Life On the Frontier
Date
October 17, 2016
Area
Arlington 6th Ward
Companion
Elder Brandon Harris
Life On the Frontier
So many meetings this week and we were ridiculously tiredfor most of
the week. It was a glorious week so maybe we need to be drained the
every week!
So, first things first. My one good funny story this week. We had
dinner with a guy in our award, Brother Rios. Brother Rios has been
less-active for years. He wanted to barbecue but since he is a
wheelchair he asked us to come a little early to help him. We came
over at 4:30. We there for about 20 minutes and hadn't done anything.
Then, he grabbed the keys to his super cool van and said lets go! We
went to costco and got the meat, roles and some grapes. We got a lot
of meat. Like, 8 or 9 steaks. Then we need to go get the charcoal. By
this time it is like 6pm. We have two appointments. The first one is
at 6:30. So we pushed that one back. We get to the house at about
6:30ish and we start up the grill. The briquettes arent lighting up.
Brother Rios goes inside to do something so I used my "dragon breath"
that I learned from dad and got them all going. Then, because brother
Rios was still gone, i started to grill. Now it is around 7:45ish when
i put the meat on. Oh. And there is no light behind his house so i am
grilling steaks in the dark. I get it all done by about 8:15ish. The
steaks were perfect! I couldn't do htat again probably with light
haha. Well, since it was so late we cancelled all our appointments
that night. It was super frustrating but sometimes there just isn't
anything that you can do. So, you barbecue. Haha. We spent 4 1/2 hours
there. So if you are ever going to feed the missionaries, make sure
that it is done before they get there. Missionaries have schedule to
keep and depend on one hour dinners. :)
We have been working with a less-active family for quite some time
now. They are really really quiet and their name is the Eller family.
It has been difficult to teach them as they don't really respond or
talk a whole lot. This past week we started to lay a game of darts
withthem and they really opened up and started to have conversation.
With that, we are going to start doing that instead. We are going to
get really good at darts!
The Dixon's have also been seeing mission for a long time. Brother
Dixon is a member who is less-active and his wife is not a member.
This past week they also really opened up and we were able to see what
she was very supportive and likes what she has seen in her experience
with the church. So that is a plus!
We went on exchange with Arlington 1st. I was with Elder Vea i our
area and that was fun. We were able to teach quite a it and I learned
lot about him. He is a professional rugby player back in Tonga. Pretty
cool. We also went on exchange with Arlington 2nd. I was with Elder
Farichild in his area and we blew it up! We had like a 80% success
rate with doors which is not normal. We also went and saw "brother
Carlos." He is not a member but refers to himself as brother. He likes
to rap gospel music. After a little bit I started to "drop a beat" for
him although it wasn't that great, then I started to rap hymns. He
thought I was free styling it but nope! He really liked it though
haha. It was a fun time.
One of our investigators, Sam, wasnt sure if he wanted to be baptized.
He has been catholic for his entire life. He believed that both us and
the catholic had the priesthood so he didn't see the reason why he
needed to be baptized again. We taught him hat there was an apostasy
and he was still a little hesitant. So, we invite him to fast with us
and pray to know whether or not he should be baptized. He did and
while he did, he kept feeling drawn to the Book of Mormon. Both times
he did, he opened to Moroni. So, he decided to read Moroni. It talks a
lot about baptism in Moroni. So, while we were talking to him we asked
him what he thinks that means. He said that he feels like it means he
should be baptized. We agreed and we said when. He said whenever our
next service was. Well, since we hole those mostly for individuals, we
said whenever he wanted to. All in all, Sam is going to be baptized
this Saturday! We are super excited!
We met Elder Kim B. Clark of the 1st quorum of the 70. I loved meeting
Elder Clark and learning from him. Elder Harris and I realized that we
and the other arlington zone leaders were the only missionaries that
got to see him four times. We saw him at the mission tour, the MLC and
both sessions of stake conference. It was amazing! I learned so much
and it was really amazing how he could just teach and answer what ever
question we had. That made me set a goal for myself about where I want
to be spiritually. Elder Clark taught a lot about conversion and we
have actually used some of what we learned in some of our lessons
since then. Something that really hit me was when he taught something
he called living on the frontier.
Live your life on the frontier. Not the frontier that the world thinks
of, the frontier of danger and excitement, though this can and is very
exciting. Living on the frontier is living in the place where we need
to fully depend on the Lord. When we live in the areas of our lives
that have already been completely settled, we are doing things that we
would be able to do just based on our experience. If we live fully in
the places of our lives that are already fully developed, we will not
develop anymore. Living on the frontier is basically continuing
repentance and improvement. The things I know how to do. Here is where
I need to improve. That is frontier. That is where the Savior is
working he works on the frontier. Where/what are some things that are
on my frontier? Go to where you need his help. You can do the settled
part on your own. Go work with him! Ask yourself two questions that
will hep you put on the WHOLE armor of God.
What are you doing that you should stop doing?
What are you not doing that you should be doing?
I can go though my life and look at the good better best an don't have
the best in my life. Help missionaries lie their lives to be
converted.
It makes me think about what I am willing to sacrifice to be able to
have the spirit with me and what I can give to God. It reminds me of a
quote from a talk by President Thomas S. Monson. “The greatest
decision I ever made in my life was to give up something I dearly
loved to the God I loved even more. He has never forgotten me for it.”
This really requires humility and love. We all have things that we
love to do, that are really enjoyable and that aren't necessarily bad,
they just aren't the best. They are the things that are preventing you
from fulfilling your potential to be more like God. I know that this
is true, because i have been applying it to my own life. There are
many things that I love and enjoy but not all of those things will
help me become the person that i need to be. Changing those things and
getting rid of them is repentance. Eventually you get to the point
where just reading the scriptures isn't enough to get you spiritually
charged. At that point you need to put more thought and effort into
it. It is just like working out. Eventually you get stronger and
stronger so you need to increase the pace or the weight for it to be
challenging. This is what this life is about. Changing and becoming
better. I know that if you do this, your life will be filled with the
Holy Ghost and with joy.
Keep the Faith and Hurrah for Israel!
Love, your missionary son and brother, Elder Jefferies
Sister Simbeck and Elder Simmons! They were in my MTC group! This is
our last picture with Sister Simbeck because she and sister Nye are
going to go home at the end of this transfer! :'(
the week. It was a glorious week so maybe we need to be drained the
every week!
So, first things first. My one good funny story this week. We had
dinner with a guy in our award, Brother Rios. Brother Rios has been
less-active for years. He wanted to barbecue but since he is a
wheelchair he asked us to come a little early to help him. We came
over at 4:30. We there for about 20 minutes and hadn't done anything.
Then, he grabbed the keys to his super cool van and said lets go! We
went to costco and got the meat, roles and some grapes. We got a lot
of meat. Like, 8 or 9 steaks. Then we need to go get the charcoal. By
this time it is like 6pm. We have two appointments. The first one is
at 6:30. So we pushed that one back. We get to the house at about
6:30ish and we start up the grill. The briquettes arent lighting up.
Brother Rios goes inside to do something so I used my "dragon breath"
that I learned from dad and got them all going. Then, because brother
Rios was still gone, i started to grill. Now it is around 7:45ish when
i put the meat on. Oh. And there is no light behind his house so i am
grilling steaks in the dark. I get it all done by about 8:15ish. The
steaks were perfect! I couldn't do htat again probably with light
haha. Well, since it was so late we cancelled all our appointments
that night. It was super frustrating but sometimes there just isn't
anything that you can do. So, you barbecue. Haha. We spent 4 1/2 hours
there. So if you are ever going to feed the missionaries, make sure
that it is done before they get there. Missionaries have schedule to
keep and depend on one hour dinners. :)
We have been working with a less-active family for quite some time
now. They are really really quiet and their name is the Eller family.
It has been difficult to teach them as they don't really respond or
talk a whole lot. This past week we started to lay a game of darts
withthem and they really opened up and started to have conversation.
With that, we are going to start doing that instead. We are going to
get really good at darts!
The Dixon's have also been seeing mission for a long time. Brother
Dixon is a member who is less-active and his wife is not a member.
This past week they also really opened up and we were able to see what
she was very supportive and likes what she has seen in her experience
with the church. So that is a plus!
We went on exchange with Arlington 1st. I was with Elder Vea i our
area and that was fun. We were able to teach quite a it and I learned
lot about him. He is a professional rugby player back in Tonga. Pretty
cool. We also went on exchange with Arlington 2nd. I was with Elder
Farichild in his area and we blew it up! We had like a 80% success
rate with doors which is not normal. We also went and saw "brother
Carlos." He is not a member but refers to himself as brother. He likes
to rap gospel music. After a little bit I started to "drop a beat" for
him although it wasn't that great, then I started to rap hymns. He
thought I was free styling it but nope! He really liked it though
haha. It was a fun time.
One of our investigators, Sam, wasnt sure if he wanted to be baptized.
He has been catholic for his entire life. He believed that both us and
the catholic had the priesthood so he didn't see the reason why he
needed to be baptized again. We taught him hat there was an apostasy
and he was still a little hesitant. So, we invite him to fast with us
and pray to know whether or not he should be baptized. He did and
while he did, he kept feeling drawn to the Book of Mormon. Both times
he did, he opened to Moroni. So, he decided to read Moroni. It talks a
lot about baptism in Moroni. So, while we were talking to him we asked
him what he thinks that means. He said that he feels like it means he
should be baptized. We agreed and we said when. He said whenever our
next service was. Well, since we hole those mostly for individuals, we
said whenever he wanted to. All in all, Sam is going to be baptized
this Saturday! We are super excited!
We met Elder Kim B. Clark of the 1st quorum of the 70. I loved meeting
Elder Clark and learning from him. Elder Harris and I realized that we
and the other arlington zone leaders were the only missionaries that
got to see him four times. We saw him at the mission tour, the MLC and
both sessions of stake conference. It was amazing! I learned so much
and it was really amazing how he could just teach and answer what ever
question we had. That made me set a goal for myself about where I want
to be spiritually. Elder Clark taught a lot about conversion and we
have actually used some of what we learned in some of our lessons
since then. Something that really hit me was when he taught something
he called living on the frontier.
Live your life on the frontier. Not the frontier that the world thinks
of, the frontier of danger and excitement, though this can and is very
exciting. Living on the frontier is living in the place where we need
to fully depend on the Lord. When we live in the areas of our lives
that have already been completely settled, we are doing things that we
would be able to do just based on our experience. If we live fully in
the places of our lives that are already fully developed, we will not
develop anymore. Living on the frontier is basically continuing
repentance and improvement. The things I know how to do. Here is where
I need to improve. That is frontier. That is where the Savior is
working he works on the frontier. Where/what are some things that are
on my frontier? Go to where you need his help. You can do the settled
part on your own. Go work with him! Ask yourself two questions that
will hep you put on the WHOLE armor of God.
What are you doing that you should stop doing?
What are you not doing that you should be doing?
I can go though my life and look at the good better best an don't have
the best in my life. Help missionaries lie their lives to be
converted.
It makes me think about what I am willing to sacrifice to be able to
have the spirit with me and what I can give to God. It reminds me of a
quote from a talk by President Thomas S. Monson. “The greatest
decision I ever made in my life was to give up something I dearly
loved to the God I loved even more. He has never forgotten me for it.”
This really requires humility and love. We all have things that we
love to do, that are really enjoyable and that aren't necessarily bad,
they just aren't the best. They are the things that are preventing you
from fulfilling your potential to be more like God. I know that this
is true, because i have been applying it to my own life. There are
many things that I love and enjoy but not all of those things will
help me become the person that i need to be. Changing those things and
getting rid of them is repentance. Eventually you get to the point
where just reading the scriptures isn't enough to get you spiritually
charged. At that point you need to put more thought and effort into
it. It is just like working out. Eventually you get stronger and
stronger so you need to increase the pace or the weight for it to be
challenging. This is what this life is about. Changing and becoming
better. I know that if you do this, your life will be filled with the
Holy Ghost and with joy.
Keep the Faith and Hurrah for Israel!
Love, your missionary son and brother, Elder Jefferies
Sister Simbeck and Elder Simmons! They were in my MTC group! This is
our last picture with Sister Simbeck because she and sister Nye are
going to go home at the end of this transfer! :'(
0 comments
« Back
Local
Texas