August 9, 2010

Well hey there!

So this week was pretty interesting. I thought it was never going to end but it did eventually. Elder Stevens and I said bye to Jade this week. That was pretty hard. She's in Slave Lake right now. I heard the bishop in our ward told her it would be best if she got baptized up there with her new ward instead of the ward down here. I kind of wished he told Elder Stevens and I that... Now it all makes sense why there was less motivation for her to get baptized these past couple of weeks. It's frustrating but at the same time, I realize that Elder Sanders and I did all that we could and that's what matters. All I can do is hope and pray that she will be baptized up there. This isn't my mission, it's the Lord's mission.

We met with a former investigator this week. He's living with his two girls and his girlfriend who is less active (obviously). He's on parole until November so he can't go to church until then but he still has a good heart and wants to raise his girls right. What better place than this gospel to raise your children? Elder Stevens and I challenged them to have family scripture study and also family prayer each day. We'll see how that goes with them on Wednesday.

We're meeting with a ton of less actives now. Some of the wards are catching onto the Elder Perry Model (Those are the wards where the missionaries are most involved in... Hint, hint!). I'm telling you that the model works when it is done the way Elder Perry has asked us to do it. It is more effective when the members are involved with the less actives than when the missionaries simply knock on their door and ask if we can teach. Follow the counsel of the Apostles! Your ideas may be good but Theirs are right.

We met with Carrie last night. It's been a while but it was good to go over there again. Her friend Bob is excommunicated and her other fellow shipper is a less active. It's good because it's 3 people benefitting from the lessons. Anyways, Elder Stevens and I were going in planning on teaching about the Book of Mormon but it turns out that the Word of Wisdom got brought up so we taught that instead. The Spirit was very powerful. Carrie said she feels like she can't give up coffee because it's the only thing that will cure her headache. We told her about the blessings that come from following the Word of Wisdom and how this is something that came from a prophet and it is something Christ wants us to do. Following the Word of Wisdom shows that we're willing to follow Him and that we want to keep His commandments. We taught about the Book of Mormon eventually but it was kind of interesting how we went in there thinking that we were going to teach one thing but how the Spirit totally helped us teach something completely different than what we were expecting to teach. Man, that's awesome!

Elder Stevens and I are working hard but having a blast at the same time! The Spirit was so strong in that lesson with Carrie. It's an incredible feeling that I feel I can only have wile being a missionary. But guess what! You too can have the Spirit with you. The EQP in one of the wards asked me to give a spiritual thought to the priesthood right when the meeting started. I opened up to 3 Nephi 12 where it talks about being the Light. When you were baptized, you received a special gift and that gift is the Holy Ghost. Because of your righteous choices and remembering your baptismal covenants, you can have the Holy Ghost be with you at all times. Not everybody has that. Not everybody has those feelings of joy and comfort testifying to them that they have a Savior and a Heavenly Father who loves them... but you do. Let them have a taste of what that knowledge can do for them. Let them feel the love that you have been able to feel in your life by following the Gospel. When the opportunity comes for you to tell someone why you are different or why you are so happy, do NOT put the reasons under a bushel. Let them shine because when you do that, you are glorifying your Father who is in Heaven. He loves you and wants all of His children back into His presence. I love you all. Take care!

Love,
Elder Madsen