Date
July 5, 2016
Area
Parker Colorado
Companion
Elder McBride
This has been quite an interesting week. Each time I write an email, it’s weird to think back and try to remember what has happened the past week and my brain no longer has absolutely no concept of time. Days feel like weeks. Months feel like days. Everything blends together. But this week has been a GOOD one.
It started off with my companion and I discussing that we felt like we were simply going through the motions. We were working hard, but not really seeking the Spirit in all we do. So we made a commitment that anytime we had a prompting, we would follow it, even if it meant changing our plans and heading all the way across our area. Boy, that was the best idea we’ve ever had.
On Tuesday, we had checked on a few referrals, then we were doing some tracting, which we had planned to do. While tracting, I felt like we needed to go back to the house that we accidentally (a week or so ago) went into thinking it was a member’s home. I think I told that story… if not, I will tell it next week. Anyway, we drove to that house even though my companion didn't think anyone would be home because it was the middle of the day. It turned out that the husband just started working from home and was having a slow day so he invited us in and we started talking. He mentioned some books by C. S. Lewis and we started talking about Heaven. He made a comment about what Mormon’s perception of Heaven was. I explained that he was a little bit off, so then we were able to share the Plan of Salvation with him and it was amazing! It wasn't a great golden situation, but it was still cool to see the way the perfect time and place was set up for us to begin teaching him. He said to come back anytime so we will be going back soon!
Then we continued to see miracle after miracle from following even the silliest promptings including:
-Getting into a home of a referral that we had contacted twice without success, then we helped them, share a snack, and started the process of getting to know them.
-Realizing I lost my scriptures, driving across the whole area to check a house, then decide to check their neighbor, the above referral, only to find the scriptures.. and then proceeding to teach the Plan of Salvation and see the lightbulbs come on in the heads of the couple and have them start to understand the doctrine.
-Finding more new investigators this week than in the previous 4 weeks combined!
-Feeling prompted to play football with some random young kids in the middle of the street. Not only did it rain, which allowed me to feel like a little kid again.. but the young kid on my team who hit it off the best with me, happens to be the child in a less-active member family that we have been struggling to contact! #tendermercies!!
Overall it has been an awesome week!
We had an interesting run in with a drunk lady while we were visiting a cool guy who we are trying to start teaching. She lived in the same apartment village and she fell over onto the concrete while carrying her little 2 yr old daughter. Her friends had just left to go to the bathroom, so my companion grabbed the little girl by the hand and I picked the woman up and started to walk her to her friends so they could get her home. The biggest struggle was to help this woman walk while trying to get her to not be draped over me.. Quite the awkward little situation, but the daughter wasn't hurt and that was our biggest concern.
This situation also helped me realize how grateful I am for the standards that God has set forth, including the Word of Wisdom and many other standards that truly do not prohibit us, but rather free us from the harmful effect that not following these standards always brings!
I don't know if we have mentioned, but Elder McBride and I have come up with a set of member lessons that we are teaching to help people look differently at member missionary work and begin working together with us. Our Bishop LOVES the lessons, and we have his full support. However, we’ve visited a couple members (who also happen to be leaders in the ward) who do not like the idea of us meeting with members of the ward and challenging them to make commitments and things like that. However, everyone we have taught so far loves the lessons and feels like we are helping them realize things they have never thought of pertaining to missionary work! Which is our whole plan! So it is going wonderfully!
Yesterday, we still had our P-day on the 4th and so my companion and I, along with another companionship of Elders, went hiking to Castlewood Canyon, a small state park near Parker. It was a lot of fun. We might have done a little too much "wandering" while we were there, but no one was hurt and it was a blast!
I am loving everything I am learning out here. It is so interesting that we feel like we missionaries come out to serve missions so that we can help teach people, but I am convinced that I am being taught far more then I am teaching. The Lord truly has interesting ways of accomplishing all of His plans, often far deeper then we can see. I am grateful for the privilege it is to serve a Mission for my Savior Jesus Christ, and I am grateful to be here in Colorado.
Elder Richards
It started off with my companion and I discussing that we felt like we were simply going through the motions. We were working hard, but not really seeking the Spirit in all we do. So we made a commitment that anytime we had a prompting, we would follow it, even if it meant changing our plans and heading all the way across our area. Boy, that was the best idea we’ve ever had.
On Tuesday, we had checked on a few referrals, then we were doing some tracting, which we had planned to do. While tracting, I felt like we needed to go back to the house that we accidentally (a week or so ago) went into thinking it was a member’s home. I think I told that story… if not, I will tell it next week. Anyway, we drove to that house even though my companion didn't think anyone would be home because it was the middle of the day. It turned out that the husband just started working from home and was having a slow day so he invited us in and we started talking. He mentioned some books by C. S. Lewis and we started talking about Heaven. He made a comment about what Mormon’s perception of Heaven was. I explained that he was a little bit off, so then we were able to share the Plan of Salvation with him and it was amazing! It wasn't a great golden situation, but it was still cool to see the way the perfect time and place was set up for us to begin teaching him. He said to come back anytime so we will be going back soon!
Then we continued to see miracle after miracle from following even the silliest promptings including:
-Getting into a home of a referral that we had contacted twice without success, then we helped them, share a snack, and started the process of getting to know them.
-Realizing I lost my scriptures, driving across the whole area to check a house, then decide to check their neighbor, the above referral, only to find the scriptures.. and then proceeding to teach the Plan of Salvation and see the lightbulbs come on in the heads of the couple and have them start to understand the doctrine.
-Finding more new investigators this week than in the previous 4 weeks combined!
-Feeling prompted to play football with some random young kids in the middle of the street. Not only did it rain, which allowed me to feel like a little kid again.. but the young kid on my team who hit it off the best with me, happens to be the child in a less-active member family that we have been struggling to contact! #tendermercies!!
Overall it has been an awesome week!
We had an interesting run in with a drunk lady while we were visiting a cool guy who we are trying to start teaching. She lived in the same apartment village and she fell over onto the concrete while carrying her little 2 yr old daughter. Her friends had just left to go to the bathroom, so my companion grabbed the little girl by the hand and I picked the woman up and started to walk her to her friends so they could get her home. The biggest struggle was to help this woman walk while trying to get her to not be draped over me.. Quite the awkward little situation, but the daughter wasn't hurt and that was our biggest concern.
This situation also helped me realize how grateful I am for the standards that God has set forth, including the Word of Wisdom and many other standards that truly do not prohibit us, but rather free us from the harmful effect that not following these standards always brings!
I don't know if we have mentioned, but Elder McBride and I have come up with a set of member lessons that we are teaching to help people look differently at member missionary work and begin working together with us. Our Bishop LOVES the lessons, and we have his full support. However, we’ve visited a couple members (who also happen to be leaders in the ward) who do not like the idea of us meeting with members of the ward and challenging them to make commitments and things like that. However, everyone we have taught so far loves the lessons and feels like we are helping them realize things they have never thought of pertaining to missionary work! Which is our whole plan! So it is going wonderfully!
Yesterday, we still had our P-day on the 4th and so my companion and I, along with another companionship of Elders, went hiking to Castlewood Canyon, a small state park near Parker. It was a lot of fun. We might have done a little too much "wandering" while we were there, but no one was hurt and it was a blast!
I am loving everything I am learning out here. It is so interesting that we feel like we missionaries come out to serve missions so that we can help teach people, but I am convinced that I am being taught far more then I am teaching. The Lord truly has interesting ways of accomplishing all of His plans, often far deeper then we can see. I am grateful for the privilege it is to serve a Mission for my Savior Jesus Christ, and I am grateful to be here in Colorado.
Elder Richards
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