First off, we got transfer doctrine last night and I'm staying in Norman for another transfer and my new companion is Elder Kilmer! Don't know anything about him but I'm excited to meet him!
Second off, this past week has been miraculous! Good things definitely come to those who wait :)
Tuesday after emailing we went to the stake center for "Meet the Mansells". We got to meet them individually for a couple of minutes each. After they formally met everyone, Sister Mansell and some of their sons bore their testimonies. Then President Mansell spoke to us and he gave an amazing talk. He talked about the process that is used to select mission presidents which was pretty cool. He bore testimony and the spirit was really powerful. He said that he was going to push us and help us all become better missionaries. So pumped to work with him! He's really nice and fun to be around but very down to earth. After dinner we were able to have a quick lesson with one of our investigators we've had for a while so that was good.
Wednesday we did a lot of planning for going to the temple on Thursday and for the ward party on Saturday. In the evening we were able to teach a part-member less-active family so that was fun :)
Thursday we went with some of our recent converts to go do baptisms for the dead at the Oklahoma City Temple!! It was so much fun to do baptisms, it's the first time I've had the opportunity to go since I went on my mission. We had a great time and the spirit was really strong :) In the afternoon we did planning and in the evening we were able to teach 3 lessons which was awesome. We taught Danny and the rest of his family the restoration and committed them all to baptism on August 6th. So excited for them!
Friday we had exchanges with the zone leaders and so I was in the Norman 1st ward for the day which was fun. We managed to find a new investigator despite the random rain which was a miracle :)
Saturday morning we had a teaching appointment with the media referral we received about 3 months ago. We basically dropped him because he hasn't found time to read the Book of Mormon. But we bore testimony so hopefully he'll be able to find time to read it. At 11:30 we had a ward party at a local park. Us missionaries organized the whole thing and assigned some of the active members in the ward to visit the less-active members and invite them to the party. We had a pretty good turnout and a lady who hasn't been to church in 2 years showed up and said that she wants to come back to church which was a cool miracle :) In the evening we had a crazy random restoration lesson with a free mason named Abraham. Definitely one of the funniest lessons I've ever had on the my mission.
Sunday Danny and his daughter McKayla came to church and it was totally awesome!!! #Miracle The past 2 transfers we've been trying so hard to get investigators to come to church and we finally had someone solid come! Danny had a great time and in priesthood opening exercises he read an introduction and prayer he typed out last week. He talked about how he prayed for direction in his life and then a couple days later we showed up on his doorstep. He said that he had found his home and that he planned on coming to church every week from here on out. It was so cool to hear him read that, definitely on of my favorite mission experiences #TenderMercy
Danny is basically ready for baptism, we just need to get the rest of his family involved as well. His wife, daughter, and son aren't opposed to joining the church but also aren't super excited at the same time. Hopefully they'll be able to come to church as a whole family this next week.
2 And it came to pass that the Lord commanded my father, even in a dream, that he should take his family and depart into the wilderness.
3 And it came to pass that he was obedient unto the word of the Lord, wherefore he did as the Lord commanded him.
4 And it came to pass that he departed into the wilderness. And he left his house, and the land of his inheritance, and his gold, and his silver, and his precious things, and took nothing with him, save it were his family, and provisions, and tents, and departed into the wilderness.
I found a cross-reference in 2 Nephi 10:20that says, "... we have been driven out of the land of our inheritance; but we have been led to a better land" I also love the quote by Elder Holland, "You can have what you want or you can have something better." I like to think that there's no "real" sacrifice in the gospel because in the long run we always get repaid 100 fold. Sacrificing all for the Lord is a great privilege and though it's not always easy, it's always the best thing to do. Let us all keep our covenants by being willing to sacrifice whatever the Lord asks of us.
I hope yall have a wonderful week!
Love, Elder Larsen
1 Nephi 2:10
1. Temple Trip
2. Temple Trip
3. Temple Trip
4. Driving home from temple trip
5. Exchanges with Elder Lindelof
6. Exchanges with Elder Lindelof
7. Grillin up a storm at the ward party ;)
8. Me with the Mansells
No comments:
Post a Comment