This week was pretty good! It was super weird because I was in a trio all week after Elder Ward went home, but it was super fun. The elders I was with were fun to be with, but I'm definitely excited to get back to my area, with a harder working companion. I just felt kinda lazy all week, like I was wasting some time. So I can't wait till Wednesday. We had to cover the whole New Bern Ward for the past week, and until Wednesday. The New Bern Ward is massive geographically. You could drive for 2 hours and still be in the ward.
My new companion is going to be Elder Shill! I'm super excited. He's a brand new zone leader, never been one before, so obviously, since I don't know what I'm doing he'll teach me how to be a better leader haha! The last time I was even serving in the same zone as him was a year ago when he was in training. He came out about 3 months after me, so I'm really excited to be with him!
So I didn't get a lot of work done in my area this week, but we did see a few miracles head our way! That couple that I talked about last week, Lauren and Tyler, are super fun. We ended up teaching them last Monday at the church with a member with us and it went okay. The other Elders and I never really established a good teaching pattern with each other. I've stayed in contact with them, but we don't have another appointment set. But they are so solid so I'm not giving up!
Yesterday was a really cool day though. The Spirit was just so strong in a few lessons we had in a row and it's days like that that you just live for! We found 2 new investigators that are again, actually looking for something more in their life, and answers to questions. So we were able to give them the answer to a lot of their questions, and a lot of things come down to the Restoration of the Gospel. It's so true though because if that is actually true, then EVERYTHING that we teach is true, and this is the one true church on the Earth. It went pretty well, and we're going to see them again this week. But after that we had a dinner appointment with a family in the ward, and we just taught them simply about the Restoration! And I thought it was super Spirit filled. Just helping them to see the blessings that they've seen as a family because of the Restoration of the Gospel. Then right after we drove to the other Elder's only investigator that they meet with consistently, and we had to tell him that we couldn't keep meeting with him. That was super hard. After 6 months of trying and trying, and him showing just little signs of progress, it was enough to keep meeting with him. But we had a sweet discussion about how he needs to just put forth the effort, and he said himself that he just hasn't really tried. You could see the Spirit working with him, but we told him that he's gotta make the choice and when he does he should contact us. It was super hard on everyone. I honestly felt love for him, and I'd taught him twice. And more importantly, you could tell how much God loved him. But everything comes down to whether or not we will make the choice in our life.
That's a really cool insight from Ethan Sperry! Psalm 100 is a really good chapter. I think that it is spot on. Happiness and Joy are two separate things. And true Joy comes from living the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It's one of the ways that we can know for ourselves that this is the truth! The Spirit speaks to us in feelings of Joy, and thoughts that come to our head.
Actually my ponderizing scripture goes right along with that. It is Moroni 7:13 "But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, everything which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God." Any good feeling that we get comes from God! I know that this scripture is the truth. And I love this because it let's me know that no matter where I may think the thought I get comes from, if it's a good thought, and helps others, it really comes from God. And those thought bring us pure joy in our lives.
That's fun that you celebrated Sammy's Birthday at Gobi! That place is so good! I bet it was super fun.
I cannot believe that I'm going to be 20 soon... It feels so weird. I feel like I don't really need anything... My clothes are fine, maybe just another pair of Basketball shorts to exercise in? I can't think of anything else though! Yes we do have a microwave! And I will be at the same address for my birthday!
I hope you are doing well Mom! It sounds like y'all are working hard with choir and having a lot of fun there. I loved having clinics and things! Y'all are going to do so well at the conference! I love you so much and am so thankful for all that you do.
Love you!!
Elder Collier
No comments:
Post a Comment