Year 2, Week 46: It Will Take Great Faith

This week has been super super good! We had a great exchange with Elder Chu, a Chinese Elder! We had a lot of appointments with people cancel but still had some great ones none the less. 

We had a lesson R and O. We taught them last week about the Restoration and invited them to church. They didn't come. This past week we had a lesson about the importance of church and they said they would be there. We offered to show them the chapel but they were to busy. But when Sunday came they were there! They were a little nervous because their son is very energized and they didn't want to cause a scene. We reassured them that there are other kids who do the same. They said they would come and they showed up! It was so good! Their boy was a little rowdy during Sacrament meeting but was able to go to nursery for the second hour and have a party with all the other kids.

We had a really good lesson with R and V. R had read again in the Book of Mormon and wrote a great summary of what he learned from the Book of Mormon. He read in 3rd Nephi 18 about Christ instituting the Sacrament. We explained church and the importance of it. He really wants to come but can't. His job won't let him get work off because of his position at the store. We will have to teach a little more about the commandment of keeping the Sabbath day Holy and explain how he should have Sunday as a day of rest. Teach doctrine, testify, and invite to change is what we are going to be doing. It will take great faith on his part. We will for sure be praying he has that faith. We are also going to invite him to fast about what he can do to keep the Sabbath day holy and then act on what he feels. Lots of prayers with that would be appreciated. 

We had a great chapel tour with A. this week! She really like the building and loved the baptismal font. She said she would be baptized and that she would come to church but she hasn't answered our calls lately. So we literally are so confused. We may have to stop teaching her. So we will see. 

This has been such a good week! We figured out a way to locate more Hispanics by getting the voting records, putting them in a excel spreadsheet, and then putting their address into Google maps. We now have all locations of the Hispanics! 

Anyway! It's been a good one! 

Elder Bushman 

 

 

Year 1, Week 14: Call-Out Challenge

Hey Fam,

This week was super good! Halloween we got back to our apartment at 6. We couldn't be out any later than 6:30. We spent the night playing card games and listening to music. Nothing too intense. Earlier that day we went for a lunch appointment to a member's house. We carved some pumpkins and had a good time. 

On Thursday the Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders gave a training to the District Leaders on how we can change to promote more motivation and to work harder. Elder Pulu, a district leader in our zone, said that a call out challenge might be fun. For example: Elder Pulu calls out another companionship and says, " We believe we can find 3 New investigators before you." It is then a small competition to motivate missionaries to talk to everyone. On Saturday, Elder Curzon and I did just that. We texted 3 set of missionaries and said  that we believe we could find 3 new investigators before any of the other companionships. The day started off very slow. We didn't find anyone. Elder Curzon and I literally talked to EVERY single person we passed. Finally, while knocking doors, we found a lady named Anna. She is in her 20's, has a couple kids, and lives with her mom. When she opened the door she just stepped out onto her porch and listened to us teach the Restoration. She asked us to come back tomorrow, Sunday, and said she would read 3rd Nephi 11. After Anna, we met a man named Jose and also taught the Restoration with an invitation to read the Book of Mormon and pray. 10 Minutes after Jose, we met another man named Jose. We taught him the Restoration, asked him to read and pray, and he said he would. It is amazing how the Lord always prepares a way when you set high goals!! Because of that challenge 4 companionships achieved 8 New investigators in a day! It was awesome:)

After church we went to Anna's house but she said she was super busy and asked if we could come back on Tuesday. She said she would read 3 Nephi before we came back so we'll see. We have appointments set up with her and with both of the Jose's:)

After Anna's house, we stopped by a less active member's house. The father was there and we talked with him for a while. He basically just opened up and explained that his wife got offended, didn't want to go back to church, and if he goes, then she gets upset with him. He explained that he loves church and the Gospel but also loves his wife and his hands are tied. He explained he doesn't know what to do and that he is working on his own testimony with the hopes that it can one day help his wife again. It was super sad to see such a strong member of the church in such a hard position. 

Other than that, Maria hasn't come to church yet so we will have to move her baptism date back. Mine and Elder Curzon's monthly goals are 1 Baptism, 3 Baptism Dates, and 25 New Investigators. Maria was our Baptism but because she hasn't attended church that might not happen. Keep her in your prayers! We are hoping to set a Baptism date with Anna and both of the Jose's! Other than that not much happened. 

Once again, Happy Birthday to Olivia! I hope her birthday was a good one:) Love all of you!

Elder Bushman

 

"Day after day, on your path toward your eternal destiny, increase your faith. Proclaim your faith! Let your faith show!"

—Russell M. Nelson, "Let Your Faith Show"