October 19, 2010

Hey everybody!

Well I guess my prayers didn't work, I'm being transferred to Banff. Ha, I'm kidding about my prayers not being answered. I hear there's a national park up there and that it's the most beautiful area in the mission so get ready for pictures! My new companion is Elder Mercado and he only came out one transfer after me so this will be a very young companionship. I will be relying heavily on the Lord for this one.

So Amber was baptized on Saturday. The Spirit was so strong and she was definitely ready for it. There were quite a bit of non members there which was awesome. We were able to talk to some and I turned my head and Elder Owens had set up an appointment with one of them! It was an awesome experience and the whole time, I wish you all could have been there. My face was glowing because the Spirit was so strong.

Kathryn and Jaycel are doing AWESOME! We've been doing the missionary lessons with them and they are so solid. You can see the Holy Ghost in them as you look in their eyes. They're interested, they want to learn more and that is all coming from the Spirit. They're reading their brand new scriptures (from the ward) every night and are also praying each night as well. They also want to go to seminary every morning now! They're so awesome and their mom is encouraging them the entire way.

Last night, we met with a less active mom and her family. She's divorced and is going through a very rough time. She has so much guilt that she feels that going to church and prayer will only make things worse. Brother and Sister Pratt (their home and visiting teachers) invited her over to dinner with us. It was an interesting lesson. We taught about the Atonement and everything Brother and Sister Pratt said related to her. They told her how the church provides so much with programs for the youth that help them learn and grow. Sister Pratt also hit the nail in the head by talking about faith. We show our faith by the choices we make to come unto Christ. I asked Sister Pilling's kids what they could do to come unto Christ and they said go to church. Sister Pilling said it was too hard for her and that it wouldn't help. Brother Pratt, in a loving and compassionate voice, said that if that's the attitude she has when going to church, then church won't help. We have to do things the Savior wants us to do with an open mind and we have to try it out. Elder Flygare said as a missionary, sometimes you have to "fake it till you make it". I noticed a lot of times, we feel we have to know the Book of Mormon is true before we read it every night or we have to have see God before we can honestly pray to him. That is false. It's the actions that are going to build that faith. It's reading the Book of Mormon with an open mind that will give you the testimony. It's praying to God and trusting that someone is listening to you that will let you know that He is there and mindful of you.

I love you all and can't wait to tell you about my experiences up in Banff.

Love,
Elder Madsen