October 17, 2011

Hey everybody!

Well we had another baptism this weekend. Tyler was baptized and confirmed by his dad on Saturday. It was a really spiritual event. We prayed that morning that a nonmember would be touched by the service and would want to meet with us. That morning, we did everything we could to get our investigators to go. Not one of them could make it. We went to the service and the 10 minute 1st was very powerful. We were still bummed that none of our investigators could feel that spirit but afterwards, we went to the Moxley's and Tyler's stepdad (nonmember) was so impressed that he asked us for a copy of the Book of Mormon. I'm so glad I've been able to be a part of this expereince. It almost seemed impossible that his mom would give him permission but the Lord was able to soften her heart because of the faith of the individuals who were praying. The Lord certainly tests us.

Clara has been dodgy this week. She felt really embarassed last week at church and has been setting up times to meet with us but has been always falling through. Sunday morning, Brother Hill invited her to church and she came up with all sorts of excuses. So Elder Harris and I stopped by and talked to her. She came up with all of her excuses and also said she felt embarassed last week and didn't want to come back. So, we decided to be bold. We asked, "Clara, does God want you at church?" She started by saying, "Well yes but..." and I'm glad we cut her off because we said, "Then what else matters... God wants you at church every week so that you can be forgiven of your sins. Now some members are coming from Glenwood to pick you up, Will you be here at 9?" So that was the end of that. She was there and enjoyed the Spirit and the Glenwood ward was incredible at introducing themselves to her. Elder Harris and I were praying and both received a strong impression that her date should be pushed back to the 29th.

We've been really focusing this week on staying close with the less actives. They have the non member friends so we've been working really closely with them. Ron is struggling right now. He's been cancelling on us and we invited him to the baptism but felt that he was too busy. Kyle hasn't been at our last 2 appointments that we've scheduled with him. He can still be ready by the 22nd. It's a matter of just tying him down because of the far distance he lives away.

As far as the rest of the zone is doing, we have 9 with a date which is the most I've ever seen since I've been here. I know that after the training we had on goal setting that those dates will stay solid! Something I heard this weekend really stood out to me about personal revelation. We have to have a desire, willingness to act and then follow through on the promptings that the Holy Ghost gives us. It is often in the "doing" that we find we are being led. When Elder Hansen and I would tract in Praire Winds, it would be so often that we would walk with a prayer in our hearts, and we would see a door and we wondered if that person was prepared or not. We'd think about it, then say, "welp, there's only one way to find out eh?" (out in canada is pronounced like "oat" by the way"). Every single day, we found a new or potential investigator. If we want it, we can have it. We just have to be willing to act which is often less difficult than it seems to be.

I love all of you and I heard from a missionary that I got a letter from Lisa so I'm excited to read it. I apologize that I haven't been very diligent with writing letters and so I will re-commit myself to do better. We're having stake conference in a couple of weekends and Elder Hallstrom of the Presidency of the 70 will come down and there will be a new stake presidency. FUN FUN FUN!!!!

Love,

Elder Madsen