Its official, I'm a missionary.

This last week I was bit by one dog and peed on by another.  So yeah, I'm officially a missionary now.

We also had our first Homemaking meeting since I've been put in the Relief Society and we learned how to bottle fruit.  We started with apricots since they are on now and everyone is passing them out free around here.  There is a lot of free fruit when it comes on and knowing how to bottle it is a huge blessing for these sisters. Thank you Eulala for teaching me.

For the next six weeks we are having Temple preparation lessons. Everyone is invited to come.  Those still with us on the last lesson are the serious ones.  One sister has already asked me to be her Escort when she goes to the temple. These people are really accepting of Elder Pack and I.  

 Today we took the Mitchell boys  to see a baptism.  They asked if their friend could come.  We said yes and he came with huge hanging circles in his ears and rods sticking in his lips.  He lives in a foster home. When we got to the church he asked if this was a mormon church.  Apparently he is already baptized and ordained a Deacon!  He doesn't remember much about it but he did remember the songs. Maybe he will listen in on the missionary lessons when we are teaching the Mitchell family.

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Who is Adam?

Yesterday we had a great time doing a service project with the other missionaries. It was great because we took Michael and Daniel to meet the other missionaries and help in the yard.  They loved it.  Daniel, 16, said it was the best day he could remember having. Think of that. Weeding, painting, sweeping, caulking.  It was his best day because he was with people with the same values as him who had fun working for others.

 We were especially busy today taking Elders down to Chowchilla (30 minutes south) to help a non-member family move in. Then we raced back home (not literally) to change and go to Atwater (30 minutes to the north) to teach brand new investigators that Elder Pack found.

We took the sister missionaries with us because it is out of our area and in theirs and so these are more investigators that we have to wean off us and hand over to other missionaries. But Elder Pack really related well to this couple so we went to their home for the first lesson.

We were doing so well, talking about the prophets of each dispensation, leading up to Joseph Smith. So we said, "just as Adam was the prophet of his time, Joseph Smith is the prophet of this time." And that is when the lady said, "Who was Adam?"  I had no idea there were people out here who don't know the most basic of basics.  All I could say was "As you learn about God and his dealings with mankind, you are in for such an adventure!"

Then we visited a couple of chuch members on the way home that don't get visited much because they are farther away and once again raced back home so I could go visit some sisters in the Branch with my wonderful Relief Society counselors. I'm not sure what all was said in Spanish but I could feel by the Spirit that the visits went very well.

Prayers Work

Thank you, thank you to all of those who sent prayers for the Mitchell family.

  After meeting them Thursday we went to their home Friday and taught the first lesson about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon.  Then on Saturday we took them on a "tour of the church" so they would feel comfortable in coming Sunday. I never realized why we have particular pictures up that teach the gospel throughout the building.  But they were really beautiful to me that day.

Both of these times we included the English speaking Elders because this family speaks English and will be attending an English ward, not ours. We are turning them over slowly to these great Elders.

 So today, Sunday, we waited at the church.  And waited. And waited. But our faith never wavered and sure enough, about 30 minutes late they came. I know it was because of our prayers and yours that they made it.

And the ward was fantastic! I can not count how many wonderful people came up to say hi and offer their help with the kids and classes.  The investigator class filled right up with faithful members who came in to support the family.  A little girl of four came and took the hand of the Mitchell family's four year old and off they trotted to class. It was absolutely perfect and they are ready to come again next week!

After that ward's meetings Glen and I attending our little Branch, in the same building.  There they sustained and set me apart to be the Relief Society President.  I think. When I speak better Spanish I'll let you know:)

This is MY work...

Ever since hearing the quote on Thursday, "This is MY work and my Glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." all I can focus on is the Lord's statement that this is His work.  He can do his own work just fine.  All we have to do is our own.

For instance, today one of the companionships in our mission was praying to have a baptism prepared for next Saturday.  The answer they got was they would have a baptism today!  Well, they knelt again for confirmation of what they both thought they heard.  And sure enough.  The Lord said they were to prepare to have a baptism today and get down there to fill up the font.  So they did.  But having absolutely no idea who was going to baptized, they knelt at the font and prayed to ask who was going to be baptized.  They were answered a man called Junior and told where to find him.  The rule here is that an investigator has to go to church twice before they can be baptized.  Turns out this man had had the missionary lessons before and attended church before.  They went and told him he was supposed to be baptized today and he agreed and was baptized today!

The Lord can do His WORK.  We must be prepared to do ours.

A miracle

Tonight Glen and I were a part of a miracle. We had spent all day in an inspiring seminar about how the Lord can help us find those he has prepared to hear the Gospel. So we decided  to take a walk on Main St in Merced at about 8:30pm to see if we could find someone to teach.  We found one couple that was really nice and gave us their phone and address to come by.  Then we found an older couple and their 30 year old son and the dad had a lot of questions for us and is taking us to see the play (West Side Story) that their son is in Saturday.

Walking back to the car Glen saw a family that he really felt like we should approach. We dallied around for a minute and then thought of an idea.  We went up to them and asked what was in one of the nearby buildings.  The dad said it was kind of a pub.  So Glen said "is it somewhere we could go with us being missionaries?"  And the man said quickly, "No".  Then he said, "Maybe you can answer something for us.  Our son here has been fasting for five days." I looked at the 18 year old boy and asked, "What are you fasting for?"  and he said "Guidance." And I said, "The Lord just answered your prayer". It was amazing. He cried, his 16 year old brother cried, his 14 year old sister cried, his mom cried, and the dad had great questions for us. Glen was able to explain briefly about our Spirits and our gospel message. He told them about eternal families and that their familly was obviously special.   I told the boy "you can eat now because we are going to give you His guidance."  And he said OK.  The dad asked what we taught about America.  We didn't know what he was searching for so we just said we knew the Constitution was inspired of God and America wouldn't be free if it wasn't for God and the land was special for the restoration of His gospel. They wanted us to come tomorrow early and teach them.  I told the boy he must have an amazing spirit to have God send us to him. 

It was such a spiritual experience with the Holy Ghost that neither Glen nor I had strength to even go to the mailbox when we got home. We barely got in the door and our knees still are shaking and we have no strength.  We are so, so grateful to be led to this family and to be a part of sharing the Gospel with them.  God hears and answers prayers.  I know he heard this young man's prayer for Guidance. And I know he heard ours to be of service.  I know God lives and answers prayers.

Who am I really?

It is interesting to think back on our pre-earth life. There were a lot of people there. And just like here, some were fighting to convience others to be on Christ's side.  That means we were fighting for moral choice.  We were in training for what we would be doing down here on earth.  Every Priesthood holder was for-ordained to that office in that life. Every missionary was for-ordained to that call.

So, think about it.  Right now they figure in 2013 there are 7,123,497,504 people on the earth. And when they figured it in January of this year there were 58,000 missionaries.  So up in Heaven, Heavenly Father looked out over his children.  He looked over 122,819 of them and said "I will choose one to teach all of the rest of you about the Gospel on the earth.  One out of 122,819.  And apparently I raised my hand and said "here am I. Send me." And so did each missionary that has served, is serving now, or will serve.

In John 21:15-17 we read where three times, Jesus told Peter to Feed His Sheep. Christ died, was resurected, and came back to teach the apostles.  It was important.  Feed His Sheep.  What does the Lord see in us that we usuallly can't see in ourselves? 

He knows that when we were in the councils in Heaven and were asked who would take the fight down to earth to teach the people there, some raised there hands and said, "Here am I.  Send me."

Hurray!

We had forty people come to Sacrament meeting today!  I was so thrilled I thought about kissing their feet but didn't want to scare them off.

 We tried a new plan yesterday.  Besides visiting the Less Actives through the week, we took around a flyer Saturday with a scripture thought ( D&C 6:32) and the time schedule of the church meetings. These people can say they don't want to come but they sure can't say they didn't know about it.

Also the one Less Active we are working with down in the Chowchilla branch came today and is really doing great asimilating into the branch.  The fellowshipping of the ward/branch makes such a huge difference.

  I see some wards/branches where no one pays any attention to the person next to them. Everyone should say hi to absolutely everyone within arms reach.  You don't have to hug them like they do in the Spanish speaking wards but you do have to smile and shake hands.

 And then I see wards where everyone comes up and calls them by name and offers to take them to class and makes them feel wanted. These new people will come again.

As a missionary trying to reactivate Less Actives I can tell you that it is a real concern in wondering what the new people will think about the regular attenders in the ward.  Will they be friendly to them?  Will they be reverent around them? Will they accept them regardless of their clothes?  Will they draw them into the ward family and show the kind of love Christ would give them?

Try saying hi to twenty people every Sacrament meeting. That will be about ten more than is in your regular inner circle. It changes a good ward into a great one.