Go Ye Therefore and Teach All Nations
Date
January 2, 2017
Area
Burleson Ward
Companion
Elder Matthew Newey
Go Ye Therefore and Teach All Nations
Well, with the weeks flying by so quickly I am never sure what to
write about because they all just blend together! This transfer is
already halfway gone! We are just starting to get settled in! But,
that is what happens when you whitewash. It takes a little while to
get used to everything.
I love this... Missionary work is so much fun! Elder Newey and I
shared the vision of members and missionaries working arm in arm to
move the work froward with our ward mission leader. He loved it and he
caught hold. He is going to take to the ward council members and the
bishop here in the next couple of weeks so we can get to work on our
first ward council meeting on the 4th Sunday of this month. This is
going to be great!
Exchange with the Elder Broberg was awesome. I learned a lot from him.
He is such a sincere guy I love it! It makes me want to be more
sincere in my conversations and getting to know people. From that
exchange I am going to work on giving inspired answers to questions. I
have been working on asking inspired questions a lot, now I think I
need to work on the answering part. I was in his area, Colleyville,
and we had a blast. We were able to teach a couple people and we
learned a lot from their bishop over dinner.
We are also starting to work on the mission culture in our zone. We
are going to start from consecration and move block to block until we
have built up the whole thing. We have also started a Preach My Gospel
read. We are all going to study a chapter of Preach My Gospel every
week and one training in District Meeting will be on the chapter that
we are studying that week. We are super excited for it! We will need
to adjust every transfer to make sure that we are where every
missionary needs it but it is alright! We are stoked!
We had two appointments on Wednesday but they both fell through and we
had two recently returned missionaries with us as our exchanges. We
decided that we were going to try to stop by an investigator that we
hadn't met yet. We did and instead of her being there, we met her
tenant, Mel. Mel is a nice woman who was moving. By herself. Without a
truck, just a car. Before we could really say anything, she said
"sorry, I can't listen. I am moving this stuff into a storage unit and
I need to get done today." We told her that we had a truck and would
be more than willing to help her. She said that if we did help her she
would listen. So, we started to help. We called our Elders Quorum
President and he came over and helped us cause he had a bigger truck
than us. It took us about 3 hours because we had to wait for her
brother to get there from Azle (about 45 min away) before we could
leave to the storage unit. After it was all said and done, she said
that she would come to church on Sunday. Miracles have not ceased!
This last Saturday we baptized Victor Mendias! It was super exciting.
It kinda bums me that the other elders didn't get to see him be
baptized. But that is alright, it is all part of the same work! As
long as we are working, we are all winning. He is so solid. I am
excited for him. We also have a couple other people that we are
working with to get them ready for baptism.
Violet is one, she has been meeting with missionaries for over a year.
She loves the gospel and feels at home. She has a concern that will be
a little difficult to overcome, but it will be overcome eventually.
She will be baptized probably before March. We are super excited for
that! She is the only one that we are truly working with on a
consistent basis.
As I was studying Preach My Gospel this morning, a line stuck out to
me that I have read before, but it practically leaped from the page to
my face this time. It is a quote by Ezra Taft Benson. It says,
"We are commanded by God to take this gospel to all the world. That is
the cause that must unite us today. Only the gospel will save the
world from the calamity of its own self-destruction. Only the gospel
will unite men of all races and nationalities in peace. Only the
gospel will bring joy, happiness, and salvation to the human family”
Preach My Gospel pg. 2 ."
The thing that stuck out to me was that the thing that was going to
unite us wasn't a war. It was not a political party, it was not some
cool movie franchise, it was not even churchball or enrichment
activities. It was sharing the gospel. Sharing the gospel will unite
us more than anything. I love that singular statement by President
Benson.
Now, we are all typically aware of that commandment that we have, to
go and share the gospel with everyone. And most of us normally have
the desire to share, but how do we? That is often the question that
either stumps us or makes us a little shy.
Elder Dallin H. Oaks gave a fantastic talk this past General
Conference about it, I will post the link at the bottom of this email.
One of his suggestions is, I think, the easiest way that we can share
the gospel.
It is simply living the commandments. Be an example to all those
around you. at baptism, we covenanted to "stand as a witness of God in
all things, times, and places. Well, when we are living the gospel we
will be doing that. Most of us will be in a store or on social media
today. When we are, say hi to people and strike up conversations. On
social media, share a video or post a cool spiritual insight that you
have had recently.
Christ shared the gospel all the time. you're probably thinking, "yes,
Elder Jefferies, of course he did." But he shared it in simple ways
and he always simply invited other people to come and see what it is
all about. "come unto me all ye that are heavy laden, and will give ye
rest." (Matt. 11:28-30) "sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto
the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow
me." (Luke 18:22) "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men."
(Matthew 4:19).
We as members of this church have the responsibility to share the
gospel and "warn our neighbor." We all know that, and we all want
that. We all want to share the gospel at least in some way, big or
small. But what is the best way to actually share it? How do we
actually follow the example fo Christ and invite all to come and see?
The pattern that I am about to share is just one of many possible
applications that we can try. See if this helps you at all.
First, pray for and seek inspiration. The Savior has said "ask and ye
shall receive, knock and it shall be open unto you" (3 Nephi 27:29).
That is a simple and amazing promise from our Savior that when we ask
in his name, the things that are righteous and in accordance with his
will, shall be granted. But because Heavenly Father respects agency,
we need to invite those blessings and promptings into our minds and
hearts by asking for them.
Then set goals and make plans. In Preach My Gospel it says "goals
reflect the desires of our hearts." Setting a goal does not need to be
all official and aggrandized. Just ponder on what you think you could
do and what you can do. Take those thoughts to the Lord. Christ said
to Oliver Cowdry, "study it out in your mind, then ask me if it be
right." You can receive inspiration while pondering what you might say
or do in a particular situation or with someone in specific. Either
way, the words of the Lord will be with you.
Finally, act in faith and follow through on your plan. This is often
the hardest thing for us to do, even for missionaries! You are not
alone when you struggle to muster up the courage to talk to someone
about the gospel. It takes time and practice to get comfortable doing
that. Maybe you might not think you know enough to share our beliefs.
Maybe you just don't know how to start off the conversation or steer
it into a gospel conversation. Someone told my companion and I
recently that he wished that there were a list of ways that could lead
to start off these kinds of conversations. As I thought about this, I
think the best ways to start conversations that lead to gospel
principles is starting one! Because of the way we live our religion,
it will come up in conversation. Our religion is an everyday endeavor
to become better adn not just believe good and moral principles. It is
normal to have those feelings of nervousness, uneasiness or even after
what we might think of as a failed attempt we may feel like we failed.
You succeed when you invite. Everytime someone has a positive
experience with a member of this church, it brings them closer to
making a covenant with our Heavenly Father. A way that I overcome
those feelings of nervousness, at least in part, is by role playing or
practicing what I am going to teach or share. There are situations
that you can't exactly prepare for, but "when we are prepared, we
shall not fear." We have the promise, again from Christ himself, that
if we treasure up in our minds and in our hearts the words of life, we
shall be given that portion of the gospel that shall be meted to every
man in the hour, yea the very moment. Pratice.
Now, this does not need to be a long, drawn out process that takes up
a lot of time. With the exception of "treasuring up continually the
words of life," this can all be done in a moment. We can pray for the
courage to share our beliefs, think about what we might share then act
in faith and actually share it! Just like that. Like I said earlier,
living the gospel everyday is crucial in preparing to share the
gospel. We need to have the spirit with us. We need to build our lives
upon Jesus Christ. We need to have daily, meaningful prayer that is a
spiritual experience for us. We need to have quality, not neseccarily
quantity, scripture study. We need to have a meaningful Sabbath day.
We need to attend the temple regularly, and we need to serve those
around us. All of these things will prepare us to share the gospel at
a moments notice. We all fall short of doing those things, don't feel
like a failure, after all "a saint is someone who keeps on trying." Do
not get discouraged if someone does not accept the gospel even if you
are feeling great about it. Remember that Heavenly Father respects
everyone's choices and their right to choose for themselves. You are
simply providing that person another chance to change and repent. This
is why you "succeed when you invite."
I have faith that you and I can share the gospel with those around us.
We need to pray daily for missionary opportunities then seek
throughout the day to find someone that the Lord has placed in our
path to share the gospel with – and he will! There will be someone in
your path that God will help through you. "I will go before your face.
I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my spirit shall be
in your hearts and mine angels round about you, to bear you up." I
close with the words of one of my favorite scriptures in the Doctrine
and Convenants. "There are many yet on the earth among all sects,
parties, and denominations, who are blinded by the subtle craftiness
of men, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, and are kept from the
truth because they know not where to find it – Therefore, that we
should waste and wear out our lives In bringing to light all the
hidden things of darkness, wherein we may know them; and they are
truly manifest from heaven – these things should then be attended to
with great ernestness. ... Dearly beloved brethren [and sisters], let
us cheerfully do all things in our power; and then may we stand still,
with the utmost assuarnce, to see the salvation of god, and for his
arm to be revealed." (D&C 123:12-14;17)
This work is sacred and it is marvelous. I know that Jesus Christ is
the son of God, our Savior and Redeemer. Joseph Smith is his revelator
in these last days, the Book of Mormon is true – the word of God – and
I know that God loves and knows each and every one of his children
here on the earth including you and me.
Keep the Faith and Hurrah for Israel!
Love, your missionary son and brother, Elder Jefferies
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2016/10/sharing-the-restored-gospel?lang=eng" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2016/10/sharing-the-restored-gospel?lang=eng
Victor at his baptism.
write about because they all just blend together! This transfer is
already halfway gone! We are just starting to get settled in! But,
that is what happens when you whitewash. It takes a little while to
get used to everything.
I love this... Missionary work is so much fun! Elder Newey and I
shared the vision of members and missionaries working arm in arm to
move the work froward with our ward mission leader. He loved it and he
caught hold. He is going to take to the ward council members and the
bishop here in the next couple of weeks so we can get to work on our
first ward council meeting on the 4th Sunday of this month. This is
going to be great!
Exchange with the Elder Broberg was awesome. I learned a lot from him.
He is such a sincere guy I love it! It makes me want to be more
sincere in my conversations and getting to know people. From that
exchange I am going to work on giving inspired answers to questions. I
have been working on asking inspired questions a lot, now I think I
need to work on the answering part. I was in his area, Colleyville,
and we had a blast. We were able to teach a couple people and we
learned a lot from their bishop over dinner.
We are also starting to work on the mission culture in our zone. We
are going to start from consecration and move block to block until we
have built up the whole thing. We have also started a Preach My Gospel
read. We are all going to study a chapter of Preach My Gospel every
week and one training in District Meeting will be on the chapter that
we are studying that week. We are super excited for it! We will need
to adjust every transfer to make sure that we are where every
missionary needs it but it is alright! We are stoked!
We had two appointments on Wednesday but they both fell through and we
had two recently returned missionaries with us as our exchanges. We
decided that we were going to try to stop by an investigator that we
hadn't met yet. We did and instead of her being there, we met her
tenant, Mel. Mel is a nice woman who was moving. By herself. Without a
truck, just a car. Before we could really say anything, she said
"sorry, I can't listen. I am moving this stuff into a storage unit and
I need to get done today." We told her that we had a truck and would
be more than willing to help her. She said that if we did help her she
would listen. So, we started to help. We called our Elders Quorum
President and he came over and helped us cause he had a bigger truck
than us. It took us about 3 hours because we had to wait for her
brother to get there from Azle (about 45 min away) before we could
leave to the storage unit. After it was all said and done, she said
that she would come to church on Sunday. Miracles have not ceased!
This last Saturday we baptized Victor Mendias! It was super exciting.
It kinda bums me that the other elders didn't get to see him be
baptized. But that is alright, it is all part of the same work! As
long as we are working, we are all winning. He is so solid. I am
excited for him. We also have a couple other people that we are
working with to get them ready for baptism.
Violet is one, she has been meeting with missionaries for over a year.
She loves the gospel and feels at home. She has a concern that will be
a little difficult to overcome, but it will be overcome eventually.
She will be baptized probably before March. We are super excited for
that! She is the only one that we are truly working with on a
consistent basis.
As I was studying Preach My Gospel this morning, a line stuck out to
me that I have read before, but it practically leaped from the page to
my face this time. It is a quote by Ezra Taft Benson. It says,
"We are commanded by God to take this gospel to all the world. That is
the cause that must unite us today. Only the gospel will save the
world from the calamity of its own self-destruction. Only the gospel
will unite men of all races and nationalities in peace. Only the
gospel will bring joy, happiness, and salvation to the human family”
Preach My Gospel pg. 2 ."
The thing that stuck out to me was that the thing that was going to
unite us wasn't a war. It was not a political party, it was not some
cool movie franchise, it was not even churchball or enrichment
activities. It was sharing the gospel. Sharing the gospel will unite
us more than anything. I love that singular statement by President
Benson.
Now, we are all typically aware of that commandment that we have, to
go and share the gospel with everyone. And most of us normally have
the desire to share, but how do we? That is often the question that
either stumps us or makes us a little shy.
Elder Dallin H. Oaks gave a fantastic talk this past General
Conference about it, I will post the link at the bottom of this email.
One of his suggestions is, I think, the easiest way that we can share
the gospel.
It is simply living the commandments. Be an example to all those
around you. at baptism, we covenanted to "stand as a witness of God in
all things, times, and places. Well, when we are living the gospel we
will be doing that. Most of us will be in a store or on social media
today. When we are, say hi to people and strike up conversations. On
social media, share a video or post a cool spiritual insight that you
have had recently.
Christ shared the gospel all the time. you're probably thinking, "yes,
Elder Jefferies, of course he did." But he shared it in simple ways
and he always simply invited other people to come and see what it is
all about. "come unto me all ye that are heavy laden, and will give ye
rest." (Matt. 11:28-30) "sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto
the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow
me." (Luke 18:22) "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men."
(Matthew 4:19).
We as members of this church have the responsibility to share the
gospel and "warn our neighbor." We all know that, and we all want
that. We all want to share the gospel at least in some way, big or
small. But what is the best way to actually share it? How do we
actually follow the example fo Christ and invite all to come and see?
The pattern that I am about to share is just one of many possible
applications that we can try. See if this helps you at all.
First, pray for and seek inspiration. The Savior has said "ask and ye
shall receive, knock and it shall be open unto you" (3 Nephi 27:29).
That is a simple and amazing promise from our Savior that when we ask
in his name, the things that are righteous and in accordance with his
will, shall be granted. But because Heavenly Father respects agency,
we need to invite those blessings and promptings into our minds and
hearts by asking for them.
Then set goals and make plans. In Preach My Gospel it says "goals
reflect the desires of our hearts." Setting a goal does not need to be
all official and aggrandized. Just ponder on what you think you could
do and what you can do. Take those thoughts to the Lord. Christ said
to Oliver Cowdry, "study it out in your mind, then ask me if it be
right." You can receive inspiration while pondering what you might say
or do in a particular situation or with someone in specific. Either
way, the words of the Lord will be with you.
Finally, act in faith and follow through on your plan. This is often
the hardest thing for us to do, even for missionaries! You are not
alone when you struggle to muster up the courage to talk to someone
about the gospel. It takes time and practice to get comfortable doing
that. Maybe you might not think you know enough to share our beliefs.
Maybe you just don't know how to start off the conversation or steer
it into a gospel conversation. Someone told my companion and I
recently that he wished that there were a list of ways that could lead
to start off these kinds of conversations. As I thought about this, I
think the best ways to start conversations that lead to gospel
principles is starting one! Because of the way we live our religion,
it will come up in conversation. Our religion is an everyday endeavor
to become better adn not just believe good and moral principles. It is
normal to have those feelings of nervousness, uneasiness or even after
what we might think of as a failed attempt we may feel like we failed.
You succeed when you invite. Everytime someone has a positive
experience with a member of this church, it brings them closer to
making a covenant with our Heavenly Father. A way that I overcome
those feelings of nervousness, at least in part, is by role playing or
practicing what I am going to teach or share. There are situations
that you can't exactly prepare for, but "when we are prepared, we
shall not fear." We have the promise, again from Christ himself, that
if we treasure up in our minds and in our hearts the words of life, we
shall be given that portion of the gospel that shall be meted to every
man in the hour, yea the very moment. Pratice.
Now, this does not need to be a long, drawn out process that takes up
a lot of time. With the exception of "treasuring up continually the
words of life," this can all be done in a moment. We can pray for the
courage to share our beliefs, think about what we might share then act
in faith and actually share it! Just like that. Like I said earlier,
living the gospel everyday is crucial in preparing to share the
gospel. We need to have the spirit with us. We need to build our lives
upon Jesus Christ. We need to have daily, meaningful prayer that is a
spiritual experience for us. We need to have quality, not neseccarily
quantity, scripture study. We need to have a meaningful Sabbath day.
We need to attend the temple regularly, and we need to serve those
around us. All of these things will prepare us to share the gospel at
a moments notice. We all fall short of doing those things, don't feel
like a failure, after all "a saint is someone who keeps on trying." Do
not get discouraged if someone does not accept the gospel even if you
are feeling great about it. Remember that Heavenly Father respects
everyone's choices and their right to choose for themselves. You are
simply providing that person another chance to change and repent. This
is why you "succeed when you invite."
I have faith that you and I can share the gospel with those around us.
We need to pray daily for missionary opportunities then seek
throughout the day to find someone that the Lord has placed in our
path to share the gospel with – and he will! There will be someone in
your path that God will help through you. "I will go before your face.
I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my spirit shall be
in your hearts and mine angels round about you, to bear you up." I
close with the words of one of my favorite scriptures in the Doctrine
and Convenants. "There are many yet on the earth among all sects,
parties, and denominations, who are blinded by the subtle craftiness
of men, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, and are kept from the
truth because they know not where to find it – Therefore, that we
should waste and wear out our lives In bringing to light all the
hidden things of darkness, wherein we may know them; and they are
truly manifest from heaven – these things should then be attended to
with great ernestness. ... Dearly beloved brethren [and sisters], let
us cheerfully do all things in our power; and then may we stand still,
with the utmost assuarnce, to see the salvation of god, and for his
arm to be revealed." (D&C 123:12-14;17)
This work is sacred and it is marvelous. I know that Jesus Christ is
the son of God, our Savior and Redeemer. Joseph Smith is his revelator
in these last days, the Book of Mormon is true – the word of God – and
I know that God loves and knows each and every one of his children
here on the earth including you and me.
Keep the Faith and Hurrah for Israel!
Love, your missionary son and brother, Elder Jefferies
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2016/10/sharing-the-restored-gospel?lang=eng" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2016/10/sharing-the-restored-gospel?lang=eng
Victor at his baptism.
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