March 25, 2013

This week has been great! We were able to have the baptism of Miranda Springer on Saturday and it was amazing! It was very low stress and everything went well! Miranda's parents who are non-members came and they seemed to really enjoy it! They also came to her confirmation and the spirit seemed to really touch them! Hopefully something can come from that!
This last weeks district meeting was the most spiritual district meeting I've ever been in! We discussed the Atonement and the need for an atonement and then we watched the bible videos on lds.org.  We watched the one that takes place in the garden of Gethsemane. it was really touching and seemed to show the mortal side of Jesus. We then watched Missionary work and the Atonement.  We were all crying by the end and we all shared; 'because of the Atonement I can...' statements. It was very spiritual! Then after district meeting we went to a less actives house.  The wife has been in a lot of pain with her back and her daughter has made some horrible decisions and has gone off the deep end. they have been struggling with the daughter for years. So we talked about how Christ loves her and then we showed them the 'mountains to climb' mormon message, narrated by President Eyring.  It was so spiritual because this families life has been so hard and this video actually had an effect on them! I was crying so much and they were too! wow! Its been such a spiritual week!
One of our investigators, Deanna... the one who wants to start her own church has been difficult these last few weeks. but this last week was great! She asked us, 'so do you guys want me to be mormon' and we explained that we would like her to be baptized and talked more about that... and now she is actually progressing! She is having some trouble with the apostasy but hopefully we can work that out!
We were able to finally go and see Kui Kelly. He's a less active that was diagnosed with cancer so we havent been able  to see him for a while. He has been going through radiation and we were finally able to meet with him. We showed him Mountains to Climb and he said it was the most spiritual thing he had ever seen!

Ok so the worst thing about this week: At the baptism for Miranda we were waiting for the meeting to start (waiting for the Bishop haha) and then Elder Golden says "Is that Sister Mcdonald" then it clicked in my head that April was not getting baptized today... now let me give you some history ("no, it is too much, let me sum up"- Princess Bride) anyway... April was going to be baptized the same day as Miranda... and april was going to the employment center where all of the senior sisters work... and they got really close to her. so we told them about aprils baptism like a month ago... well after april was not able to be baptized because she would be out of town I fogot to call sister mcdonald and tell her. So I have to face this sweet little old lady on a motorized cart (not really on a cart but you know what I mean) and tell her that april is not being baptized today! I will never forget the face that she gave me. she grabbed her chest and fell backward a few inches against the wall... and I said 'I am so sorry its totally my fault' to which she said 'yes it was your fault' I was like... oh my gosh!!! I'm sorry Lady!! lol but then after talking for a while I finally softened her up (I think it was because of my tie and my suit) haha jk. but ya it was terrible!

Well sorry to end on a bad note but we just need to get used to disappointment lol (another princess bride quote) well love you all!!

Love,

Elder John

March 18, 2013

This week was great! We were able to get 3 new investigators and help less actives finally get to church! A few weeks ago we taught a Hispanic family; Abel, Aldo, and Abel jr. This week his wife walked in as we were finishing up the lesson and we were inviting them to church. We asked the wife if she would be willing to give the kids a ride to church because Abel had to work. She said that she was the one originally that wanted to become a member of the Church but her husband did not allow it because of everything going on in his work and the sports he wanted to do. Her history is amazing! When she was in the military she had to have a 'buddy' that she went everywhere with, because the females had to be in pairs. So she would go to church with her LDS buddy. she said that at first she would just sleep through the service but after a while she would sit through it and she really loved it! So she is so happy that her husband wants to pursue this! They were supposed to come to church but her father was in the hospital. I consider that to be a good excuse. But we are so excited to be able to stat teaching the whole family! And the members that we brought with us this last time are great and they have really clicked with the family!

One major bummer this week was that our investigator, Raul who was set with a date for baptism on the 13th of April, is now not meeting with us anymore. He said that his parents don't want him to be meeting with us and they don't want us to call his house. So he said he would continue meeting with us after he got a car. and since he doesn't have a job that is going to be in the far distant future. Despite us giving him options and promising him blessings he did not want to nurture the seed that was planted. It was ironic because we just read Alma 32 and discussed the principle of nurturing the seed right before he told us this. now it turns out that his ground is barren. not because the seed wasn't a good, true seed. but because his ground is barren.

This week has been a great one filled with trials... the trials are becoming less and less about me and myself... and more about peoples choices... sometimes no matter what I do I cant choose for them and can't make them choose eternal life!

we were supposed to have a bunch of people at church this last week but non of them showed! a new investigator that we got on friday was supposed to come. her name is Ashlee and we knocked on her door and did an Easter message approach. she let us in and we shared a message about Easter and then got the conversation toward different aspects of the gospel. she then asked how are mormons different so we were finally able to explain!! she was excited and sounded interested... but one draw back was that her mom is a prophet at their church and ashlee believes that she can tell the future and crap... so a kinda stinks... but we will see!

Love you all!

Love,

Elder John

pictures: Robert Pike: leaving on a mission this Wednesday

John Bulmer: Investigator we helped rake leave for

March 11, 2013

Dear Family

This week was great! our investigators are still doing well and are excited for baptism! I was really bummed though because one of them, when their fellow-shipper went to pick them up, said that they had family in town and that they were not going to come to church. So our next lesson will be about revelation through church attendance! Hurray! 

A week or so ago we decided to walk that day instead of driving our car, just in our local area, and we bumped into this guy, Raul. He is 34 and lives with his parents. He was kinda unsure about letting us in because his parents are catholic and they won't welcome us. so we stood outside and talked. This last Thursday we happened to be in the area and we bumped into him again. This time we shred the message of the Restoration and when we first were talking with him he seemed really sad and he said that he felt sick. but after talking with him and sharing the first vision with him, he said that he felt warm inside and that he had goosebumps! We talked about baptism and that after he is baptized he can have that feeling with him always! Isn't it amazing that people don't know they can feel this way all of the time!!! Well we committed him to baptism and then we set up a time for a member to pick him up to have a lesson in a member home on Saturday. So Saturday came and we watched the Restoration video. After discussing prophets and the priesthood we committed him to be baptized on the 13th of April!!! Legit! He is one of those souls who are ready and who needs the Gospel! He talked about sins in his past and we told him that all of those feelings of guilt will be gone if he turns to the Savior and he does the things that we ask him to. Not because we want him to but because the Savior wants him to. 

Also!!! we found an awesome Mexican family! We went trackting a few weeks ago and this guy names Juan answered the door and said that he would want to meet with us. then we stop by and this lady says "we speake no englis... I'm sorry' and it wasnt very convincing because the 'im sorry' part sounded very american. the next time we stop by a kid named Aldo answered the door and told us to come back... then the next time we come back and the dad, Abel answered the door (ps I refer to him as cain when we are planning haha) but he said to come back... and when we came back this time he said come on in! and he had his son there and his nephew too! the son said that he couldnt remember this scripture he learned in his christian school and the dad said 'ask them, they know everything' (ask the missionaries they can help! you're so right elder nelson!!) so we talked for a while and shared finding faith in christ with them and they were so excited and so we have the perfect members to be fellowshippers for them! We are going to have a lesson this next week! So happy!!!

Well... things are going great here! WE have a baptism on the 23rd of March and on the 13th of April! Miranda is getting interviewed tonight so hopefully all goes well!!!

Thanks for the support!!! 

Love, 

Elder John 

March 4, 2013

This week was amazing!!! So both of our investigators that are set with a date are doing really well! The ward is so excited and we cant wait to get them baptized! The baptism will be on the 23rd of March at 6:00pm at the Alexander and Ferrel building.
We were able to get 2 new investigators this week as well! one of them is a 10 year old girl that we found from a less active member, who also wants to start coming back to church. Our other new investigator we found in the most amazing way! We went to visit one of our investigators who wasnt home. since we were in the appartment complex we decided to visit a few less actives in the area.  well we knock on this ladies door and this black guy answers the door and says 'Gods here! come on in'. so we come in and he was a little drunk but the girl that was there was legit! she said that they were just talking about God and that this was an answer to her prayers, she just moved in with her friends that day and if she hadent have been there she wouldnt have met us. we sat down and as we did the guy was like, oh lets move some of this pot out of the way. so that really brought the spirit lol. Well we started off with a prayer and by that time she was crying.  We taught the first lesson, up to the apostacy, and then we talked about some of her concerns about God giving her direction. We were BOLD! the Boldest I've ever been on my mission, probably. We told her that this church will give her direction and that this experience is an answer to her prayers.  We then commited her to baptism and she said, "of course!". So we are super excited and cant wait to teach her again! we have a lesson with her tonight so hopefully it goes through!
This has been a great week!
Thanks for all of your support and for everything you do!!!

Love you all!

Elder John

1 TIM 1:12