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.