Look to the Lord
Date
October 10, 2016
Area
Arlington 6th Ward
Companion
Elder Brandon Harris
Look to the Lord
Well, we are mostly over our sickness. Elder Harris still has a little bit of a cough but it's all good. :) That past week was a very busy one and this upcoming week is going to be a very, very busy one. I am super excited for it though! I will tell more of it later.
Honestly, I am not sure where all the time went. We did a lot of service this week which meant that there was less time spent proselyting which is okay. Sometimes, we just need to get our hands dirty. We did two service activities. A food pantry thing and an outdoors one. I will just tell about the food pantry one cause it actually had a cool thing it.
Cool thing at the food pantry service: Well, I guess to illustrate the scene at this service, there is a bunch of tables that have lots of food one them from a. Local food bank set us at a local church (not one of our buildings) and people will go through a line to get food from the tables. Not everyone can carry the food they get back to their cars. That being the situation many of the missionaries there were helping to take food bad to the cars. On the way back form helping someone I saw an older woman bent over struggling to do something. I walked over to her and asked her if she could use some help. She said yes, her crutches were in the back of her truck. (Her truck was an F-350 superduty crew cap that was a duly. HUGE truck. Little old woman.) I got her crutches and i also got out a little stool to help get her mother in law, who was drivng the truck, out of the truck. Well, since they were both using crutches, I accompanied them along their way. Since they came late, there wasn't a whole lot of food left. I told them about our churches bishops storehouse and they were very interested. They also started asking me a lot of questions about being on a mission and what we do, where we go and some about what we believe. It was a fun experience!
Other than than, it was just teaching.
Sam is starting to move forward a little bit. Turns out he believes that both the Catholic church as well as the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints both have the priesthood so baptism by either one is good. That would be why he hasn't particularly jumped into the water but loves the Book of Mormon and such.
We also saw Cinthia. Again, the wheels started to turn and she realizes that if what we are saying is true, then it will be fantastic and that she truly wants to know if it is true.
SO many exciting things are happening as far as teaching in his ward. Our next week is packed with interviews, zone council, Elder Kim B. Clark is coming to the mission so we are having a meeting with him on Friday and and MLC with him on Saturday. Then we have Stake Conference to which Elder Kim B. Clark will be attending. Man, this week is going to be a long/really fast one. So many things to do and so busy. I love being busy again! Those months where we weren't doing a whole lot were rough haha.
Well, after my rant last week I figured I should probably say that the reason why I was so bold last week was this.
I have had a very strong feeling toward this subject mostly due to what several of the brethren have said in the past few General Conferences. The time is soon coming, if not already here, when we need to shore up our testimonies like never before. There will be soon all around us, persecutions, naysayer, apostates, and all manner of enemies of the church trying to sway our testimonies and There seems to be a sifting going on, as Elder Quinton L. Cook said. I know of quite a few, though not an alarming number, of members of the church that have fallen away and left the church because of the different things that they have read and otherwise heard about the church and it's leaders. Particularly church history and past leaders. This past General Conference has had several talks that have given us the keys to which we can stay steadfast during the trials, temptations and hardships that are more than likely on the horizon.
1. Look to the book, look to the Lord. I was in a zone conference a little while ago when President Ames opened it up for a couple questions. A sister raised her hand and said this, "With all the things that are going on in the world, it makes me just want to raise my kids in a bubble." Sister Ames replied to that comment saying, "The Book of Mormon is your bubble. Read the Book of Mormon with your family and by yourself and you will be fine." The Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion. Without it, we have no proof of our claims to the priesthood, to prophets or revelation. It would all be bogus. I have had several hard times on my mission, as you could probably discern by reading my emails, where my companions or my area gave me trouble and, in some cases, little bits and bouts of depression. But, you know what helped me through them?? My sincere, intent, daily reading of the Book of Mormon constantly longing for relief and comfort. My vexations did not subside but I was strengthened by the power of the Lord by reading a book that contained the truthfulness of His gospel. I had obtained and drank from a stream of undying grace. I had accessed the enabling power of the Atonement. Never had I ever, up to that point in my life nor since, felt the love of God so profoundly and deep than i did during those times. I found myself constantly in the pages of the Book of Mormon. Learning and praying. I have been in peoples homes where the Book of Mormon and other scriptures are read on a regular if not daily basis as a family and as individuals. The spirit that is in these homes is extraordinary. I have also been in homes where such is not the case and often where there is a lack or complete absence of the spirit. This is the promise given by President Marion G. Romney who served as a counselor in the first presidency, that says as follows:
“I feel certain that if, in our homes, parents will read from the Book of Mormon prayerfully and regularly, both by themselves and with their children, the spirit of that great book will come to permeate our homes and all who dwell therein. The spirit of reverence will increase; mutual respect and consideration for each other will grow. The spirit of contention will depart. Parents will counsel their children in greater love and wisdom. Children will be more responsive and submissive to the counsel of their parents. Righteousness will increase. Faith, hope, and charity--the pure love of Christ--will abound in our homes and lives, bringing in their wake peace, joy, and happiness” (Ensign, May 1980, p. 67).
As this is already a terribly long email I will need to wait until next week to finish this.
I love you all so much and I am so thankful that each of you that read my emails actually rad my emails. I know that they are long but if you know me you know that I love to talk and that combined with an ever increasing pool of knowledge and desire to shar that knowledge I seem to be able to just go oon for hours. Maybe I will write a book. That would be fun. So many ideas and things that i would love to write! Oh well.
I love you and have a great week! Keep the Faith and Hurrah for Israel!
Love, your missionary son and brother, Elder Jefferies
This is our schedule this week. Crazy I know.
You can read the name of the restaurant...
Honestly, I am not sure where all the time went. We did a lot of service this week which meant that there was less time spent proselyting which is okay. Sometimes, we just need to get our hands dirty. We did two service activities. A food pantry thing and an outdoors one. I will just tell about the food pantry one cause it actually had a cool thing it.
Cool thing at the food pantry service: Well, I guess to illustrate the scene at this service, there is a bunch of tables that have lots of food one them from a. Local food bank set us at a local church (not one of our buildings) and people will go through a line to get food from the tables. Not everyone can carry the food they get back to their cars. That being the situation many of the missionaries there were helping to take food bad to the cars. On the way back form helping someone I saw an older woman bent over struggling to do something. I walked over to her and asked her if she could use some help. She said yes, her crutches were in the back of her truck. (Her truck was an F-350 superduty crew cap that was a duly. HUGE truck. Little old woman.) I got her crutches and i also got out a little stool to help get her mother in law, who was drivng the truck, out of the truck. Well, since they were both using crutches, I accompanied them along their way. Since they came late, there wasn't a whole lot of food left. I told them about our churches bishops storehouse and they were very interested. They also started asking me a lot of questions about being on a mission and what we do, where we go and some about what we believe. It was a fun experience!
Other than than, it was just teaching.
Sam is starting to move forward a little bit. Turns out he believes that both the Catholic church as well as the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints both have the priesthood so baptism by either one is good. That would be why he hasn't particularly jumped into the water but loves the Book of Mormon and such.
We also saw Cinthia. Again, the wheels started to turn and she realizes that if what we are saying is true, then it will be fantastic and that she truly wants to know if it is true.
SO many exciting things are happening as far as teaching in his ward. Our next week is packed with interviews, zone council, Elder Kim B. Clark is coming to the mission so we are having a meeting with him on Friday and and MLC with him on Saturday. Then we have Stake Conference to which Elder Kim B. Clark will be attending. Man, this week is going to be a long/really fast one. So many things to do and so busy. I love being busy again! Those months where we weren't doing a whole lot were rough haha.
Well, after my rant last week I figured I should probably say that the reason why I was so bold last week was this.
I have had a very strong feeling toward this subject mostly due to what several of the brethren have said in the past few General Conferences. The time is soon coming, if not already here, when we need to shore up our testimonies like never before. There will be soon all around us, persecutions, naysayer, apostates, and all manner of enemies of the church trying to sway our testimonies and There seems to be a sifting going on, as Elder Quinton L. Cook said. I know of quite a few, though not an alarming number, of members of the church that have fallen away and left the church because of the different things that they have read and otherwise heard about the church and it's leaders. Particularly church history and past leaders. This past General Conference has had several talks that have given us the keys to which we can stay steadfast during the trials, temptations and hardships that are more than likely on the horizon.
1. Look to the book, look to the Lord. I was in a zone conference a little while ago when President Ames opened it up for a couple questions. A sister raised her hand and said this, "With all the things that are going on in the world, it makes me just want to raise my kids in a bubble." Sister Ames replied to that comment saying, "The Book of Mormon is your bubble. Read the Book of Mormon with your family and by yourself and you will be fine." The Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion. Without it, we have no proof of our claims to the priesthood, to prophets or revelation. It would all be bogus. I have had several hard times on my mission, as you could probably discern by reading my emails, where my companions or my area gave me trouble and, in some cases, little bits and bouts of depression. But, you know what helped me through them?? My sincere, intent, daily reading of the Book of Mormon constantly longing for relief and comfort. My vexations did not subside but I was strengthened by the power of the Lord by reading a book that contained the truthfulness of His gospel. I had obtained and drank from a stream of undying grace. I had accessed the enabling power of the Atonement. Never had I ever, up to that point in my life nor since, felt the love of God so profoundly and deep than i did during those times. I found myself constantly in the pages of the Book of Mormon. Learning and praying. I have been in peoples homes where the Book of Mormon and other scriptures are read on a regular if not daily basis as a family and as individuals. The spirit that is in these homes is extraordinary. I have also been in homes where such is not the case and often where there is a lack or complete absence of the spirit. This is the promise given by President Marion G. Romney who served as a counselor in the first presidency, that says as follows:
“I feel certain that if, in our homes, parents will read from the Book of Mormon prayerfully and regularly, both by themselves and with their children, the spirit of that great book will come to permeate our homes and all who dwell therein. The spirit of reverence will increase; mutual respect and consideration for each other will grow. The spirit of contention will depart. Parents will counsel their children in greater love and wisdom. Children will be more responsive and submissive to the counsel of their parents. Righteousness will increase. Faith, hope, and charity--the pure love of Christ--will abound in our homes and lives, bringing in their wake peace, joy, and happiness” (Ensign, May 1980, p. 67).
As this is already a terribly long email I will need to wait until next week to finish this.
I love you all so much and I am so thankful that each of you that read my emails actually rad my emails. I know that they are long but if you know me you know that I love to talk and that combined with an ever increasing pool of knowledge and desire to shar that knowledge I seem to be able to just go oon for hours. Maybe I will write a book. That would be fun. So many ideas and things that i would love to write! Oh well.
I love you and have a great week! Keep the Faith and Hurrah for Israel!
Love, your missionary son and brother, Elder Jefferies
This is our schedule this week. Crazy I know.
You can read the name of the restaurant...
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