Teaching the Gospel

 

Impromptu Teaching

It’s so cool to teach people about the gospel when you are living your life worthy of the companionship of the Holy Ghost. I had to do an impromptu lesson in church yesterday because we had an unexpected investigator show up (which was great). So during the last fifteen minutes of sacrament I went out and started to prepare a lesson on the plan of salvation tailored to her needs. (She is the one with all the weird concerns like excommunication but hey at least she comes to church). She had been taught the plan of salvation about a year ago by missionaries but since we have picked her up we have been working on her concerns rather then basic lessons. So I conjured up a lesson as fast as I could, taped some things on the chalk board, wrote some scriptures up there and had a prayer in my heart. When the lesson began I had inspiration "flowing through my bones." ha ha. I had Elder Westra go get a video we recently acquired about questions of the soul and life in general. And from then on out I taught the plan of salvation with detail of various parts. Some members came in so that helped a lot. It was a great experience to feel like I could relay that beautiful information using scriptures I had just found 2 minutes before and be completely comfortable because I was trying to follow the Spirit.

New Mission President

My new mission president is AWESOME. I love him. He has more scripture smarts then anyone I have ever come into contact with in my whole life. He has an amazing way of teaching the scriptures as well. He has helped me a lot and I feel very close to him. I really think I’m going to enjoy the next 10 months. We have had two district meetings with him and just had our first zone conference last week. It was great. He gave a wonderful talk on pride by President Ezra Taft Benson. I think it was a conference address in 1989. Check it out.

A picture and bio of President Kevin M. Bulloch can be found at:
http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/56826/New-mission-presidents.html

No! I did not go swimming!

 
 
 
 

Weak Joints...Simple Truth

I got pretty dehydrated the other day when we played flag football because it was so stinkin hot and humid that I sweated like crazy. And add this to the list of my weak joint injuries. I dislocated my left shoulder again. Not super serious so no need to worry. Just popped out and popped back in. It will be sore for a few days then I'll be good.

The gospel is simple...if people would just take the time to read and listen...o the world would be a different place!

Wildlife in NY

 
 
 
 

Skating for Change

We met up with this boy, Travis, last night who I skated with for about fifteen minutes last week. It was really fun. He has questions about death and god and wants to quit smoking so I'm excited about him. Kind of a skater punk but people change...especially with the gospel in their lives.

Riding Greene

 
 
 

Prepare then Pray

So the lady we met last week was our last stop for tonight and as we were leaving her next door neighbor (a recently reactivated member) I said a quick prayer that the spirit would guide us. After we had small talked for about 3-5 minutes I said the opening prayer to our conversation and prayed that the spirit would be with each of us to guide us and direct us to truth. We spent the next hour and a half answering questions she had but the most amazing part of it was Elder Westra and I were quoting scriptures like we never had before. I was pulling scriptures out of places I didn't know I had. Left and Right. It was one of, if not the most spirit directed lessons I ever had. It was the absolute epitome of D&C 11:21 and 84:85. We have been working hard and studying, "treasuring up", and facing discouragement every day but the Lord knows when we really need him and he is there every time. Last night the Lord was by my side and I know that for a fact. The scriptures I came up with and the things I said were not my own. I don't know if that lady will end up getting baptized for sure but I do know two things. I gained a greater testimony of the gospel and I planted a powerful seed in the Lord's way!
Always pray for guidance and always prepare yourself because if we pray for guidance but don't prepare the spirit will not guide.

Makin Sense of the Mish

 

Stayin Happy

On Friday, July 11th, the zone leaders came into our area and worked a blitz with us. We went to look up a former investigator and it turned out to be really cool. This lady had investigated for just over a year but reached a state were no more progress was being made because of a few hang ups so the missionaries dropped her. When we got there she was really nice and welcoming. She was surprised to see us because she thought missionaries would never stop again because she was not progressing. Well turns out she had not picked up the Book of Mormon since the missionaries last visit but that morning we stopped by she pulled it out and read a little. I told her I don't believe in coincidences and she said she didn't either. We had a really good talk and I mentioned something about the great apostasy. She said she had never heard of it. So I gave her a long scripture chain about it and she said she would study them all. It all went so well. I don't know if she will get baptized but I think we shed some really good light on her and I felt really good our visit. So the work is going forward and I'm stayin happy.

Is Elder Louw the Smallest Missionary?

 

Testimony Grows by Small and Simple Things

I gave a talk last Sunday and I had the opportunity to bear my testimony yesterday. It was a really good experience for me. I have come to realize that the way the Lord keeps me moving along in the gospel is by small and simple means. I can't remember any huge magnificent moments that have really made my testimony. It is all simple, small things. I think the Lord does that to me to keep me wanting more because I constantly forget the little things so I am in constant need for more testimony building events. The Lord is playing a huge part in my life but through small and simple ways. I also feel very strongly about bearing testimony. I feel that my testimony has been strengthened by bearing my testimony. I felt the Holy Ghost touch me yesterday as I bore it to the congregation. I encourage all of you to bear your testimony whenever the spirit directs you too. If you feel your testimony is lacking, get up and bear testimony of what you do know is true and the rest will be strengthened.

Wet and Wild

 

Craziest Adventure

Here's one of the craziest adventures I've had yet. So there are these investigators we have. I guess they have been investigating for a long time and have just not been making any progress, basically they just like the missionaries, but they are cool none the less. So we went over and when we knocked on their door nobody answered. So we walked around back and there they were trying to get their one horse back in its stall. They are moving so they have to sell their horses. Anyways he would not go in his stall. He was just running around. So they would try to corner him and every time he would either run past so fast or someone would move cuz they thought they were going to get plastered by a 900 pound horse (I almost did a couple of times.) So we finally had the horse cornered in the far end of the field when Jerry decided to hit him on the butt with a board because he was mad at him. Not a good idea. The horse decided he had had enough so he jumped the electric fence, landing on it, then darting out toward the road. We went out after him up this hill on another farmer's land. It was this nasty marshy wetland and I got soaked in my suit pants and white shirt. Mud and horse poop were all over my shoes. It took about and hour and a half but we finally got the horse back in the coral. So now I can say I chased a horse in my white shirt and tie through a swamp. Not many missionaries can say that. My suit definitely needed dry cleaning. Don't worry my shoes don't smell bad any more. I took the hose to them.