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.

Quiet Week

Nothing of note to report this week.  I haven't had much time to talk with the missionaries, so there isn't really anything to say. 

Time seems to be flying by and I have little time to compose something to write.  One thing funny that happened this week was when Elder U was getting out of the car and asked me if I wanted some cookies.  I said no, thanks.  He said that they were very good, but he couldn't eat them.  He said he was "allergic" to things with sugar in them, that they "caused his abdomen to swell up".  Pretty funny, and I thought this guy was all serious about the work, yet every once in a while he will suprise me with something that proves he is still a real person, who is just very serious about the work.

Sad story from yesterday...  So we are on the way home from church when mom gets this panicked look on her face.  She had forgotten to turn the oven on before leaving, so dinner was not cooked when we got home.  We had 21 people over for dinner and so there was a lot of food.  Sadly it was not cooked.  My niece rescued her by getting something else, but that left mom with uneaten food from what she had planned.  Lucky missionaries, they get leftovers today. 

Sorry for the short note this week.  I hope you read my entry from two weeks ago, it was much better but I messed up and it didn't post for some reason and so it was about a week late. 

Be Awesome this week.  Take good care of the missionaries in your area.  They are worth it.  Share your love, share your testimony. 
Continue to pray for your missionaries.

Surprising events?

I just noticed that last week's posting didn't make it to the blog for some reason.  I just posted it yesterday.  Sorry for that error.

Two weeks ago I told you about the elders surprising me one night while I was finishing up on the walls in the apartment.  So as a kind of payback I set up a little surprise for them and I guess it startled them a bit.  That's good, they deserved it.  So Monday night as usual Elder U and Elder B2 came up to get their laundry from the laundry room.  What was unusual is they snuck up very quietly.  I was sitting on the family room couch, reading and all of a sudden I hear this voice, right in my ear asking me "how's it going?"  I jumped out of the couch rather quickly.  That was pretty funny.  I guess they are getting to feel more at home here.  That's good I want them to feel at home, they work very hard all week long, so they need a place where they feel safe to just be themselves.

It seems like just when we are feeling comfortable with the elders living here, there is a change, and that's what happened this week.  Elder U is staying and Elder B2 is moving on to another area.  I am getting better at letting go of my missionaries, but it is still hard to say goodbye.

Wednesday Elder U got a new companion.  Again we get a brand new elder fresh from the MTC.  (I think this is the fifth brand new elder we have had in our home).  I guess this must be a good area to train new missionaries.  The new missionary is Elder W and he is from New Zealand.  My nephew likes him, he said to my mom "Grandma, he has the coolest accent."  If he passes the nephew test, then he must be okay. 

The Elders have been visitiing a family whose mother is a member of the church but does not actively attend church, so she has been very resistant to having her children be baptized.  This week the elders visited the family and they were allowed to teach a lesson to the family.  The teenager was especially interested in what they had to say and the mom allowed the missionaries to come back.  This is great progress.

There are over 50,000 full-time missionaries out spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ, you likely know one of them.  Pray for that missionary, mention him or her by name in your prayers to our Heavenly Father, He will bless them.

Take good care of the missionaries in your area, they deserve it.  Share your love, share the Gospel, invite the missionaries to teach your friends.
Be awesome this week.

Sowing and Reaping

I just learned of a lady that Elder U. and Elder B2. are teaching who is just waiting for a baptismal interview before she can be baptized.  So finally they are getting to see some of the fruits of their labor.  These guys work hard, I am glad to see that they are seeing the joy of another child of God finding the right path.

This past P-day Elder U and Elder B2 joined us for a "scone party"  we played a game and it was a great time to visit with our missionaries (a very rare treat for us), and I love to see them be a little less serious.  It has always been a tradition in our home to have the missionaries leave us with a message after dinner.  This time, instead of reading a scripture or a spiritual thought, they sang "I Know That My Redeemer Lives".  Wow! could I feel the spirit of that hymn, their voices blended beautifully.  They tell me that there are a few families that they are working with who are not comfortable with a formal missionary lesson, so instead these elders have a prayer and sing a hymn for these families.  These families need to be careful, because the spirit of the message of the hymns and their testimony is very strong.  If the families don't watch out they will be converted just through the music.  If nothing else the spirit (through music) the elders leave in the homes of these people will plant the beginnings of a testimony, and eventually there will be success for future missionaries.  Elder U and Elder B2 are sowing so hard they will need thimbles (okay, lame joke - get it sew, sow, thimble - lame I know).  But truly they are doing good and we are blessed for their work.

We got a very special treat this week.  The mom of one of the missionaries stopped by to meet the family who was blessed enough to have her son stay in their home.  We had a wonderful visit and it was great to learn more about the family life of such a great servant of the Lord.  If any mission leaders are reading this, don't worry, she didn't see her son, that is just too much of a distraction from the work and we don't want that.

So now I have a shout out to someone very special.  "Hey, Matthew!"  Thank you for sharing your very special brother with the people of this mission.  Your sacrifice is great and there are two years that you will be separated from your brother that you will never get back.  Please remember that missionaries leave their families for two years in order to bring families together for eternity.  Your brother is right where he needs to be and we love him very much, and I promise we will take good care of him.  Thank you for your sacrifice.  Oh, and be nice to the missionaries out there.

Here's something that just came to me last night as I was reading in the Book of Mormon.  1 Nephi 3:8 after Nephi commits to go and do what he is commanded to do it says

"And it came to pass that when my father had heard these words he was exceedingly glad, for he knew that I had been blessed of the Lord."

To me this compares to our great missionaries out serving the Lord.  There are at two Fathers who are very proud (pleased, or glad if you prefer) of their sons and daughters who sacrifice everything for one and a half to two years, totally devoted to the service of God and His children.  The Lord blesses these fine missionaries, and the people the missionaries serve are blessed too!

Thank you for reading my blog. 
God loves you. 
Stay awesome! 
The Lord loves missionaries, and missionaries love referrals. 
Please share that love by sharing the message of the Gospel with your friends and invite them to meet with the missionaries in your area.

Keep On the Path

Last night I was finishing up on the apartment (replacing the wall plates and hanging a picture) and while I was doing so, I hear this little rattle on the door.  I didn't think much about it, so I continued on with what I was doing.  When all at once two elders sprang into the apartment yelling.  No they weren't angry, they were scaring me.  I was apropriately startled and they had fun.  What's funny is that I totally didn't expect that from these elders.  They are very serious about everything they do, and so seeing them in that light last night was great. 

Elder U. and Elder B2 are doing very well and continue working hard.  They have a family they are teaching and all is going well there, but there is not a whole lot of success lately.  Some days I get a little frustrated when I see how dedicated these guys are and the hard work they put in studying and praying and seeking people to teach.  One day there will be the reward for their hard work, but today is not yet the day.

Late summer is a great time of year.  The garden is producing well and I have more tomatoes than I can handle.  I have a couple grape tomato bushes and they are really tasty.  I have been giving some to the missionaries and they act like I am giving them candy.  I am trying to get them to give some away to some of the people they are visiting, but so far it hasn't happened.  They are better missionaries than produce guys, and that is as it should be.

Sorry to have so little to say this week, but not much is happening lately.
 
Keep yourselves awesome.
Pray for the missionaries (mention them by name). 
Best wishes to all.  May God bless you this week.  Open you mouth and share the message with someone.  Keep our missionaries busy.

Amazing Love

You know the song Amazing Grace.  Well this isn't about that song.  There is a song And Can It Be where in the chorus it says "Amazing love, how can it be?  That Thou My Lord, would die for me."  This isn't about that song either, at least not really. 

So why did I title this week's blog "Amazing Love?"  I guess because I am kind of weird.  But here is an explanation of why I thought of the phrase amazing love:

Tuesday night I was outside feeding the fish in the pond and as I walked back to the house, I glanced down toward the basement and the blinds were not yet shut.  (Don't worry, the apartment is in the back of the house and the only ones who could see them would be me and the occasional raccoon that gets in the trash).  The elders had just arrived home and I could see them both, next to their desks, on their knees praying.  I couldn't hear the words of the prayer, but I have no doubt that part of that prayer was a blessing on the people who live in this area.  I'm sure they were praying for those they are trying to teach, and those who would be taught, if only someone would invite them to hear the words of these fine missionaries.  Anyway, it brought my mind to the question "Why would two nineteen year old young men (heck they are still boys) leave the fun of youth and school and home and girls and everything else, just to preach the gospel? 

JUST to preach the gospel???  No, I would say it is because of that gospel that they are out here.  Most missionaries today are serving because they can, not because they have to.  They feel the love of our Savior and want to share that love.  That's pretty amazing to me, isn't it to you?

My sisters decorated the apartment before the missionaries moved in a year ago.  One of the things they did was to put up a stencil on the wall of their bedroom that says "A man stands tallest when he starts the day on his knees."  These elders stand pretty tall! 

The progress in our area is slow.  I don't know what happened - just a few months ago there was a baptism almost every week, now they are struggling to find people to teach.  That's rough to take, but Elder U and Elder B2 are not letting it get them discouraged.  They are out there every day making appointments and pleading for referrals.  One day their hard work will pay off.  I'm sure you remember the story of Abinadai in the Book of Mormon.  He didn't do so well with the people he was teaching (understatement).  But he did touch the heart of one person and that was Alma and that one conversion resulted in thousands of people joining the church. 

That's about all for this week.  I wasn't home much so not a lot to report on.  The work continues and the Gospel is true!

I just want to throw out a question for everyone.  Do you love Jesus Christ?  How Much?  Enough to leave your home?
Kenneth Cope sings a song in his album A Prayer Unto Thee called "Because I Have Been Given Much" but he adds a verse:

Because of Thy Life's mission Lord, I too must serve.  I'll leave the comfort of my home to teach Thy Word. I'll seek Thy sheep who've gone astray, and those who've never known the way.  I will make Thy work, my work today.  I shall give love to those in need and show that love by word and deed. Thus, shall my thanks be thanks indeed.

You don't have to leave the comfort of your home, but you do need to leave your comfort zone and open your mouth.  Invite your friends to hear the message that is so important that tens of thousands of latter-day saint young men and women do leave the comfort of their homes to teach.  It's that important.

The Lord does have AMAZING love for all of us.  May we share that with others.
The Lord loves missionaries and missionaries love referrals.  DO IT.
Be amazing this week.
Don't forget to pray for the missionaries.  If you know a missionary who is out serving now, mention them in your prayers by name.  Be specific about the blessings you would have them receive.
Love to all.
Thanks for reading my blog.

Goals and Progression

Last week was fast Sunday and it was fantastic.  I was able to witness the miracle of the Atonement of Jesus Christ in action on the life of a member of our Ward.  (No specifics, but it was inspirational).  While I was sitting in Fast and Testimony meeting I felt the need to look up a scripture, so I found the reference and read it.  I didn't understand at all why I needed to look it up.  I didn't plan on talking in the meeting or anything, but I found it just the same.

After Sunday meetings, the missionaries texted me and asked if I could go on splits with them.  Well I couldn't pass up a chance like that, so I said yes.  That evening I went with Elder B2 and we were headed to visit another person's home, but stopped a lady on the street and started talking to her.  She wasn't very receptive, but her husband came out and started talking with us.  We sat out on his patio and talked with him for over an hour.  During the visit I felt impressed to read the scripture I looked up earlier, to this man.  It was the perfect scripture and caused him to think deeply about his relationship with Christ.  The spirit was there and I know that that man felt it.  I was very blessed to be able to witness that great visit.  Thanks Elder B2 for letting me go with you!

Also during this week, I finally accomplished a goal I set for myself earlier this summer.  I don't remember if I mentioned that I was inspired by one of the previous elders to try to get in shape,so I have been swimming fairly regularly this summer.  It's not to lose weight, I don't have that problem, it's more to gain better cardiovascular fitness.  So I set a goal to swim a mile, well Wednesday I went for it.  I actually swam a mile, and then did it again on Friday.  (This doesn't have anything to do with missionaries staying in my home, except that they are the ones to inspired me to do it. Elder B challenged me to swim more, so I did it.  Thanks Elder B).  Okay, so I am entitled to brag every once in a while, after all it's my blog.

Anyway, there's not much else to report on this week.  Sorry for the bragging, I will try to do better next week.

Be awesome this week!
Take care of the missionaries in your area.  Make it your goal to invite a family you know to have the missionaries teach them.  Share those referrals.