Keep the battery charged

This week was disapointing for me, but seems to be going well for the elders.  I guess the reason I say disappointing for me is because I forgot to charge my phone Wednesday night and so it died while I was at work on Thursday.  When I turned my phone back on there was a message from the missionaries asking if I could go with them that night.  By the time I was able to call them back they were at their dinner appointment and they had made other arrangements.  I missed out on a great opportunity to feel of their testimony and the spirit they bring to their investigators.  Sad for me.  There must be some gosple principle that can be taught about being spiritually prepared by keeping my battery charged, so that I don't miss out on blessings.  - No, I still won't get a new phone, it's too much fun to have Elder U. and my nephews tease me about my old phone.

Great things are happening here, Elder U and Elder W were able to witness a baptism of one of their investigators and they have three other baptisms lined up in the next month or so.  They are working hard and they are being blessed for their work. 

I can't believe how fast time is going by, November is almost half over.  Before we know it, it will be Christmastime.  Which brings up a problem, I need ideas on what I can do special for the Elders this Christmas.  I would love any suggestions anyone might have.

Embarrassing story for the week... This p-day the elders came up to pick up their launndry and as they were going back down, one of the elders lost his footing and slid half-way down the stairs.  I guess he bruised his tailbone a bit, but nothing too bad, just a little hard to sit during their study time.  After he fell, he kind of laughed and said something like he liked our slide. 

That's about all for this week.
Remember to mention your missionaries in your prayers, pray for them by name.  I love our elders and will continue to pray for all of them.  The Lord is waiting to bless you, share your testimony with someone who needs to hear it.

Birthdays and Holidays

This week we celebrated a birthday for Elder U.  It's rare that we get to celebrate a birthday for an elder staying in our home, we are usually off by a few months or so, but this month the timing worked out and we were able to celebrate.  We invited them to dinner and then gave Elder U a tie tack, nothing much, just something to let him know that we care and that his birthday was not forgotten. 

This week was also Halloween and in this mission the elders don't proselyte the night of Halloween.  Instead they had a mission-wide conference with a speaker and then some activities to keep them out of the way of the trick-or-treaters.  It was also the end of the month and they were out of miles, so it was my pleasure to drive them to the conference.  I love it when I get to drive them around, then I can get an update on what they are doing in our area.  It sounds like they are working hard and having some success.  There is a gentleman they are teaching and it looks promising for his progress and they are teaching an investigator who is quite young, and so they are having fun coming up with little object lessons to make their point.

Life as a missionary is not always spirituality and preaching the gospel, there are challenges for the missionaries too.  Yesterday Elder W started having some ear pain or throat pain.  It seems like something that should be checked out, so I encouraged him to call the mission doctor to see what they recommend for him.  It is probably something as simple as strep throat, but even that would need antibiotics.  Anyway it wouldn't hurt if some extra prayers went out for him.  I'm sure everything will be fine, I will keep you informed.

So, this wasn't one of my best efforts.  It seems like time is just flying by faster and faster and so I run out of time to come up with things to write every week.  I am thinking about doing this on a monthly basis instead, but then I would probably forget and the blog would end.  Not the best option I think.

Okay, so enough rambling.  Time to end this.  As always, please keep (y)our missionaries in your prayers.  (To my friend the "Stealth Elder" - if you are reading this, please know that I am still praying for you by name and always will.  The church is true, God bless you).
Share your testimony with someone you love this week, and stay awesome.

Lord, How Is It Done?

We have had missionaries staying in our home for about 15 months now.  I find it very interesting to get to know the different personalities.  We have had elders who are a bit less motivated and are quite content to go to their appointments and meetings and not much more.  We have had some elders who are so driven that they get frustrated with themselves for not working hard enough even though every minute of their day is involved in missionary work.  I think I want to talk about the second type this week.

It is amazing to see how serious some elders are, even to the point of using their p-day to study the gospel and do missionary work, and then they get down on themselves for not doing enough.  They want perfection for themselves.  I admire their motivation, but it kind of makes me question their testimony.  I don’t mean this in a bad way, but do they really understand what they are teaching?  You can’t do it on your own!  Second Nephi chapter 31 verses 20-21 teaches that there is no other way except through Jesus Christ that we can be saved – you can’t save yourself.

I recently read in Enos of his “wrestle” with the spirit and how he cried in mighty prayer for his own soul.  The Lord forgave him of his sins and Enos’ guilt was swept away.  Enos was amazed and asked “Lord how is it Done?” -Enos1:7  The answer came that it was because of his faith in Christ.  Maybe this type of missionary needs to put a little more trust in the Lord and not put it all on themselves.

Wow, that was kind of heavy stuff…

Here’s what’s happening with our current elders.  It looks like there will soon be a baptism in our stake, a young person from a “counterculture” group in the area has accepted the challenge to be baptized, that is a happy event, and they will invite their whole family to the baptism so there will be lots of missionary opportunities there. 

The Elders have a new person whom they have been teaching the past two nights and all seems to be going well with that too. 

It looks like the hard work is paying its dividends and the drought of missionary opportunities is easing up a bit.

Sorry for missing last week, I was on vacation and had nothing to report.  Slightly amusing story for this week:  While I was on vacation, I asked the elders to feed the birds and fish.  All went well except that this time of year seems to be a great time for moss to build up in the pond, so the pump was draining small amounts of water over the edge and so I got a text asking what they should do.  I just asked them to keep refilling the pond.  I think they felt like it was their fault that the moss built up, but that’s not the case. 

Thank you for reading my blog.  Be awesome this week and share your faith with others.  As always pray for your missionary.

The Church is true, God Loves You!

This weekend has been spent with my sisters' families.  It is great to be a part of a wonderful extended family.  This morning my 14 year old nephew tells me about his experiences in seminary class.  He was challenged by his teacher to be friendly to people and so he told me about how he was trying to shake a girl's hand as she left the building, but she tried to avoid him.  He thought that she had actually left, but then he saw her, so he ran after her and shook her hand and said "the church is true,  God loves you!  So are they making the youth of today stronger in the faith, or was I just clueless when I was fourteen? 

I am shocked whenever I hear that some people actually believe that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are not christians.  Here we have all these missionaries all over the world and each one of them has a nametag which clearly states their name, and then the name Jesus Christ in bold letters right below it.  That is a small part of what it means to take upon you the name of Christ. 
We truly believe that there is NO OTHER name nor any other way whereby man can be saved, except by Jesus Christ.  Really, who could be more christian than a young man or woman who carries on their chest the name of Jesus Christ.

More Gratitude Give Me

I know it's too early to be talking about Thanksgiving and that is not really the topic of this weeks entry, but I am so very thankful for the experiences and friendships I have gained by inviting the missionaries to stay in my home.  I sometimes feel like a parent to these fine young men and, yes I do have my favorites.  I have recently heard of or from a couple of the missionaries who have lived in my home.  I couldn't be more proud of the fine examples they are.  Had I been as strong in the faith and honest with myself and the Lord as these missionaries are,  I would have been a much better missionary when I served.  Dear Elders who might be reading this blog, please know that I am praying for you right now by name and I ask the Lord's richest blessings to be upon you.

Humorous story for this week.  I went out to the back yard to feed the fish just as the elders drove up, that was my first mistake.  The second mistake was to ask them how their day was.  They responded that it was a great day and then Elder U. handed me a bag and said that they had a surprise for me.  As soon as I took the bag, I realized that it was a plate of cookies and told Elder U. that the cookies were for him and Elder W.  I tried to refuse the cookies, but then Elder U began reading Doctrine and Covenants 88:33 which states:  

For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift? Behold, he rejoices not in that which is given unto him, neither rejoices in him who is the giver of the gift.

So I ended up taking the cookies.  Oh, brother!  Next time my hands stay in my pockets!

Thank you for reading my blog.  Please continue to pray for all of our missionaries, and pray for missionary opportunities.  Share your testimony with someone who needs to hear it.  You will be blessed.  OYM (Open Your Mouth) and it shall be filled...

Don't be afraid to invite your friends to meet with the missionaries.  Missionaries have a sacred calling and they won't let you down.

Until next week...

With Blessings Unnumbered

This week my mom called me at work.  I wondered what was the matter?  She said, "I hope I'm not in trouble."  Then she proceeded to tell me that the housing coordinator for the missionaries had just called.  The sister on the phone told her that our committment would be up in December of this year and asked if we want them to find another place for the missionaries to live.  Mom's answer was very quick in comming and told the sister on the phone that the missionaries were welcome to stay in our home for as long as they need a place to stay.  The sister asked, for how long, six more months?  Mom just said, that they could stay for as long as they need us. 

There is no expiration date to our committment to serving the Lord or His missionaries.  I think that mom is afraid that they might take "her boys" away from her.  She has grown to love each one of these fine young men staying in our home.  I jokingly told her that it was my home and she couldn't commit me to such an obligation.  She knew that I was joking and that I love these choice servants of the Lord as much as she does.

The opportunity to house the missionaries brings with it many blessings.  The spirit of the Lord is strong in my home and the motivation for me to be a better person is also a great blessing.  We have made some great friends through all of this. 

Last night Elder K. stopped by to visit.  It was great to talk with him and hear that he is still strong in the gospel.  He finished his full-time service as a missionary in August and now he is going to college.  What is really cool is that he has been called to be the executive secretary to the Bishop in his student ward.  That calling has great responsibility and requires a lot of time away from studies, and yet he is doing better in school than before.  The Lord truly blesses those who serve.

I remember another great blessing which comes from having the elders live in my home.  I was given the very sacred and precious privilege to give a blessing to one of our elders.  (Nothing bad was happening- If you have ever been a full-time missionary you know that sometimes you just need a blessing).  What a wonderful honor it was for me to lay my hands on the head of one of Heavenly Father's chosen servants.  (These guys have the same charge as the members of the quorum of the twelve apostles).  The feeling of love in the room was so strong.  I feel like I was the one receiving the blessing and not the elder.  I thank him for that solemn privilege.

I loved the words of Elder Jeffery R. Holland of the Twelve Apostles in his talk to the priesthood last night.  What is really great is that he spoke of the importance of being worthy to serve.  He "got in the face" of the young men of the Aaronic priesthood, and then he told the older men that they are not exempt from the challenge either.  If you are a parent of a young man make sure that he understands the importance of being ready in ALL ways to serve the Lord.  Who knows, maybe one day I will be talking about YOUR son and how he sneaks around the house at 10:00pm to come to the laundry room to get his clothes without waking mom. 

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is true!  You have a testimony, why not share it?  It won't diminish when you share it, instead it will grow, and so will your love for your neighbor.

Please pray for our missionaries.  Mention them by name when you pray to Our Heavenly Father and He will bless them. 

Thanks to all who share their sons and daughters and grandpas and grandmas with the work of the Lord.

Precious Resources

When a missionary receives his or her missionary call letter it says:  "You will also be expected to devote all your time and attention to serving the Lord, leaving behind all other personal affairs.."  Elder U. and Elder W. are perfect examples of this challenge.  They spend all their time dedicated to missionary work.  Everything they do has as its purpose to serve the Lord.  Last week the district had an exchange where Elder W. went to work with another elder in the district and a different elder came to work with Elder U.  Well, during this exchange, the phone ended up with the wrong elder and so Elder U. borrowed my phone to arrange to get their phone back.  What I found interesting was that Elder U. worked hard to waste as little time and car mileage as possible.  It seems he consider these as precious resources of the Lord.  They don't want to waste time that should be spent studying or preaching the gospel and they don't want to waste gas that has been purchased for the sacred work of preaching the gospel on something like this.  It is awesome to see how serious some of our missionaries are about the work of the Lord.

Okay, now for the funny part of this story.  I was working in the garage and Elder U. came in and asked if he could borrow my phone, I asked if he wanted to use the landline or just use my cell phone?  I warned him that my cell phone is kind of old (my nephews are always teasing me that I need to get a new phone -and Elder U. knows about the teasing), so I gave him my cell phone and he kind of laughed about the phone, but what really made him laugh was when I pulled out the antenna for him (yes, my phone is so old that it still has an extendable antenna).  So, he uses the phone and makes the proper arrangements, and when he hands me the phone back, he said "wait" and makes a point to show me that he has to push the antenna back down.  I accused him of mocking me.  But, it's all good, he meant it in a good way and I am glad that he feels comfortable enough to tease me.  He is only about three years older than one my nephews and so I am glad that for the teasing.

Pretty quiet week otherwise. 

The Gospel is true and what these missionaries are doing is important.  The Atonement of Christ is real.  If I could just understand how important the Atonement of Christ really is, I would probably be more motivated to do missionary work like Elder U. and Elder W.
Stay awesome this week.  Share your testimony with someone you love.  I am so very motivated to hear the words of our prophet next Saturday and Sunday.  Don't forget to listen to General Conference.  That recharges me like nothing else. 
May the Lord bless all of our missionaries.

Matthew, remember what I said about being nice to the Elders in your area.  They probably have a little brother at home they miss too.