Okay we have just a little post this week, not a ton happened that sticks out or that I would highlight, lots of generic missionary work. But what was noteworthy:
Ellis: We've been teaching Ellis for almost three months, and there was a big space in the middle where we couldn't meet with him. He has been searching long and hard for the truth and the right way to worship God. He hasn't been baptized because he wants to make sure it's right. Sound familiar? He has an awesome understanding and as we teach he just puts the puzzle pieces together and the spirit confirms it and that's the game. Every lesson this has happened!!! Yesterday he made it to church (45 minutes late, thanks Jamaican time). We were in Sacrament meeting and all of a sudden I see President Francis shoot up out of his seat as someone is giving their testimony and bolt down the aisle passing the whole congregation and flying out the door and down the hall. A minute later he comes back and Ellis sits next to me. Turns out that he looked in and saw the meeting going on and started to leave, but President Francis saw him. THANK HEAVENS HE SAW HIM!!! We had two amazingly spiritual discussions in the classes and he felt the fellowship and love the priesthood bredren (brethren) have for him already. I'm so grateful for this. The spirit is working hard for him to know this is really, actually true. He is on or the 17th of October for baptism, but the Word of Wisdom may push it back. My goal is no later than the 31st, Halloween, which they don't really celebrate in Jamaica. Ellis is our Golden and only true "investigator".
Elder Trinnaman and I are getting pretty close and I can say he is truly my son. I'm so proud o his progress and this morning we had the best comp. study. We did a role play where I was new and he did all the teaching and he nailed it so hard!!! He knows what he is doing, good thing too. Maybe he can teach me how to be such a good teacher.
This has been the hardest almost-six months of my life and it has been the best too. (It still stinks without you Hails!) I have grown so much and not just around the waist! :) Yeah I need to start doing some core workout...and whoever is reading this can someone send me a fake beard or goatee or some kind of realistic facial hair thing please? You'll see why in a few weeks. :)
I know this Gospel is true. I know the Book of Mormon is true scripture and the word of God. I know that without this Gospel, there is no point to life. I know that the covenants we make at baptism and in the temple are real. God keeps them if we do our part. When we take those covenants upon ourselves, we accept a higher standard of living and we can be blessed so much more when we push ourselves to be perfect. I know Thomas S. Monson is a true and Living prophet, the mouthpiece of God on the earth today. I knew this before I met him in person when he came to the Boise temple re dedication celebration, and than my testimony was and is solidified forever. I know he prays for me every day. I love him. InTheNameOfJesusChristAmen. :)
28 September 2015
21 September 2015
WOAH! We're halfway there...
This Wednesday marks the halfway point of Elder Trinnaman's training in Ochi. I can't believe how fast it has gone by! Not a ton has happened in the last week that was noteworthy. Whelp, here is the scoop :
District meeting was super cool! President Brown was there and we learned more about having the faith to achieve the goals the mission has set. President Brown gave us counsel from the scriptures with differing groups of people who sat on the shore and got comfortable. They didn't have the faith it was going to take to cross the many waters to get to the promised land. They stopped progressing and started digressing because they didn't think God could bring them to the promised land. He pierced our hearts as we realized we need to truly trust in God to do this missionary work.
We saw a woman named Carol and PKB (President Kevin Brown) tagged along. We taught her "how to begin teaching" -establishing our purpose- and taught about the Book of Mormon. At the beginning of the lesson she didn't want to read it cause it wasn't the Bible, but at the end she was willing to read it to know if it's true.
We've had a hard time meeting with our investigators. No appointments are sticking and everyone is always busy. We will not give up! As we work as hard as we can as missionaries, the Lord will give the results.
We watched a dog get hit by a truck (he is okay) during a lesson!!! It was unreal and scary and hilarious at the same time! I know, I'm sick and twisted forgive me...We just looked out into the road and SMACK! Te dog is the neighborhood menace so the family we were meeting with was cheering and celebrating until they found the dog was okay. Haha it was great!
General Conference is so soon! I have the Hinckling it will be on mostly missionary work with lots of warning of the disgusting world around us and separating from it. Those two main topics. We shall see when we see though!
My understanding on how to help peoples understanding has been grown thanks to PKB yesterday at church. We spent the whole hour of Gospel principles on one paragraph in the book about the parent's responsibility to be God's partners in His Plan of Salvation.(Gospel principles book, chapter 36 I think) It opened my eyes to the depth you have to go into something to make it simple but very applicable. I'm already getting dad training!!!
District meeting was super cool! President Brown was there and we learned more about having the faith to achieve the goals the mission has set. President Brown gave us counsel from the scriptures with differing groups of people who sat on the shore and got comfortable. They didn't have the faith it was going to take to cross the many waters to get to the promised land. They stopped progressing and started digressing because they didn't think God could bring them to the promised land. He pierced our hearts as we realized we need to truly trust in God to do this missionary work.
We saw a woman named Carol and PKB (President Kevin Brown) tagged along. We taught her "how to begin teaching" -establishing our purpose- and taught about the Book of Mormon. At the beginning of the lesson she didn't want to read it cause it wasn't the Bible, but at the end she was willing to read it to know if it's true.
We've had a hard time meeting with our investigators. No appointments are sticking and everyone is always busy. We will not give up! As we work as hard as we can as missionaries, the Lord will give the results.
We watched a dog get hit by a truck (he is okay) during a lesson!!! It was unreal and scary and hilarious at the same time! I know, I'm sick and twisted forgive me...We just looked out into the road and SMACK! Te dog is the neighborhood menace so the family we were meeting with was cheering and celebrating until they found the dog was okay. Haha it was great!
General Conference is so soon! I have the Hinckling it will be on mostly missionary work with lots of warning of the disgusting world around us and separating from it. Those two main topics. We shall see when we see though!
My understanding on how to help peoples understanding has been grown thanks to PKB yesterday at church. We spent the whole hour of Gospel principles on one paragraph in the book about the parent's responsibility to be God's partners in His Plan of Salvation.(Gospel principles book, chapter 36 I think) It opened my eyes to the depth you have to go into something to make it simple but very applicable. I'm already getting dad training!!!
14 September 2015
Fruits of Our Labors
This week was kind of crazy. Okay To start off, we met with Gabbidon and Teshane. They wouldn't let us teach or share. Whenever we tried to testify they would break it down saying it couldn't be true since it wasn't in the bible. It was the first time I remember that they contended really hard and I continued to be filled with the spirit and not get angry or contentious. I felt so alive after the lesson even though we basically watched them spiritually die ater that lesson. It strengthened my testimony so strongly about the true nature of this church. I know without a doubt that this church is the Lord's kingdom on the earth. I have no doubt. It's interesting how someone who tries to tear your beliefs down ends up building them even more.
We will continue to meet with them because the spirit is present in their lessons and that means they are feeling it. Evenutally they will yield to His enticings and be some of the strongest members in Ochi. We know they will do great once they accept the truth. Our ocus is to let them think they are getting us to doubt when we come to ask questions and learn according to their knowledge. Then we question more and more thier doctrine until it runs them into contradictions and they convict themselves. They prove themselves wrong is the goal because we can't prove them wrong. We have the full puzzle and just have to hand them the pieces. Defenitely a "follow-the-spirit" focus (which should be every lesson!).
Through the week we got some lessons and did more preparations for branch council which got pushed back another week because of a funeral or Sister Abigail Lluelyn. I got to know her and will miss her. She was an amazing woman... Our branch mission plan is to get home and visiting teaching run by the members and consistant by the end of the year. We met with the Jacksons, Brother Nelson, and Sister Henry about it and we will continue to meet members around our area to get it started up. Ochi branch is going to be moving up in the ranks soon come. I'm super excited!
Sandy is nowhere to be found because of her new job. We haven't met with her basically since her baptism and that is not okay in my book... she is super busy and in order to follow God she may have to drop it. I hope we built her faith enough to alow her the confidence to do something so unsure in this world of money. We are going over to help her do chores to make it to church on Sunday. Thank the sister missionaries for convincing her to let us all come over! Women do have that touch that men don't.
Today we are going back to the beach! I love the sand and its nice to just reax for an hour or two. We will see if pictures load this and next week. Thank you for all those who pray for me and for missionaries in General; IT MAKES A DIFERENCE. Keep praying please we need your faith and prayers to do this work. To my family and Ward family, and Friends, I love you all and miss every single one of you a ton. Please always remember our God and His Tender Mercies that we are blessed to have. God is our everything and we owe Him our lives; everything we can give Him.
District p-day at the beach! Sorry for the tilt, the photographer was a bystander. :)
We will continue to meet with them because the spirit is present in their lessons and that means they are feeling it. Evenutally they will yield to His enticings and be some of the strongest members in Ochi. We know they will do great once they accept the truth. Our ocus is to let them think they are getting us to doubt when we come to ask questions and learn according to their knowledge. Then we question more and more thier doctrine until it runs them into contradictions and they convict themselves. They prove themselves wrong is the goal because we can't prove them wrong. We have the full puzzle and just have to hand them the pieces. Defenitely a "follow-the-spirit" focus (which should be every lesson!).
Through the week we got some lessons and did more preparations for branch council which got pushed back another week because of a funeral or Sister Abigail Lluelyn. I got to know her and will miss her. She was an amazing woman... Our branch mission plan is to get home and visiting teaching run by the members and consistant by the end of the year. We met with the Jacksons, Brother Nelson, and Sister Henry about it and we will continue to meet members around our area to get it started up. Ochi branch is going to be moving up in the ranks soon come. I'm super excited!
Sandy is nowhere to be found because of her new job. We haven't met with her basically since her baptism and that is not okay in my book... she is super busy and in order to follow God she may have to drop it. I hope we built her faith enough to alow her the confidence to do something so unsure in this world of money. We are going over to help her do chores to make it to church on Sunday. Thank the sister missionaries for convincing her to let us all come over! Women do have that touch that men don't.
Today we are going back to the beach! I love the sand and its nice to just reax for an hour or two. We will see if pictures load this and next week. Thank you for all those who pray for me and for missionaries in General; IT MAKES A DIFERENCE. Keep praying please we need your faith and prayers to do this work. To my family and Ward family, and Friends, I love you all and miss every single one of you a ton. Please always remember our God and His Tender Mercies that we are blessed to have. God is our everything and we owe Him our lives; everything we can give Him.
District p-day at the beach! Sorry for the tilt, the photographer was a bystander. :)
07 September 2015
Potential Energy + Movement = Kinetic Energy
Okay. This week was great! We did a lot of missionary things and taught some missionary stuff. The week flew by like usual, and we didn't get to see some of our people that we're focusing on. No new developments on Sandy, Simone, or Gabbidon. We see Gabbidon today and will teach him the Holy Ghost and prayer out of the new testament (the bible cause he hates any scripture not in the 66 bible books.)
The member work is starting to move, hence the title! We are getting some firesides set up after church and they are to pump the members up to reach out to those friends they have and bring them back into the old, with a focus on the members we already know. Less-actives and in-actives. We taught a great fireside yesterday at church and I felt like it did a good job to help the members realize just how much of a responsibility it is for them to do something. Next we will be getting directories out to all the members so they can have somewhere to start. Then we wait for calls and do whatever else we can to help each member separately. I can't deal with the fact that I may leave Ochi after I'm done training Elder Trinnaman in seven weeks.... D: NNOONOONOONONONO! I'll stay in Ochi for the whole two years please and thank you! :)
The Zone Leaders stayed the night at our house this past week and we talked a ton about finding and how to and did role plays and such. It helped me a ton. I feel like Elder Trinnaman and I are getting more faith, and even though we are bad at finding right now, BECAUSE of our faith, people come up and find us instead. It's a good deal for now. Kind of like how eventually Joseph Smith didn't need a seer stone to translate the Book of Mormon cause he became so familiar with the workings of the Spirit. I hope to be able to get familiar enough to just find with no problems.
For the records I guess? #selfie!
Jovani is silly at Friday Night Acitvity!
My new tie from Hailey!!! Thank you!!!
A few shots with Quiania before church! I'm adopting(stealing) her from the Francis's when I leave!!!
The member work is starting to move, hence the title! We are getting some firesides set up after church and they are to pump the members up to reach out to those friends they have and bring them back into the old, with a focus on the members we already know. Less-actives and in-actives. We taught a great fireside yesterday at church and I felt like it did a good job to help the members realize just how much of a responsibility it is for them to do something. Next we will be getting directories out to all the members so they can have somewhere to start. Then we wait for calls and do whatever else we can to help each member separately. I can't deal with the fact that I may leave Ochi after I'm done training Elder Trinnaman in seven weeks.... D: NNOONOONOONONONO! I'll stay in Ochi for the whole two years please and thank you! :)
The Zone Leaders stayed the night at our house this past week and we talked a ton about finding and how to and did role plays and such. It helped me a ton. I feel like Elder Trinnaman and I are getting more faith, and even though we are bad at finding right now, BECAUSE of our faith, people come up and find us instead. It's a good deal for now. Kind of like how eventually Joseph Smith didn't need a seer stone to translate the Book of Mormon cause he became so familiar with the workings of the Spirit. I hope to be able to get familiar enough to just find with no problems.
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