Sounds like you all had a pretty hectic week with job changes, trips to New York and Chicago, to Jordan's graduation from BYU....I bet you are all ready to take it easy--at least until the baby comes!
Have they decided on a name yet? Actually don't tell me until it's born or it will spoil the surprise!
I didn't get to hear about Brycen or Jenessa. What's up with them? And when is Jenessa going to Dominican Republic? because we are teaching a less active member from there.
A lot of things happened this week
Audrey: So apparently she didn't have a good first experience at chuch. She thought it was too irreverant and that she couldn't feel the spirit because of the kids. She thinks they should be put in a daycare. We are still meeting her tomorrow, but her interest level to get baptized went down quite a bit. We weren't able to meet with her last week because she was sick she said. I don't think she was as sick as she made it sound. We are bringing brother Ayoroa tomorrow so hopefully we can resolve her concern. Irreverance is definitely a problem in the church, but there's not a lot you can do about noisy kids
Netty, Lechi, and Michael: : Met with them saturday. Michael who is 13 is very receptive to the spirit. He loves the first vision, and reminded his Dad after the first vision that they had a Restoration DVD that they watched 2 times together a while back when they livedi n Chicago! His father didn't remember that happening. Netty likes to overthink things a lot. Whenever we would share a restoration scripture like Ephesians 4:11-14 about apostles, he would try to redefine what an apostle is and stuff and just overcomplicate things. We didn't get to talk to the wife because she was sick with her baby or something. She seems more receptive than Netty though. Hopefully we will get to meet them again this week, because Netty is flying back home to Africa for like a month. That would be cool if he would let him teach them while he is gone, but we're not sure how he'd feel about that being the man of the house.
Peggy Gr: Some weird things are happening with her. We started teaching her Tuesday and she has some form of autism. She can understand some things, but others she can't quite grasp like when we asked her 'from what we explained, why is the priesthood important?" We showed her a picture of Moses holding the tablets and so she answered "because Moses held the stone tablets so when Jesus wrote the commandments on them they wouldn't fall down." That was pretty funny. She also shows glimpses of promise like she remembered the date when the Angel Moroni came to Joseph Smith, and she actually reads what we tell her to. She came to stake conference yesterday. She said that she feels like she should come to our church instead of her other baptist church because she feels like commiting suicide at her other church but not at ours. Her mother recently passed away where there was some controversary about how she actually died. Then , like hours later she texted us that "we believe in a different Jesus," which we found out her sister told her. And now she is texting us that she wants us to come by tonight instead of tomorrow morning. It's all so confusing. Also, I've heard lots of missionaries say about particular people that they aren't accountable to teach. Sometimes we feel like she is, and other times we don't. We'll see how it goes. She LOVES JESUS though. She told us of an experience of how she and her dog had the last supper together! She blessed bread and fruit punch instead of water/wine. Keep in mind that she has autism. What is the church's policy on people being "accountable?" People who are born under the covenant who would be considered "unaccountable" are baptized so can't people who aren't as well? How accountable to they have to be I guesss is what I am asking.
Waleska: we had a cool lesson with her. Though her mother is Catholic and her father is less active, she loves the primary songs of the church! She knows how to play "Book of mormon stories" and "follow the prophet." So we had an idea to have her play those two songs since they fit in the restoration lesson! next time when we teach her the plan of salvation, we asked her to learn "I lived in Heaven" and 'Did Jesus Really Live Again." She also reads a lot and wants to read 4 chapters of the book of mormon at age 8 (she will be 9 next month). The only problem is that her mother doesn't want her to be baptized until she is 18 and so we will see how long we end up teaching her. We are going to focus more on the dad being more active which were help her chances of being baptized earlier. Waleska really loves us and gave us hugs. She is a sweetheart and wants to be baptized.
Waleska: we had a cool lesson with her. Though her mother is Catholic and her father is less active, she loves the primary songs of the church! She knows how to play "Book of mormon stories" and "follow the prophet." So we had an idea to have her play those two songs since they fit in the restoration lesson! next time when we teach her the plan of salvation, we asked her to learn "I lived in Heaven" and 'Did Jesus Really Live Again." She also reads a lot and wants to read 4 chapters of the book of mormon at age 8 (she will be 9 next month). The only problem is that her mother doesn't want her to be baptized until she is 18 and so we will see how long we end up teaching her. We are going to focus more on the dad being more active which were help her chances of being baptized earlier. Waleska really loves us and gave us hugs. She is a sweetheart and wants to be baptized.
This week we also had a ZLT where I got to play a musical number with a Sister Day. It was a Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief and I had only 2 days to get it down! Though I didn't play it perfectly, I felt the spirit in my hands helping me or something. IT was cool. I also realized some things in my patriarchal blessing that had to do with that as well which I won't repeat of course. Those who have been able to read it may know what I am talking about.
Also this week worth mentioning, we talked to a less active named Andrew. he is about 55 and hasn't been to church in a long long time. He is a returned missionary and went to BYU. We also found out that he is the nephew of Bonnie L. Oscarson. He didn't even know that she was a general authority. He talked to us about how he got really depressed on his mission and it got progressively worse after when his parents split up. His grandparents were the st.louis temple president and matron at some point. he ended up getting into anti mormon material and felt like the church handled some things the wrong way. he felt like the church tried hiding things from its members and the general public. I'm not sure about all of that. It's really weird though because he said that he likes the cultural aspect of the church and is considering maybe coming back. He tried explainig how hard it is form him to believe the book of mormon is true because he says there is no evidence supporting it. (not true). Elder hayes showed me a cool book called "The book of Mormon on Trial" by some author. IT's like in comic form and I looked through it a little bit because it examines the book of mormon like a court case and debunks all of the lies and theories. Some of you might like to read it. i don't have time to really. i wish I did. Andrew needs to read his aunt's talk from general conference! i felt really bad for him. He is a really nice guy and I have hope for him.
This week I've been studying up on the Holy Ghost. Elder Bednar is an expert on that topic.
First I read about "What is the Role of the Holy Ghost in Conversion" and then Receiving, Recognizing, and Responding to the Holy Ghost."
Some great quotes:
"The holy ghost is soft and subdued like the pitch of a tuning fork.The holy ghost is constant, steady, and sure. It is not brash like the crashing of brass cymbals. These delicate, refined spiritual communications are not seen with our eyes or heard with our ears. And even though it is described as a voice, it is a voice that one feels more than one hears...it whispers...it carresses so gently that if we are preoccupied we may not feel it at all...You and I MUST TUNE THE STRINGS OF OUR SOULS TO THE STANDARD OF THE HOLY GHOST." David A. Bednar
"I have learned that strong, impressive spiritual experiences do not come to us very frequently. And when they do they are generally for our own edification, instruction or correction..I have come to believe that it is not wise to continually talk of unusual spiritual experiences. They are to be guarded with care and shared only when the spirit itself prompts us to use them to the blessing of others."--BOYD K PACKER
"There are many who question the strength of their own testimony and spiritual capacity. If you have similar thoughts or doubts, please know that you are normal and everything is okay...People who have pround spiritual experiences do not talk about them, except in the rarest of circumstances......you simple, faithful obedience and dedication are the surest indicators of your spiritual capacity. Just keep moving forward with faith in the savior, and you will be fine." DAVID A BEDNAR
"Now brothers and sisters, there are many deceptive and counterfeit tones that imitate the true sound and standard of the tuning fork. For example, I wonder if we sometimes too easily mistake personal sentiment and spiritual sensationalsim for the promptings of the holy ghost. If we are not careful and discernign, we may mistakenly follow a false sound that will lead us astray."
"For nothing is greater injury to the children of men than to be under the influecne of a false spirit when they think they have the spirit of God." -JOSEPH SMITH
3 principles to guide us to RECEIVE, RECOGNIZE, and RESPOND to the holy ghost. The 3 Rs:
1. We must desire the companionship of the holy ghost
this should be what we most desire when we pray.
(read 3 Nephi 19:9)
2. We must invite the companionship of the holy ghost.
we do this by:
Making and KEEPING covenants
SINCERE prayer
SINCERE scripture study,
SINCERE worship at home and church
VIRTUOUS thoughts actions, language, dress, etc.
I have heard many people say that it's okay to just follow the spirit of the law and ignore the letter of the law . I think there is a misinterpretation of what living the spirit of the law is. (this is me speaking)
"Please do not believe the falsehood that somehow you and I can 'live the spirit of the law, even when we are in violation of its letter.' The small things really do matter when it comes to personal worthiness and inviting the holy ghost into our lives...even matter that are considered relatively small deviations will seriously affect your capacity to be led by the spirit." -M. RUSSEL BALLARD
To me, folowing the spirit of the law means that you also keep the letter of the law. You strive to be exactly obedient but you realize why you are doing so. You can't follow just one or the other.
The spirit of the law is the 'why' of the gospel. For example "why do we keep the law of chastity?" The letter of the law is the 'what' of the gospel. For example "What is faith?" Elder Quentin L. Cook said about understanding 'The Spirit' of God's commandments. "Doctrine usually answers the question 'why?' principles usually answer the question 'what.' Whenever we emphasize how to do something, we risk looking beyond the mark. At the very least, we fall into the trap Paul described to the Corinthians (2 Cor 3) 'for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life
3. we must heed simple promptings quickly
"We are prompted everyday...to do simple and ordinary things. To the degree that we heed these simple promptings, then our capacity to recognize and respond to the holy ghost is increased...We are either progressing or regressing in our ability to recognize and respond to the holy ghost. There is no neutral ground or standing still......We cannot realistically expect to recognize 'big' promptings if we consistently fail to heed 'small' promptings. The lord's pattern is to teach us 'line upon lin, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little (2 ne 28;30). Thus, revelation from our heavenly father comes most frequently in small increments, and like all knowledge, is granted according to our preparation. Misguided attempts to get spiritually supercharged throgh unusually long prayers, lengthy and unwise fasting, and intensiveshort-term temple attendnace certainly are no substitute for gradual, consistent, and conscientious attention to the promptings of the holy ghost."
"The church of Jesus Chris is the 'only ture and living church upon the face of the whole earth. it is the holy ghost and its attendant spiritual gifts that make this church living. And may each of us bgecome a living member of this church by living in such a way that the holy ghost can be our constant companion."
As I studied this, I realized the meaning of the scripture in Matt 7:7
Ask, and ye shall, receive; seek, and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you
This scripture goes hand in hand with the 3 principles Elder Bednar shared.
1. Desiring to revceive the holy ghost. How? Through Prayer (ASK)
2. living in such a way to invite the holy ghost to be in our lives (SEEK)
3/ We must quickly obey promptings (KNOCK)
ASK SEEK KNOCK
I know that asking, seeking, and knocking are the keys to cultivating the gift of the holy ghost. I have seen that as we do our best to follow the promptings the holy ghost and to show God that we treasure them above many other things, that our love for Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost will increase.
Have a great week! Thanks for enduring through this long letter!
ELDER SOUTAS
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