January 19, 2010

Hey family!
How's life going? Good I hope. I got like 50 emails this week! :-) How exciting! I don't have a whole lot of time today, because one of the emails that I got was a letter informing me that it is time to start getting ready to switch over to the Gmail version of MyLDSmail. YAY!!! The actual switch will happen next P-Day (I may get a new email address, but it will forward this email address to the new one if I do). For now, I just have to make sure all the info is correct and my accounts ready to be moved.
DAD IS THE WARD MISSION LEADER?!
"The most important callings in the ward are:
1st Bishop,
2nd Ward Clerk,
3rd Ward Mission Leader."
Guess who said that? Only Elder L. Tom Perry of the 12 apostles. :-) so no pressure.

The best ward mission leader I've ever had was Matt, in the singles ward in Mesa last year. The reason I like him so much was because, if we didn't call him and ask for him at least once during the week, he would call us and ask us to please let him help. He really wanted to do everything he could to make sure our needs were covered.
The best organization I've had is where, in Ward Coorilation (spelling?) all the ward missionaries are there, someone from every auxilary (RS, EQ, HPQ, Primary, etc.) is there and assignments are made for members to go with missionaries to appointments.
Anyway, I'm excited for you!

So, we had a few interesting things happen this last week. All of our baptisms got pushed back to Feb 6th. Sister Tsosie missed her interview (she was sick) so we pushed hers back, Bervena we haven't met with enough, and Russel had a family thing come up. lol. In just two days, all of our dates got moved to Feb 6th. They are all still on track, though.
In the past week we have found two REALLY amazing people that are searching for truth. There are so many places that offer some good things and some truth and really help people to find God, but they don't have everything we need as children of God.
Robin and Serena felt that way. They had friends that were members, and so they were curious. They searched online and found Mormon.org and started looking at what we believe in. They liked what they found, and had more questions, so they did more searching and found LDS.org. They finally referred themselves on mormon.org and we came by. They said they now understand what we do and who we are, but they are confused about WHY we are the way we are. We didn't have much time, but I tried to explain in 30 seconds what the Plan of Salvation is, and how it changes our outlook on life. (Speaking of, I've been studying the Plan of Salvation, and about how we lived with God before we came to earth, and I really like Titus 1:2 in the new testament. I think it says everything.) They are an amazing family.
The gospel changes lives. You can't hear it's message and not be changed one way or the other. The message of the restoration brings the gospel into people's lives like no other thing on earth can. With Elder Callister and Elder Holland in the last conference, I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and that the Book of Mormon is true. I love you all and hope everything goes well for you this week.Oh, and I guess welcome Rebecca. :-) I asume that's the same one that wrote me from DearElder.com?

Oh, I forgot. Here is a funny story for you.
ALWAYS FOLLOW THE Holy Ghost! That's the moral of the story, lol.
We were teaching a guy named Josh. Elder Dursteler had been teaching him for a while, and this was my 2nd time teaching him. We talked about what we needed to do for him, and we decided we should set a baptismal date. So we start to teach the plan of salvation. The lesson is going alright-- not the best lesson I've taught, but it's going okay-- and we start talking about the Atonement of Christ and how that can overcome our sins if we believe in Christ, repent, are baptized, and live His commandments. The spirit was there, and so I felt like I should set the baptismal date. Often times, inviting someone to be baptized can be a shocker for them. "You want me to do what?" So I like to ease into it. Sometimes I ask something like "Have you ever been baptized before?" If yes, "How did you feel?" (They usually say good, and I explain that that is God's way of telling us we did something right. To keep those good feelings, they need to be baptized by the proper authority.) So, with Josh, I had an impression I needed to start by asking if he had been baptized before. But I thought, "nah, I'll just invite him. It'll be fine." I gave him my testimony of the atonement and baptism, promised him the blessings that come from it, and asked if he would be baptized. . . . He looked shocked. "I'm already a member, I thought you knew that. I just haven't come in a while." WHAT?! lol. My companion afterward said "Oh, yeah. I do remember him telling me that." :-P How do you forget that?! lol. Oh well, that's now straightened out. lol.
Oh, and Joe finally sent a letter! YAY! Tell him thank you for me.
Love you all,
Jason