but it gave us a chance to hear about what is happening with the missionary work in our area. (Elder U. is afraid to visit with us, he is all about work, work, work). Anyway, we found out that they are getting lots of referrals from the leaders in the area and have about 35-45 referrals to follow up on. That will keep them busy for a while. They are checking back on a family that stopped getting taught and think that this family might be receptive to their message, that is great.
Elder U. and Elder B2 spent a week mainly riding around on their bikes, instead of traveling by car. That gave them the opportunity to be more visible to the people in the area. As they were out, they stopped people on the street and asked them about the church and if they were members they asked for referrals. That helped them to get some more possibilities for people to teach. So I guess their hard work is paying off.
Whenever we do get to talk with Elder U. and Elder B2. (they are never separated- that's the way it is supposed to be) they are always asking if there is anything they can do for us and I always say no, but last night when Elder U. and Elder M. were up, I first said no, but later thought how nice it would be for them to leave us with an evening prayer before going to bed. What a wonderful blessing Elder U. left on our home and family. I won't miss that opportunity again.
It really is a blessing to have the missionaries live in my home. I love having them here and it really brings the spirit. If any of you readers are given the opportunity to have the missionaries stay with you, take the opportunity, you will be blessed.
I pray the Lord's choicest blessing on all of you. Keep praying for our missionaries everywhere. Remember: The Lord loves missionaries, missionaries love referrals. Show the love, share a referral. MAKE IT A GREAT WEEK.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
We finally got Elder U. to use the piano this week. He is practicing so that he can help the elders in the mission choir learn their part for a musical number they are doing. They are singing the Battle Hymn of the Republic. I asked what I had to do to get invited to hear this performance, but got nowhere with that request. I did find out that it is for the mission conference this week.
We didn't leave Elder B2 out of the musical stuff. This past p-day he went up and borrowed a guitar from my nephew just for fun. (I was begining to wonder if these elders know how to have fun, it's all work for them). I wasn't home for the piano or guitar playing, so I feel really left out, but that's okay, these elders are finally starting to open up just a little.
I don't normally go down to "inspect" the apartment, so when Elder U told me about a leaky faucet in the kitchen in their apartment, I went down to look at it. We tightened up a fitting and that fixed the leak, but it must have been leaking for a little time because it looked like there was some deterioration of the caulking around the sink. So on my next day available I went down and recaulked their sink. We planned it so that they wouldn't be home when I worked on their sink so that I wouldn't get in their way. Anyway when I got down there the sink was full of dirty dishes. (When you recaulk a sink you are supposed to keep it dry for 24 hours). Well I couldn't just leave them with dirty dishes that they couldn't wash, so I washed their dishes. When they got home and discovered the washed dishes of course they thanked me and asked if there wasn't something they could do to get back at me for doing their dishes. Of course I refused anything, (What I would really like is what I posted on an earlier blog and that is to spend time with them either in companion study or go on splits with them to hear their testimony and hear them teach. That would be pay above an beyond anything I could provide for them.)
It seems like these Elder U. and Elder B2 are being challenged more than most. They appear to be working very hard, at least that's what I see, but they aren't having much success finding people to teach. I don't know how all this stuff works, so I am trying to be patient but sometimes you wonder why the blessings don't come. I have been reading the mission president's blog and he keeps promising blessings. This weekend the mission president has called for a mission wide fast and I love the way he words his request, he said:
Always remember: The Lord loves missionaries and missionaries love referrals. Share the love.
We didn't leave Elder B2 out of the musical stuff. This past p-day he went up and borrowed a guitar from my nephew just for fun. (I was begining to wonder if these elders know how to have fun, it's all work for them). I wasn't home for the piano or guitar playing, so I feel really left out, but that's okay, these elders are finally starting to open up just a little.
I don't normally go down to "inspect" the apartment, so when Elder U told me about a leaky faucet in the kitchen in their apartment, I went down to look at it. We tightened up a fitting and that fixed the leak, but it must have been leaking for a little time because it looked like there was some deterioration of the caulking around the sink. So on my next day available I went down and recaulked their sink. We planned it so that they wouldn't be home when I worked on their sink so that I wouldn't get in their way. Anyway when I got down there the sink was full of dirty dishes. (When you recaulk a sink you are supposed to keep it dry for 24 hours). Well I couldn't just leave them with dirty dishes that they couldn't wash, so I washed their dishes. When they got home and discovered the washed dishes of course they thanked me and asked if there wasn't something they could do to get back at me for doing their dishes. Of course I refused anything, (What I would really like is what I posted on an earlier blog and that is to spend time with them either in companion study or go on splits with them to hear their testimony and hear them teach. That would be pay above an beyond anything I could provide for them.)
It seems like these Elder U. and Elder B2 are being challenged more than most. They appear to be working very hard, at least that's what I see, but they aren't having much success finding people to teach. I don't know how all this stuff works, so I am trying to be patient but sometimes you wonder why the blessings don't come. I have been reading the mission president's blog and he keeps promising blessings. This weekend the mission president has called for a mission wide fast and I love the way he words his request, he said:
I am calling upon all missionaries to join this Sunday in a special fast to call down the blessings of heaven. Pray for the Lord to forgive us of our short comings and to purify us.Some may think that the president is calling his missionaries to repentance, but I don't think so. To me it seems that he is asking the missionaries to pray for and then receive a miracle from Heaven. I hope you can all join with me in echoing those prayers of our missionaries. May the Lord open the Heavens and pour down blessings on our missionaries.
Pray to help us rededicate our lives to the work we have covenanted to do. Pray that He will then pour down His blessings so we can enjoy the success that we yearn for.
Always remember: The Lord loves missionaries and missionaries love referrals. Share the love.
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