Back to Normal

September 25, 2012

Okay things this week have been hectic/ getting back to normal. It's great. We had three new investigators last week. We almost had five, but a few people rescheduled with us for another time this week. Seriously, the work is coming our way.

So Friday, elder Belo and I were able to teach T.. T. an eleven year old girl with a twin brother.  She contracted a bacteria or  a virus that took away her eyesight and her ability to walk. But when she prays, you can tell she is talking with God, not talking to God. She has the most amount of faith that I've ever seen in my life. Her faith is so great that in spite of the fact that the doctors said she would never walk again, she can walk with assistance to balance her, and sometimes she can see the shadows of her hands waving in front of her. She prays every time "Put Your hands on my forehead and restore my eyesight, and restore my legs and my arms. Place your hands on J. (her twin brother) and control his craziness." He is extremely autistic and has no need to be baptized.

The thing about teaching T. is that when we teach her, we are actually teaching her grandmother and mother who are inactive but strongly want her to be baptized. So last time I went through the process that Glade Snyder went through with me. I told them about having to suffer through our own Gethsemanes in order to know of our Saviors love more fully, and then reading with them from Alma 22 and posing the question "King Lamoni's father was willing to give up everything, his entire kingdom, in order to know God. How much are you willing to give up to know Him?" It was a very beautiful teaching appointment that I cannot truly describe in my own words. There are many legal complications in their case because Technically T. is a foster child. But in the words of the member who was with us at the appointment. "I couldn't see them, but I was looking all around the room to find them. There were angels when these two elders taught." I don't know about that part, but the Spirit was definitely very strong and I could see the change beginning in G.'s and J.'s ( the grandma's and mom's) hearts. I only pray, like Glade did with me on November 10, 2011, that they will continue in righteousness and not falter, but seek out light and truth.

Later that night and trying to contact our hundreds (over 500) of less actives we knocked on a door and asked if this member lived there. Found out she didn't and that this woman (Jam...) and her family live there. We asked if we could come back on Sunday and she said yes. When we came back we got to know her and started to peak her interest in eternal family's through the Atonement. We asked if we could come back and teach her more about His plan for us and she said yes. It's going to be an interesting process though. She lives with her two kids and her boyfriend E.. She says that she wants to get married but that she doesn't want to do it too young for fear of getting a divorce down the road.

On Saturday we taught A. He is a professor at the University of Portland. I think he teaches a science of some sort. It shows in how he analyses the scriptures. Instead of taking it all in in context he questions each piece of information individually and asking pages worth of questions. it's good for us because we know EXACTLY where he is in his thought process, but it's destroying his ability to learn by the spirit. He knows that there are religious experiences but he says there are no ways to know if it is from God or from something else. Honestly that's a question that everybody has. We're trying to get him to read Alma 32 to help answer that question. Also, I bore my testimony that it's only because I've felt the same spirit prompting me in hundreds of different situations that I know that they are from God. To him he analyses one by one, but when you put them all together, there's no other conclusion. Jesus is the Christ. He did visit the people of Ancient America. Joseph Smith is a prophet. The Book of Mormon is the word of God. And most importantly, the priesthood has been restored to this earth. I know it, and I cannot deny it. I've had too many experiences confirming these truths to me to go against it. But it's only been because I was humbled by Glade on November 10, 2011 and also my friends in the singles ward in Sandy. Without their examples I would have been the same arrogant, selfish, demanding, and proud person that I was when I was still doing theater. I'm not saying that I'm not those things now, but I've been humbled to know where my weaknesses are. I'm really working on applying everything that I'm learning. It's hard in parts. I have a very bold personality, but it's hard to balance boldness with overbearance.  I'm afraid that I've been overbearing in the past. To all those of you that I have offended because of my pride and my demanding personality, I apologize. I'm sorry that I didn't know that there was a better way. I'm sorry that I didn't love Christ the way I do now. I promise you that I am repenting. I'm changing, and I love you all so very much. There have been friendships and relationships that I've had torn apart because of this. I am sorry in the deepest way and I hope very much that our relationships can continue when I come back.

This is His Work. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ and I am going forth to bring about the eternal life of my fellow man through faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, receiving the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end. I'm very jealous of those of you who get to start that enduring to the end part of life. More than anything I want that. But the Lord has other plans for me right now.

Till next week. I love you. Never Forget that.

Last Week

September 20, 2012

OK, I just got back from the best lesson that Elder Belo and I have
ever taught. The guy's name is L.. He's that 42 year old marine
that I've been telling you about. He's got the biggest laugh in the
world and he's really, really kind despite his big burleyness. He's
had some issues trying to wean off coffee. But today we were planning
to just talking about the doctrine of Christ. Some how we tied in the
Word of Wisdom as an example of how we endure to the end and prepare
for baptism. We were really teaching by the spirit. We were showing
him the why's of the gospel, not that these are just things to do in
our church, but how we honestly come closer to Christ by doing them. I
feel like Captain Moroni right now when he was talking to Amalikiah I
think when he said, I can't remember what I've said but I know that
the Lord will fulfill the words of which I said... or something along
those lines. We really taught to his needs and when we felt that we
needed to address something Elder Belo said every time that we switched
off he felt that he had something specific to say, but as I was
speaking I already said exactly what he was feeling to say. It was
amazing. The Spirit was truly there.

As for the rest of the last week we've had a huge boom. It was about
Tuesday last week when we went tracting in an area after L.
canceled on us because Grimm was setting up to film in his house. we
decided to just stay in his area. We tracted for probably a half an
hour and the place was just dead. It even FELT dead spiritually. so I
commented to my companion "Is this where we feel we need to be?"
instantly he said "No." So we said a prayer on the corner of the
street asking for direction. When we were done Elder Belo said "I just
have the feeling we need to walk." So we did. every block or so I
would ask "do we feel like here is the street and then we would both
answer "no" we walked a considerable distance. we walked over "the
cut" (aka where the train rails cut St. Johns in half)  and he said,
let's pick up where my last companion and I stopped. So we did. We
were able to actually talk to half the people on that street. One guy
even gave us some plums after we testified of Joseph's first vision.
(they don't taste that great) He said he wasn't looking for a religion
though, that he was content with his Catholicism and we went on our
way. we found a less active family who is super nice, but best of all,
we found R. She's the mom of 3 children. When we knocked on her
door she immediately said come back on Friday. So we did. She was busy
Friday, but she said come back Monday. So we did. and I knocked on her
door 4 times because we could hear the TV going and she said "why you
no use doorbell?" and I said "I did... twice." She invited us in and
we had a very good lesson of the Restoration. She's currently reading
Alma 32 and we'll meet back with her on Saturday. Her thing is that
she doesn't want to go to church, but she was very intense about
agreeing with everything we said. She has a strong testimony of the
true principles of free agency and praying in faith. She was so
intense about agreeing with us that she cut Elder Belo off when he was
saying Joseph's words describing the 1st vision. She said "I believe
that a 14 year old could see a pillar of light because he prayed in
faith." and hen she rambled on for like another 10 minutes and the
entire time I wanted to scream "Wait, there's more!" It was very funny
to us.

I guess my story is that the Lord guided us last week. We found the
person who was more than willing to listen to us because we were
willing to ask and submit our will to His. There's something
interesting about all of that though. As a brother in our ward was
telling us last night, it is easier to steer a moving vessel than one
at rest. We had already been moving. We had already been trying. But
when we sought for the Spirit, he led us step by step, block by block
till we got to R's house. I am so thankful for His guidance and the
work that he does THROUGH us. We are the tools in his hands. When life
gets dark and gloomy, and you feel like God isn't answering your
prayers, look around you. Look at the people that are around you? how
have they been supporting you? How have YOU been supporting THEM?
That's something that Christ taught us. When we are put in situations
that we want to be selfish  and turn in to our inner desires for
gratification, instead turn outward and serve others. If you do, I
promise things will be easier, and the Lord will bless you. I testify
of this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Week One

September 11, 2012     So this last week feels like forever long and I've been writing hand letters so I forget who I've been telling what. But Last week after I emailed you I had the chance to go tracting for an hour and fifteen minutes. It was my first time doing it for real! It was interesting. there were some college kids here in St Johns that are very godless, which is really ironic because PU ha ha I mean UP (University of Portland) is a Catholic school and is in our area. When we walked up to these one kids gate I said that we were sharing a message of Jesus Christ and his restored gospel on the earth. To which one of them said "do you honestly believe that." To which I wanted to say "More than I believe that grass is green and the sky is blue. More than I believe that Picasso was a painter, More than I believe that if I eat enough I'll get full. More than I believe that you are here in front of me." but instead all that came out was a very confident "Yes, I do." To which he responded "I can't believe how dumb you are. If you haven't figured it out by now, I have no hope for you. Get out of here," I felt so sad that he was so resistant to the words of God. I felt so sad that he was too arrogant to think that maybe he didn't know the fullness of information in the world. Be a college kid, I thought maybe he'd have that realization. But maybe down the road his heart will be softened and he will be humbled and find Christ through faith and repentance. We'll see. We found several lesbian couples, a nice lady that we talked to for a while that had lots of Mormon friends but doesn't think religion is for her, and last but definitely not least, J..  J. is a college kid working at UP in the cafeteria. Born and raised in the Catholic church and Catholic schools but no longer goes to church because he doesn't really agree with it all/ how the church was run on Sundays. We knocked on the door and he just said "it's open." We walked in hesitantly half expecting to get sent out again, but then he invited us in. He asked us if we went to church on Sundays to which I said "We do. I didn't always, but I'm very glad that I do now." he asked me why that was and I bore my testimony of how I've felt of my Savior's love, and how going to church each week is a reminder and a way to come closer to him. Elder Belo and I taught him the first lesson. Gave him a book of Mormon and asked him to pray about it and set up a return appointment for a few days later. He even gave the CLOSING PRAYER! The only thing we failed to do was ask him if he would be baptized, but we felt like we hadn't covered prophets well enough to extend that invitation. considering we did all that in 12 minutes I was really happy! He was a very intellectual and knowledgable person in the Bible and compared Joseph's first vision to the time Christ apeared to Moses. He's one smart cookie. He seemed really open. But then the return appointment fell through because his brother made a surprise visit the night before and was staying for the weekend. We're going to drop by his place tomorrow at the same time we saw him last week in hopes that we can teach him again. That same day we met with girl that came from above. And by above I mean Alaska. We met with her knowing that she had been meeting with the missionaries up there and reviewed the baptismal interview questions. We retaught the word of wisdom to her and then I extended the baptism invitation. I got to "Will you follow the example of Jesus..." when she cried out "YES!" I finished the question and then she said yes again beaming more proudly than a toddler with a brand new toy. when I said september 22nd she again profoundly said yes! You could feel the spirit in the room and that she glorified God. She is VERY ready for baptism. So it was really hot for the first few days, but on Saturday it rained for like five seconds and thundered a ton, and then starting yesterday, I've had to wear a sweater. It's cold here! so much for not having to bring a winter coat! Anyway, we've got another investigator named L. He's a 42 year old marine looking for work. He's broke. Apparently they've had a hard time setting a batismal date for him but last time I met with him before I could say september 22nd he said "DECEMBER! It just came to me." yeah... we'll work with him on that one. We think that he is slightly questioning something but we think that when he comes to M.'s baptism on the 22nd he'll want to push up his own date of his own accord. He's really been worried about the whole money thing. He's flat broke, but the next time I saw him on saturday he said, the day after you guys came the producers of the show "Grimm" came up to me and my roommate and offered us $4000 if they could use our house for their show!" L. has really been praying about all this. I hope he's seeing the hand of the Lord in all of this and not just us as missionaries. Just so you know St Johns is a very bi polar city. Either people are very religious and hate mormons, or they are athiest/wicked and hate Mormons. So for the most part it's  lose-lose situation. I've had people dirve by cussing us out, and I've also felt the power of the devil in a man drain my spirit and make me feel very unsecure and unsafe. But in my studies I found the promise made to all believers in 2 Nephi 6:17 "But thus saith the Lord: Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered; for the Mighty God shall deliver his covenant people. FOR THUS SAITH THE LORD: I WILL CONTEND WITH  THEM THAT CONDENDETH WITH THEE--" My faith is whole, and I am made secure in that promise. I testify that my Lord Jesus Christ lives and that he will come to this earth once again. I know that he will redeem my soul if I stay close to him. I know that through him ALL things are possible. And I KNOW that WITH him, the success in this area is going to start to pick up. They haven't seen a baptism in this area in 9 months. That changes this transfer multiple times. I have been promised that by the Lord, and I can't wait to tell you all about it! I'll have to send more pictures next week. I'm out of time!

ok so I'm alive and well in portland today. My P days are now officially Mondays, with the exception of yesterday because of transfers. Btw, I'm in the same mission as Kodi Porter and Adam Manwill. I graduated with Adam at Hillcrest. kinda crazy. I said goodbye to my old companion Elder Schmidt and said hello to my new companion Elder Belo. He's from Brazil and is in his last 3 transfers. He thinks I'll "kill him off" meaning we'll be companions till the day he leaves to go back home. He's a cool guy. Really low key. Loves the members. He's lived in America for 14ish years so his english is amazing, but it still lacks in some parts. He had no idea what I was talking about when I said compost this morning. Oh yeah get this. I'm only 5 months younger than him. crazy huh? So last night we went to go eat at a members house and guess what Steven! You were right. Old women apparently get to brake the rules. The first thing that Mama Pace did was give me a big fat hug and there was nothing I could do to stop her. She's a funny lady. She loves the missionaries and has them all sign her ceiling in the basement. Some of these signings are from 2002. yeah... So I drew a picture of myself and signed it and dated my mission. I'll send home the pictures when I can. I have to switch my pictures to a usb format so I would need a cord from home, or I'll just have to buy another myself one day. So Mama Pace made us a real interesting meal. It was all green. Green pancakes, green applesauce, green eggs, green lettuce, green gatorade, green kiwi and grapes. It was ridiculous. Apparently it's a tradition up here for a greeny's first day. Unfortunately I made the mistake of accidently eating six leaves of peppermint in my salad and I practically choked on it because of the fumes. We all died laughing after that. we had a grand time just getting to know each other. I did learn something though. Avacado is not at all my favorite food. But I didn't make a single face... except with the peppermint because that was way too strong ;) Later last night I was assigned to teach family home evening. Wow. It was interesting. It went from a lesson with the kids singing songs about obedience and happiness (my favorite subject! go section 93!!!), to me teaching from 1 nephi 17 and 18. After that somehow I think the kids all disappeared and the 6 adults had one of the best scriptural discussions I've ever seen. It was interesting though. Mama Pace had told me to put a real emphasis on the kids that night, but the Spirit testified to me that it was the adults that really needed it. You could tell there was some contention in points of view at the beginning of the lesson, but by the end you could really feel the spirit. It was a very good experience. After that my companion and I went home and planned for an hour and 20 minutes. I knew nothing about the area so he had to get me up to date. I'm still sure that I know about 5% of what's going on, but all I want to do is get to work. This morning I continued to get up at 6:15 so we could exercise. I'm still not sure that exercising that in the morning is healthy for you. but it I got it done. Hopefully I didn't wake up the neighbors of the duplex we live in by doing my clapping push ups. Speaking of our duplex. Our apartment is FREAKING NICE. well as far as missionary apartments go. We have a stove, microwave, DISHWASHER, fans, two bathrooms, a room just for studying, a sectional couch that can seat eleven, and a couch in our bedroom. WOW!  I feel so blessed. seriously. The scariest thing that happened so far (other than the contention earlier mentioned) is that my companion told me that the stove didn't work. I cook EVERYTHING on the stove. He's been in this area for six weeks and he said it's never worked and told me if I could get  it to work he'd be so happy. I turned the knobs on and nothing happened. I pulled up the coils and guess what. Someone hadn't just plugged them back in. So I did and it worked fine :) ha ha, he was so happy. I can't believe that he went six weeks without a stove. That's incredible to me. So I was studying lesson three today because we're supposed to teach it later today and I never studied it in the MTC. Heck I only taught the second lesson once in the whole experience. But I kinda got side tracked while reading a scripture that PMG had referenced. It's John 7:17. I wondered what had prompted that, so for the first time since russell told me to study Romans over a year ago, I read the New Testament of my own free will. It was Golden! I was really learning by the spirit. I got to thinking about FHE last night and how that correlated to Christ's experience in that chapter. How much more patient would He have had to have been than I was trying to be. He did it because he understood that no matter what he did, he could say that he was the Christ till he was blue in the face, but until they used their faith to know by asking in prayer, the jews attempts at trying to justify him being the christ through the prophecies would fail them. The Jews were so worried about the knit-picky prophecies that they forgot the entire grand picture of the Father's plan. It taught me something interesting. The Lord had promised me some very certain and specific things and I've been trying to make those things all fit together with the people and knowledge that I already have, and sometimes it's driven me crazy. But if I sit back and look at the grand scheme of the plan by glorifying God through this work it doesn't matter. He's promised those things to me. So if I'm willfully obedient now then it doesn't matter; those things He's promised will come because I'm doing everything I can so that he will bless my life.   I can't wait for my first investigator tonight. I love you all! Elder Lloyd PS when I was at the bank today I overhead a woman tell this to the cashier. "So a few days ago I had $140 disappear off my front table, and a few days later I found it. My dogged pooped it out. Can I get new bills? I've got the old ones here taped together." And indeed she had. And she was holding the bills in a tissue. I just about died laughing when the cashier said "um.... we can't accept those here, but we might be able to credit you." Oh my gosh. Only in Portland!

Week Three

 [This is a week late --sorry.  the Editor Mom]

Thank you for your letters. I LOVE hearing from you guys.

I went to the doctor because my "strep" came back. Turns out it's tonsilitis, and I thought it went away but I just finished the pills a few days ago and now yesterday and today it's back again. so I'm going to go back today and see what the doctor thinks. Third time it's come back. It's okay. it's not effecting the way I work or my energy levels, which I feel blessed for.

Anyways, they switched my p day to today because we had in field orientation yesterday. I can't wait to get to the field. I'm pumped. I recognize that I have a lot left to learn, but the Lord has ways of using their servants just because of who they are. I'm ready for that. It looks like I lot of hard work. Hopefully my trainer will be as awesome as Elder Schmidt has been, but I love the guy already, whoever he his.

Sorry my thoughts are all jumbled. I'm running on a time limit and trying to send pictures to you at the same time. It's kind of frustrating, but it really doesn't matter that much......

I've really enjoyed my time here at the MTC, and can't wait to go through the temple later today. It might be the last time for the next two years.

Elder Schmidt and I humbled ourselves this week. we set the goals to become as obedient as possible and to call each other out on the mission rules so that we can qualify for the blessings that God wants and needs to give us to teach more effectively. We also humbled ourselves in teaching our investigator this week. We knew that since he would not accept Christ as his Savior then we must help him to gain a testimony of the truth of the BoM and thereby gain a testimony of Him. Since he was a politician earnestly seeking the truth we thought reading with him from Alma 22 about King Lamoni's Father and his process of learning the word could effect our investigator. It did. and we very nearly got him to pray with us for an answer about the BoM, but then we mentioned the Holy Ghost and he started to try and bible bash again. We quickly disarmed his arguments and brought it back to the question at hand. We were able to commit him to coming to church on Sunday!!!!! He's a good man. I love him to death, he just needs to let go of his pride. He reminds me of me from just a year ago. This was the chapter that Glade read with me. And was the turning point in my life when I knew of my Savior's love for me in full. It came in bucket fulls at a time. It is because of that experience that I want others to come unto Christ, so they can feel that love. So they can feel that security. And so they can go forth and be an example of the believers. Thank you Glade for being an exemplary missionary both in the field and as an RM. You have helped my weakness become strong as in Ether 12:27. You started me on a path to fulfill the work that God needs me to do. I testify that he knows each of us in full; past, present, and future. If we "lean not unto [our] own understanding" he will work miracles in our lives. True miracles. I've already seen them. I've already seen the promises and blessings given to me in my setting apart as  a missionary be used. And I praise God for it. Without it, I would be in the depths of sorrow right now.

I have to go. I love you all. I'll try to get this picture thing to work but if not I'll send them next week.

Love, Elder Lloyd