Some spiritual experiences for you

August 26 2013

This was one heck of a week. It was awesome. It was full of digging, cinder blocks, sand, and heartfelt discussions of the gospel. Between the service and the Olympic weight lifting I am constantly sore. I can see the stretchmarks on my legs and my legs definitely fill every inch of available space in my pants now. I'm still a good 185-190 lbs though.

We were able to teach S. twice this week. The first lesson finished up the Plan of Salvation going from Christ's Atonement to the Three Degrees of Glory in Heaven. Gigi was worried the entire time though. She told us about her crazy childhood. I told her I wouldn't tell people about a good chunk of it, but suffice it to say that she's been on her own since she graduated high school when she was 15. She later in life would become the first woman to umpire for a pack 12 men's baseball game. Now she's reffing for volleyball and softball and renting out her house to make money. She's an incredible lady with a lot of faith. G. was worried about her kids though. The next day her ex husband was going to be having the two daughters (S. and A.) be babysat by someone she didn't trust at all. A member brought up that we could give the kids a blessing. Shasta didn't want one, but after we offered the second time A. wanted one. It was a short and simple blessing, yet profound in it's promises. After that, we asked S. again if she wanted one. She shook her very shy head very vigorously in the affirmative.ha ha.That blessing was just different. I could feel it. I didn't feel like I was searching for things to say. It was a much more in depth blessing. And it really put G.'s mind at ease. A member texted us that night who had been there for the blessing. She told us that when I had acted as the voice for the blessing that she actually heard two voices and mine was the second echoing the first. I asked who she thought the first was and she said it was definitely the Holy Ghost.

At our next lesson with S. we talked about the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Faith in Christ, Repentace, Making and keeping covenants ie baptism, receiving the holy Ghost and enduring to the end) and Shasta said her very first prayer out loud with her Mom's help. It was amazing! We've been trying to help her feel comfortable with saying prayers for the last month! It was a very good stepping stone. The best part was that nothing happened to the girls while they were with the shady baby sitter.

We also taught a lady named St. It was our second time teaching her, but the first time was very brief. It was actually really funny. I remember our conversation going a little like this:

"I consider Joseph Smith to be a false prophet."

"Oh, really? Why's that?" ( was flabbergasted that that was what she opened with)

"I don't really believe in organized religion. I've experimented with all the different religions. It's more of a spiritual thing for me than anything else."

"Well that's the great thing about our church actually, because we invite everybody to have a spiritual experience for themselves. We don't want you to take the missionaries word for it. There's actually a promise in the back of the Book of Mormon about how we can know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. The promise was given by the very last prophet who wrote in the record. His name was Moroni. Go ahead an read Moroni 10:3-5." she read it and then we explained what the book of mormon was. That is was a spiritual journal per say of some of the people who traveled from Jerusalem to the American continents just like the bible is a spiritual journal/record of the Jews.

"Well that makes sense."

"Would you be willing to read a little bit of the Book of Mormon and pray to have your own spiritual experience to know if it's true?"

"Yeah, sure."

"If you do, I can promise that you will come to know that the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith is a prophet, cause he's the one who translated the whole thing. If the Book of Mormon is an actual record of an actual people and if Joseph Smith was a prophet then this church is Christ's church restored on earth today. Mind if we come back some other time and just talk about what you've read?

"Sure, next week."

So we did. She had read "a few passages." She told us that it felt good. We then asked her if she'd be okay with us sharing the first of 4 lessons that we teach and she said sure. So we taught the first lesson. It went great. She ended up telling us that she suffers from depression and she hasn't had a job in a long time. She told us that it was during the lesson that she had felt the best all week. (side note here: It's a peculiar thing how many people just tell you their entire life stories when they first meet the missionaries. I'd say it's weird, but it's not. When people feel the spirit they just want to off load everything that's getting them down. Happens every time) We told her if she felt good with us, it's ten times better in church. She told us she couldn't make it this week, but she'd try next week. It's really amazing getting to see people experience happiness for the first time in a long time. You can see the instant difference. It was really funny because St. hugged Elder Christensen for praying for her at the end and he had no idea what to do. It was funny. I've never seen a man more conflicted in my life.

Other than that we've been working on the Holmes's garden with them. It involves digging every time! it's great. I sweat my guts out every time. I try to follow D.'s and Travis's example by never stopping until the job is done.

I love you guys. I know that this is the Lord's work and that there is something that everyone can do to help it along, even if we think we don't know anybody who isn't a member. You don't have to be best friends with someone to share the gospel with them. All you have to be is merely friendly. Mosiah 2:41 whether or not you want it, you're a missionary, a representative of this church just by the way you live. :)

August 19, 2013

 

This week has been awesome! It seems as one gets baptized it generates more momentum for the rest of the work. We always make it a goal to bring as many investigators to baptisms as possible. When they go they really feel the Spirit. It's the same thing with taking them to the Temple Visitor's center. If we can do both we know that that person is usually locked in for a baptism at some point in the near future. It's awesome.

So we've continued to teach S. (Gi.'s 10 year old daughter) and whereas in past lessons when we brought up baptism she was really hesitant, this time she was all for it. We helped her to recognize the Spirit telling her in her heart "the truth of all things." She's accepted the date for September 21st.

That same night we baptized Br. S., the rather wealthy and Biblically knowledgable jaguar salesman. It was an incredible event. Bradley's wife (S.) used to be a flight attendant, and made the baptism look more like a wedding than any baptism that I've ever seen. It was crazy. There were plants, pictures, soup, icecream cake, gingerbread, pears, giant bottles of San Pellagrino's, and a whole slew of other items that were quite different from most baptisms that I've been to. They asked Elder Christensen and I to sing at the baptism, so we did. But I'll tell you this. When Br. came up out of the water, I have never seen a happier man in all my life. You could see it in his eyes. He looked out at the people as soon as he came up as if to say "Look I did it!" He was feeling the redemptive power of Jesus Christ's Atonement in his whole body. He looked about ready to cry tears of joy. He was on cloud 9 that entire night. He told us later that he felt like he could stay up all night! When we saw him at stake conference the next day, he still had that sparkle in his eye. It was pure confidence. He knew that what he had found in the church was forgiveness, acceptance, love, and the true doctrine of Christ. He has seen real and dramatic changes in his life that can only be found in the baptism of repentance.

Earlier that week he had told us about his two kids that live in the city. He told us "go get them!" I laughed so hard when he said that considering his attitude toward missionaries when we went over to his house the first time, which was somewhat indifferent and more than a little hesitant. I really love Br. He's a great guy and a good man. His 17 year old daughter came to his baptism, she wasn't so interested though. We'll see what happens though.

In the midst of district meeting and then weekly planning the next day and taking in what I've learned from all the companionships in the district, Elder Christensen and I prayed for revelation on how to develop the ward mission process and came to a conclusion. We talked it through, presented it to the Zone Leaders, the Mission President, the Bishop, the Ward mission Leader, and the Relief Society President all within 24 hours of the idea being born. They all LOVE it and can't wait to start. It's going to start this next Sunday and we present it to the ward in a fireside with the Bishop presenting the majority of it. If this system works, we plan on moving it to the stake. If it works there, then we plan on moving it mission wide. We are honestly soooo stoked for this, and honestly Stake conference only backed up what we are doing since they were focusing on member missionary work. I'd explain it, but it takes too long to write out. I'd have to scan in the diagrams that I drew out for the ward council and I don't have them with me. If we can pull this off though, the West Linn ward will never be in short supply of people to teach!

I came to a realization of exactly what being a trainer and also a district leader actually is during stake conference. In the midst of Elder Richards sharing what the gospel does for families who strive to have the spirit in their home the Spirit told me of some of the feelings that all 4 of the 8 new missionaries in my district may and probably are feeling, and that I needed to step up to the plate and be the kind of leader that the perfect father is. I need to let them know that I care about them as more than just missionaries who report to me statistics. They are people who have needs just like me or Elder Christensen. Whereas I don't need to get as personally involved as their companion I can see what my role as a leader truly is. As I've taken an active role in getting involved with each companionship I have been able to discover needs that they haven't told anyone that should have known. I never thought that the mission could actually be a preparation to be a father for the future, but I can totally see the role of a father for the first time in my life, and I see the wisdom in teaching correct principles and letting them governing themselves. It's been a huge eye opener. I love it.

I can tell you all honestly of the redeeming power of Christ. That it is He and only He who can give us the relief from the feelings of pain and guilt that we naturally inflict on ourselves. Bradley has felt it, and so have I. I believe and know that God is my Heavenly Father, and is more of a Father than most people think He is. He wants us to be happy and has revealed the way for that to happen in all of our lives. It is only though obedience to his laws, which are eternal truths like those of physics and chemistry, that we can find true peace of mind and security in our homes. When we obey we feel the consequences, which I call blessings or gifts from God. When we disobey we feel the consequences, which are usually natural consequences that don't feel very good in the long run. Because he knew that we would mess up he provided a Savior, even Jesus Christ to help us along our path. Without him I would never be motivated to try again. Without Christ's Atonement, I would never be the happy chipper guy that I feel that I've become on my mission. Without him my confidence would be weak. But with Him, I am strong. With Him, all things are possible. With Him, I have confidence in my future; even past this life. I believe that this world is not the last place of existence and I have felt the aid of those who have passed on on my mission. That is why I believe. I believe because it feels right. I believe because every time I ask I can feel the Spirit. I believe because every time I enter into the Temple I feel complete and utter peace. I believe because I've tested what this gospel has to say and I've seen the exquisite benefits that come from obedience to eternal truths that I call religion or "The Word of God." I also believe that anyone else can find out for themselves. That's why I'm out here. To help others feel the extreme joy that comes from knowing freedom. Freedom, just like in the Revolutionary War, was bought with a price. The person who paid that price was Christ. Just ask him in sincere prayer if He loves you and I promise you will know of His true love for all men. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

12 August 2013

 

This was a different week for me. It was spent the majority in meetings and training and being with D. to help calm him down. He was feeling a lot of stress this week as family who he hadn't seen for years were all coming into town just for 3 hours to see him get baptized and leave, much less the girl that he's pseudo dating came in from Arizona. It's a long and complicated story, but suffice it  to say we spent some time with him pretty much every day. The day before the baptism was when he felt it the hardest. He ended up calling us just as we were about to say a prayer for dinner with some members and begging us to open the church gym right then and there so that he could play some basketball. He was having a anger melt down. We told the members that D. was having a crisis and we booked it out of there and opened the church for him to blow off some steam. He told us that he had done the same thing as us. He was sitting down with his significant other and extended family during dinner at a super fancy restaurant and excused himself and called us. After sweating and a few more tears he told us a 6 PM that he was just going to go get some Z-quil and hit the hay and not set his alarm clock for the morning.

The next day was a bit stressful getting everything prepped for the baptism with getting keys  but it all worked out in the nick of time. When we saw D. for lunch he was much more calmed down and happy in fact!

sorry not much time today.

August 5, 2013

 

Okay, so this week was just plain awesome! We split the two wards and then we taught just as many lessons in West Linn when we had both wards together! It was amazing. Most of them were the same two investigators multiple times, but that's not a problem. As soon as they get baptized someone else will replace them. I'm sure of it.

So D. had a very interesting week. High highs, and low lows. On Saturday we had his baptism interview. When we showed up I could tell something was very wrong because he had the same look on his face when his dad called him up to tell him all the reasons not to join the church. We talked after the interview and found out he was having some relationship issues with a girl he wasn't even dating and having a super hard time understanding what was going on. It got to the point of tears on multiple parties parts. He asked me to give him a blessing of comfort and counsel. So I did. It was a very odd blessing for me because this time I actually saw something as I began. You could call it a vision of D.'s future if he reacted negatively to his circumstances. I'll never forget that. We talked about the blessing afterward, more tears ensued, and D. came to his own conclusion that he was going to stay in West Linn this next week instead of going back to his apartment in Forest Grove to prevent bad things from happening. He told us later that night that he had been contemplating going back to the college town and drinking his sorrows away and returning to the life he once lived. That's why he chose to stay in West Linn, so he could be surrounded by people who made him feel good about himself. We continued to tell him about how bright his future looked, and as we did, he received a series of texts that explained the whole situation that was causing him so much anguish. It was amazing to see how patience can solve so many of his trials. Every time he has a big thing come up, it's always patience and understanding that is required. It helps me to know that I need to be just as faithful and hopeful when my own trials hit. Without those attributes, it makes life so much more dreary and bleak. D. bore his testimony in sacrament meeting. It was powerful. He talked about the time that we split the wood together and how he wanted to be like Ammon and have those he was serving turn out towards others and serve other people above and beyond the call of duty.

B. is progressing very well as well. His wife continues to try and make us gain 15 lbs every time we come over. She ALWAYS has dessert when we come over and she always eats twice the portion that she gives us. Yet she's the skinniest person I've ever seen, especially at her age. It's crazy. He's been gearing up to get baptized. He's overcome all the Detoxification effects of living the word of wisdom and packed away his coffee maker. I'm so proud of this guy. The word of wisdom was one of his biggest concerns because he LOVED his wine and coffee. Realizing his answer to whether or not this gospel is true just gave him all the motivation he needed. God is definitely working some miracles in both B. and D.'s lives.

We got to take G. to the Visitor's center with her daughters who are investigating the church. This is another one of those miracle stories that are just to much to believe it's coincidence. At church, G. nearly canceled our lesson that day and tried to set up for a couple weeks out. So a  pair of the visitor center sisters called us an hour before our lesson there and told me that they had a young single adult guy who lived in West Linn who could get a ride out to the VC but not a ride back. They asked me to get him a ride with someone. So I called around and couldn't find anyone. We taught a lesson with B. After coming out of the lesson we got the call that G. still wanted to do it that day at the Visitor's Center. Then we left immediately to the VC. On the way there I  called Hans (the RM from Argentina). He said he'd come right then. When we got there with G., the sister's introduced me to the guy, W., and then continued with their lesson. Then Hans showed up and stayed with him for the rest of his lesson with the sister missionaries. Turns out they know each other! Then on their way out, G.'s best friend Sister K. stopped W. on his way out. Apparently W. teaches her kids kickboxing. They caught up on small talk and then she asked him what he was doing there. He answered just saying that he was checking it all out, that he's always heard people ragging on Mormons, but that he never believed it because of how happy and nice his mormon friends were. He asked her what she was doing there and she said "This belong to this church!" It was a  great moment. After he left, having met two of his close acquaintances and finding out that they were Mormon, the sisters told me that at that lesson (his first) that they had set a baptism date with him. They told me that all throughout their lesson he kept telling them that it all made sense! If all of that wasn't the hand of the Lord I don't know what is. I know that He works through us as his tools on earth to answer the prayers of those around us. Things like that happen way too often to just be coincidence. It seems like every week something like this happens. It reminds me of Doctrine & Covenants 84:64-75.

I love each and everyone of you. I'm so sorry that I don't get even more chances to write more of the miracles that I see, because these are in every moment of my life these days. I can feel the spirit directing and guiding my thoughts as I'm training Elder Christensen. I can't tell you how many times the Holy Ghost will bring back a scripture or passage in preach my gospel that he needs to hear. It's wonderful. I'm completely exhausted though! ha ha. Missionary work is work for sure! Plus we also get to do Olympic power lifting every morning with Hans and his dad and brother. Plus also I can't tell you how many holes I dug this last week. I'm so glad I wore gloves because other wise my palms would be one giant blister right now. It was a lot of fun though for sure!

I pray that you all can see the hand of God in you lives. I promise, if you look for it, you will find it.