Teaching to the understanding of men

September 30, 2013

 

Miracles, miracles, where do I start!?

There's so many to choose from!

I'll tell you this little tid bit though.Every pday we have to wash our car. So today we washed our car by hand... in the rain. We used a hose. How sad is that!?

So I went on an exchange with Elder Harker last week and when we went to library to do some research in our hour on lds websites I talked to a man that I had felt impressed to give a restoration pamphlet to a week ago. You have to understand that I've seen this guy consistently at the library every week for the last 8 months I've been here. He's a rather gruff/mean looking dude. He wears old ratty sweat shirts, his face is always got a mustache and stubble on it and big thick glasses to match his thick personage. I thought it was a weird prompting to give a pamphlet to someone because I never give pamphlets to people before I teach them. When I started talking to him I learned that his name is Robert. I had to go, so my approach went something like this.

"Hey Robert, I'm Elder Lloyd! I've actually seen you lot here over the last 6 months or so. You here to research stuff?"

"Yeah" (his voice was totally soft and you could tell that his demeanor did not match his personality. He's the hugest softy EVER!)

"Cool, well do you know many mormons?"

"A few, but I'm lutheran"

"Awesome, well I've got to go, but would you mind if I left this pamphlet with you?"

"Sure go ahead."

"Awesome. The message that it has has changed my life for the better and I am so happy because of it. See you around!"  Really awkward right? I was just doing what I had been prompted to do.  Later that week he told me that he liked it and if I had anything else for him to read he'd read it. So this time I brought a book of mormon and a plan of salvation pamphlet and when Elder Harker and I talked to him on that exchanged he just gushed out his entire life story! We're meeting with him tomorrow at the Visitor's center. I really hope we can share something that will uplift him. His life is about to fall apart and he can see it.

We also picked up a muslim investigator from Syria this week. He's our next door neighbor. We met him one night when we had to wait in the parking lot of our apartment for an ambulance. month and half later we got him to come in to the visitor's center and had one of the best lessons ever!

I've been learning a lot about teaching from the absolute ground zero. When teaching Ayman we had to teach the whole concept of the Atonement very simply and completely. There comes a lot of power when you are more concerned about the investigator's understanding of what you're teaching rather than getting through the lesson material. At the end he said he totally believed us because he could see the Book of Mormon in front of him in Arabic. The use of scripture for Ayman was crucial, much less teaching at the visitor's center where we had almost any resource we needed at our fingertips. I feel like he truly understands and because of that his desire to read the Book of Mormon in Arabic was very engrained in his demeanor. It was incredible to be able to teach by the Spirit to his understanding rather than just hoping that he would feel the Spirit and know what it means. A lot of miscommunication happens when you assume someone already knows about a concept.

We also picked up another new investigator that's living with an excommunicated member. Yesterday we reviewed the restoration, committed both of them to baptism and then taught the law of chastity from several bible passages about the severity of the sin. When I asked Bill straight up if he would live the law of chastity from that day forward he looked down, and then at his girlfriend. I've never seen such a hardened criminal,who claims that he has no room for compassion, look at a woman with so much tenderness. She was embarrassed because he was getting so gushy on her. He never said a word to her. After about 5 minutes of pure silence he said yes he would, but he wanted to talk things through with Ilene. I asked him when we could come back and immediately he responded "the day after we get married." Elder Christensen and I were so stoked to see someone's faith move them to action! Bill working at the stake president's counselors house has really effected him. If it weren't for that, we wouldn't be teaching him right now. Miracles happen when you merely open your mouth. God always promises that it shall be filled Doctrine and Covenants 33:8

I really have to thank Travis Scott for all the technical skills that he has taught me with construction and remodeling! I have used those skills soooooo much on my mission! If anyone is planning on serving a mission, you need handyman skills! trust me! you can get in a LOT of doors that way and you can build a LOT of trust with the members! Will someone get me his email please? I haven't heard from him or about him since I've been out.

Other than that I've seen a ton more miracles this week, but I've got to go. I love all of you and remember that organization and thinking ahead weeks and days in advance will ALWAYS relieve stress when you simply communicate your needs to yourself and those that you need help from. It's only been by organization that we've been able to see so many miracles in the last couple of weeks!
 

Missionary SMASH! And, oh yeah, a baptism as well!

Woah! I can't believe last week happened. I cannot tell you everything about last week, but I'll try to tell you the best of the best parts.

We picked up 5 new investigators last week. two are brother and sister and now have a baptism date for October 19th the third is T., an Episcopalian sports mom, and a mom and daughter ex-Muslim family from Iran. We also taught a few other people for the first time, but they technically aren't new investigators yet :) the West Linn Ward is really catching on fire. I was a miracle this sunday when I was able to turn in a progress record to the ward council with one page front and back with investigators and the second page front and back with less actives/excommunicated/ recent converts on it. I remember when I got here 8 months ago and we only had 2 investigators and maybe 3 less actives and no recent converts. I cannot wait to see what happens this sunday when we get to do our presentation on missionary work during the third hour. The bishop is calling the youth, the Relief society, the Elders quorum and the High Priest Group to all attend this meeting. This is truly the Work of Salvation. I can't wait to see this new program in action starting next Monday. The Bishop and Relief Society and our ward mission leader are all excited too!

So just as it happens, I've now attended my first leadership training meeting and it was exactly what I needed, and yet no necessarily new information at the same time. I came away from that meeting being very dedicated to the work. A single day in the mission field is SOOOO short! I cannot see why missionaries would want to spend an extra half hour at dinner appointments. You know how many people I could talk to in a single half hour? It depends on how far away they are from each other, but at least 3 on my list to be able to set up an appointment for later. Why would I want to do anything other than preach repentance? Why would I want to waste my time? Why would I want to hold others back from the blessings that God has in store for the people I may come in contact with? Honestly I wish it wouldn't get dark in West Linn because sun light seems to say to these people, yeah I've got time. Dark says, stay indoors, get ready for bed, even when it is 3 pm. Gosh I just love this work so much I can't even express it. I feel so blessed. I can't wait to see what the next month with Elder Christensen has in store.

Because of that meeting and research on my own part, plus a lot of learning by the Spirit I feel like I now understand what it means to be a leader and not just a missionary that other people report stats to. I'm starting to see how I can help other people understand and apply doctrine as missionaries and not just as investigators.Everyone has an amazing potential, it's whether or not they see it in themselves!

So I got an email from Rachelle and Josh for the first time in months. They both talked about seemingly unrelated topics but as I thought them through the way that the Lord works in us seemed to become apparent. Josh talked about the 3 different levels of obedience (obedience, sacrifice, and consecration) and rachelle talked about how a mission doesn't make you someone new, it just makes you who you always were inside. The thoughts in my mind were about repentance and how that changes you.

Think of it as uncovering buried treasure. The level of obeying because you know you have to changes you, but not as much as it does when you sacrifice to obey the commandments. think of this as digging for gold with a shovel. You'll find the gold, but only after a lot of hard work. When we give up something for the promised blessings of the commandments we change as well. think of this as using a wheel barrow to aid your self in the process. A lot more work can be done and we see more progress faster when we use more tools. Consecrating everything we do for our Heavenly Father's purpose is like using a CAT or a back hoe to dig out an area. In fact the easiest way in the end is Consecration. Obedience and sacrifice usually ends up in an individual becoming frustrated or angry because they cannot see the purposes of God in their lives. When they give their will to the Father, the treasure that they uncover is in themselves and in the Lord. But the important thing to note is that it is a PROCESS not and ACHIEVEMENT. The longer you work at it, the more results you can see. Why not give it all up to God so that he can refine you into who you are meant to be? Love you! got to go!

Oh yeah, Shatta got baptized.

I'm German, I used my muscles!

This week was AMAZING! there were so many miracles that happened this week and I don't think I can write them all. It was so cool to see the week and the work unfold bit by bit. but first a few questions

So President gave us a challenge to look through our area book and to go see all of the former investigators from them. We took one afternoon to try and contact people and 3 of the sets of former investigators invited us to come back. On top of that we received 3 new investigators this last week and one of them has a baptism date for October 12th, the week after General Conference.

That guy's name is W. He's 21 and never grew up with religion but he has been wondering recently about what the whole point of life is. He works 4 jobs just to support himself. He has no support from his family and he has insomnia. He's pretty much constantly stressed out. Even though his fists are registered weapons, he's one of the nicest and kindest guys I've ever met. He's a double black belt in Krav Maga and Moi Thai. He's awesome. His prayers are the most sincere prayers I've ever seen. He never used to pray before he met the missionaries, but he really just talks to God. He feels like God has really shown his hand in his life. He's found purpose in the Gospel. He came to Sacrament meeting this last week and the ward just swarmed him with support. A bunch of the kids and teenagers in there he's taught martial arts to, and a few families invited him to come to dinner with us. It was awesome. He's not even a member, but the ward here merely heard that he was in need and they wanted to lend their support. It's super cool. We're meeting with him tonight and we're going to teach him how to tie a tie.

The next cool thing was F. S. and his wife. F. wasn't initially too interested in the Book of Mormon. We gave him and his wife 3 Nephi 11 and beyond to read a few weeks ago and the wife loved it. When we came back we talked to them about the Book of Mormon and where it came from. When F. learned that the book of Mormon was written in Egyptian and arabic orginally he locked in his attention. I guess he thought Joseph Smith wrote it originally. They really want to go to the Portland Temple Visitor's center and go into the Atrium inside the temple. I'm excited for them because I honestly feel like I've done nothing. Them reading the Book of Mormon and seeing how it goes hand in hand with the Bible gets them really interested to learn more. I think that's the coolest part about missionary work. All I have to do is give people the chance to read the book of mormon and they can find out for themselves.

Next awesomeness (and the whole reason behind the title for the week) was the following. When I first got here I followed up with a lady that Elder Udy had tracted into with Elder Adam Manwill (who I went to High school with). She told us to come back in 6 months. We did and we never could find her at home until just this last week. When we saw her she was outside doing yard work. We offered to help. She told us that we weren't dressed for the occasion and I told her "We wear these suits for 2 years. We honestly look for opportunities to get them dirty." and she let us help. In the course of the conversation we found out that she has a sick horse and that she just kicked her alcoholic husband out of the house for good last week. We asked her what her background in religion was and she told us that she's searched for a while, but nothing ever felt right. We started to finish up the leaf raking and weeding and what not when she told us her vision for what the house was going to look like. It was wayyyyy more work than she could do by herself. We told her we could come with an army of helpers on Saturday and get the hill on the side of her house dug out and put up a rock wall. And we did. Saturday was one long day of physical activity. We went non stop from 6 AM till 5 PM on nothing more than 2 bagels and a half a cup of rice. It went Olympic Weight lifting, sports with the City/ the people we're teaching, service cutting blackberry vines at G.'s with Machetes and then digging at J.'s. It was crazy. I've never dug so hard in my life and I've done a TON of digging on my mission. J. was really impressed with how much we got done. She got to meet some of her neighbors that she's never met, we all laughed, worked hard, and sweated a ton. We asked her at the end if she got a chance to read the Book of Mormon and if she'd like to learn a little more about where the Book of Mormon came from. SHE SAID YES! It was the biggest miracle I'd seen all week because she is such a shy person I don't think if we hadn't done service that she would've said yes to that question. She is EXTREMELY soft spoken. I can't wait to see what happens when we meet with her this week :)

D. was the happiest I've seen him in months this last sunday. It really good to see him like that. He deserves happiness for sure. School has been really good for him and keeping him busy.

That's only half of the stuff I saw this last week. God's hand is in this work for certain. there's no way any of this could've happened without his Spirit directing my Mission President and us. The crazy thing is seeing how much of it simply comes from being super organized and then just doing what comes to your mind. Often the Spirit can speak to you that softly. When you pray about something before you start and then just buckle down you can bet your buckets that God will be there helping you to have the ideas that He knows will work. 2 Nephi 32 talks about that in the bottom right hand column of the first page. I can't tell you the verse off hand. God's hand is often imperceptible at times, but when you look back, hind sight is 20/20. I love that. I love you guys. Stay zesty!