Week 66

Mon, Sep 23, 2013 at 10:44 AM

Hola family, 

Sounds like y'all are enjoying the rain.  We have had absolutely gorgeous weather here this past week.  Oh my goodness, no joke.  It's been lovely :)  Sounds like your ward is grand sized.  When do they split wards...is that why Elder Ballard is coming in November? (which is lucky too, by the way; however, he came to my stake conference once already, so ha! )  

This week we have definitely seen some mighty miracles occur.  We found 6 new investigators this past week.  The work we are doing with members has grown tremendously.  I'm definitely growing in this area.  The Lord gives us certain obstacles or challenges that, if we let them, create growth.  On a mission, I know that He puts us in certain areas with certain companions to serve certain individuals both for their and our benefit.  I'm definitely learned a lot about working with the fantastic members of the ward here in Wake Forest.  Lots of good things are happening.  We're still working on helping our investigators take the step of committing to being baptized, but it's a work in progress.  I know that I've grown a lot over the course of my mission, and I know that I do well in various areas of missionary work, but I still see all my flaws and failures, and it kind of stinks.  I wish I could be more bold at times when I'm not.  I wish I could set better expectations with those we teach...I wish I knew that fine balance that seems to be ridiculously elusive in all areas.  I know the doctrine...that's not a problem, but I wish I could be a better teacher, asking better questions, listening better...sometimes I feel like I'll never get there...nevertheless, I press forward.

I got a letter from Ricky last week, and mom 66 and grandma.  Ricky's letter was very timely because we actually changed, as directed by the spirit, our lesson that night to one that revolved around that letter.  It was very good and very powerful.  Something I don't like as a missionary is how much I take for granted the spirit.  I try to recognize and appreciate the spirit, but a lot of times I don't even realize how powerfully present the spirit is in a lesson for instance.  Others, particularly our members do, but we'll come out of a lesson, slightly disappointed or frustrated sometimes and our members will comment on how powerful and spiritual of a lesson that was...

I really wish everyone knew what I know.  I really wish everyone cherished the truths that we have.  

Last week, we helped a young man with his eagle project.  That was good.  We helped him dig some post holes manually, and then we put together some picnic tables.  I'm realizing more and more how right Engineering is for me.  Just as a side note. :)  This coming week, I will be on exchange 3 days this week.  2 of them I'll be here with another missionary, and then the last one I'll be somewhere else.  This week is going to blow by.  as they usually do, but faster.  I honestly have no idea if I'll be transferred or not.  It's Oct. 8 by the way; they might leave us together for 3 transfers, especially because we'll be dealing with setting up the additional sisters, which is something they might want a little more experience for, or I could leave if there's something the Lord needs me to do elsewhere.  Who knows but Him?  Probably president, but besides that :)  It'll be interesting if I stay 6 months in 3 areas...my first boy turned 1 year the other day...weird.  Everyone I know is going home too...everyone is so new...

I don't really know what else to say...

Missionary work is a roller coaster...

I have truly come to love the New Testament on my mission.  The teachings in there are so wonderful, and the insight I gain is tremendous.  It truly is a special testament of Christ.  However, I also have come to realize that people in general, but a lot of people who claim to be Christian, really don't know the bible.  There are some ridiculously plain and simple truths outlined in the New Testament that seem to just get by-passed.  I've realized that a common plague in our society today that has just been passed down and magnified over the generations is that a lot of people simply don't look for truth anymore.  They just look to be satisfied.  A mindset that I really like that I semi learned from one of the members of our ward is what every Christian should have.  You should never be satisfied until you feel with everything you've got that you've found the true church of Jesus Christ.  Every Christian is morally obligated to seek and search it out with every drop of energy they can muster.  But the problem in our society is that people settle.  As long as they can sleep good that night and their church doesn't preach Satanic doctrine, they're good with it.  It's a sad state of society we live, where instead of we, as divine sons and daughters of God, conforming our lives to His will, we confirm His will to our lives.  and I fear that it will only worsen.  My hope is that we can all, as members of this church, fulfill our moral responsibility to help and succor our brothers and sisters, discovering the ones that still hold divine truth close to their hearts.

That's all I've got today.  I love you all though.  

Love,

Elder Patty

Week 65

Best Sacrament Meeting EVER!!!

Mon, Sep 16, 2013 at 9:53 AM

Hola family,

Nice to hear from you again.  To start off...yes, mom, I've been receiving your letters.  Sorry I fail and always forget to mention that in the email.  I think we're at something like 63.  And the last one only took 2 days to get here thanks to the lack of forwarding :)

I'm glad that your leg is healing up to.  That's good.  So, the temple was amazing.  So funny story about the temple though.  We went in, 6 of us Elders, and there was this lady in the waiting room.  She came up to us and welcomed us, asking where we were all serving.  When it got to me, I told her I was serving in Wake Forest 1st ward.  She promptly straightened my name tag and then proceeded to say that she had just had lunch with my brother and sister-in-law on their honeymoon.  What?!  Where did that come from?  Apparently, they were on the same cruise and they saw DJ and Karolyn and thought they looked mighty LDS, so they went over and started talking with them. A week later we happen to meet at the temple.  She doesn't even live in my stake!  Anyways, she told me to tell you I met Sister Henderson .  

Way to have lots of food.  

For padre, we have about 200 or so in attendance at sacrament meeting every week.  We go into the overflow every week too, but we're not a stake center.  I love this ward though.  Absolutely love it.  The people are amazing.  There are 3 individuals who are leaving or have left on missions soon/recently, and for 2 of them, I feel like I'm losing brothers even though I've only been here 4 months.  It's crazy.  

We have been going on exchange with them and some of the other 18 year old young men, but not as much with the rising priest quorum.  We're working on it, but they are all back in school now, so it makes it slightly more difficult than in the summer.  Crazy story...our ward is getting sister missionaries in 3 weeks.  And about 20 minutes ago, I learned that I have to draw the lines (with assistance) for the split on proselyting areas.  Ummmm...dang.  I have no idea how to do that because we have like 1 monster pod of members and then everyone else is spread out.  I don't know.  We'll see what happens.  

Lots of good things are happening though in our area and in our district.  Shoot, for that matter in our zone.  We've seen a ton of growth these past few weeks, which is really good because we were in a lull for several weeks there as a zone.  (are you waiting with bated breath for when I explain the subject line?!?! keep waiting :) )

We're starting to see our members trust us more than ever.  We are definitely building that super trust relationship.  It's amazing to see because lots of members talk about the church with friends and such and some even invite (which is a million times better), but what we're seeing now is that members have a desire to involve us in their missionary work instead of letting it be 2 disjoint things.  Part of what made yesterday so incredibly amazing was that we had a family invite 2 friends to church, and that family and other members made it a point to inform us of that fact and also, the one daughter who invited her friend made it a point to introduce her to us.  That's what I'm talking about :)  When members and missionaries work in harmony and unity, that's when the work of the Lord will become part of our natures, that's when we'll see miracles occur.  

Okay, I guess I'll tell you about the subject line.  Here it goes.  Okay, so yesterday, I'm not even joking, was the absolute best Sacrament meeting I've ever been to...my entire life.  That's the kind of sacrament meetings we should have every week.  I think Elder Holland talked about how our sacrament meetings should be of the spiritual caliber that people are "clambering" to come back next week.  First off, we started the service with the hymn "I believe in Christ" and ended with "I know that my Redeemer lives." Need I say more?? No, but I will.  We had an incredible duet sung by 2 sisters in the ward "I need thee every hour."  But there's more.  We had a short, yet powerful talk given by a 14 year old young man who recently started coming back to church and just received the Aaronic priesthood.  He testified that it was because of how he felt at church that he kept wanting to come back as well as the good example of his friends at church.  Then we had a phenomenal talk about what it truly means to be a Christian.  So good.  No joke.  And then to seal the deal, we had Brennan, a young man about 9 days younger than Christopher, who leaves on Tuesday for the Sao Paulo MTC, give his farewell address.  So good.  He GETS it.  Truly gets it.  He is going to be such a magnificent missionary...I'm thinking Ammon status perhaps.  He explained what a mission is without confusing the heck out of every nonmember there (of which there were a lot) with the Mormon culture and lingo.  Then he based his remarks around 2 Nephi 31:20-21 and broke those down.  He bore such a remarkably powerful testimony at the end, it was liked he punched the congregation with the spirit.  2 Nephi 33:1-2 status for sure.  His final words were, as he paused because he was getting choked up, something like this "The Gospel is back on the earth today. in the name of Jesus Christ amen"  That quote there doesn't do it justice, but it was so powerful.  You know he's not faking it.  Now, you thought that was it?, but there's even more! We had 2 of our investigators come to church as well for the first time and this was the perfect Sacrament for them to be in.  Both have Christian backgrounds, and the entire sacrament meeting was all about what it really means to be a Christian with the underlying theme of the Restored Gospel making true Christianity available and possible once more.  So good!!!!  One of the couples we had on exchange with us for 1 of the lessons that are also ward missionaries invited them to sit with them.  And the wife of the member couple totally friend-shipped the fiance so well and helped explain things when she had questions during Sacrament meeting.  So good times 2. AND they live in the same neighborhood!!! Can this get better???  You'd better believe it.  The scriptures that Brennan centered his talk around were from the same chapter we had read with our investigators just 3 days prior!!!  And they totally brought the paperback Book of Mormon and his King James Bible with them, looking up references when they were used in the talks and they double totally looked like Mormons!! They were like naturals :)  I think there may be even more! but I can't remember it right now, but overall, there is no way that they didn't feel the spirit.  Guaranteed.  We're really excited, to say the least :)  

Now if you aren't spiritually lifted after that story... :)

y'all are the best :)

Love,

Elder Patty

Week 64

Mon, Sep 9, 2013 at 9:34 AM

So, since when was last week the week that Chris got his mission call.  First it blew my mind that he was already submitting his papers.  Then, when he said he was submitting them, I still thought it was weeks away before he gets it.  That's crazy stuff.  But ridiculously exciting.  Minus the fact that now both my brothers will be able to speak Spanish ;) ;) haha  But Hot ol' Texas.  Who would have thought.  Is that a new mission? 

Time continues to fly by.  This Friday, we get to go to the temple, so that is fantastic.  I can't wait.  I love the temple.  I love the peace and direction I gain through worshiping my Savior and my Father within its sacred walls. 

I'll tell you one thing...there are not enough hours in the day.  There is never enough time to get everything done.  Not kidding.  That's crazy about whatever your super youth music/drama shabang is.  Y'all should send me a picture of the plaque cabinet.  That would be intense.  That's double awesome about getting intense visits from seventy members.  I like the role play he did.  Members are so important.  That's one of the things I love most about being a missionary.  I love interacting with all the members and building relationships of trust with them and working side by side to accomplish the work of the Lord (a definite dearth of commas right there :) ).  But seriously, it's amazing. 

Last week we found this new investigator which was truly amazing.  We have high hopes for her, and it's really exciting.  She was supposed to be at church yesterday, but she got a concussion.  Our other investigator who was at church last week was out of town this weekend.  They should both be there at church next week.  There are a lot of good things going on in Wake Forest :)  I love it. 

On a spiritual note, on Saturday we did have a baptismal service.  It was the 8 year old one for the ward.  A returned-less active's daughter got baptized.  We have been working with them pretty heavily, so even though technically she's not a convert baptism, it still meant the same to us.  Her dad baptized her, and they asked me to confirm her a member of the church and bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost.  It was an honor.  I should be sending a picture.  It truly is amazing to see people follow Jesus Christ.  Nothing of this world could ever instill so much joy and happiness in someone as that does.  There is absolutely no doubt that this is all real -- that our Savior lives and loves us, that the Holy Spirit testifies of truth, that our Heavenly Father has a wonderful and perfect that we can take advantage of if we so choose, so that we can return to live with him eternally with our families.  I know that we have a prophet of God on the earth today, a mouthpiece of our God to bless, guide, and protect His children.  I know that if we follow his counsel we will never be led astray.  I just wish that everyone would embrace this fundamental truth, that everyone would allow Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ to take an active and powerful role in their lives.  So many people water it down or try to do it alone.   Why?  Why not make this life worth it?  What else is the point?  There are so many little miracles that I witness on a daily basis, I'm afraid that I won't remember them all or recognize them.  I hope I'm not taking it for granted.  As a final thought, I've talked to multiple individuals that have told me there won't be families in heaven.  We'll recognize people, but we won't have families.  I wonder incredulously, "really??"  I feel so bad for people like that.  Their view of heaven is that we will endlessly praise God and float around as angels for the rest of eternity.  They believe that is the end of our creation, that is the reason we were born.  Christ overcame sin and death for that??  It almost seems like a waste.  I know that families can be eternal.  I know families are supposed to be eternal, forever.  That's what our literal Father in Heaven wants for us.  That was one of the pivotal reasons we came here.  Without that fundamental truth, what, honestly, is even the point of families.  Are we nothing more than creations that happened to be born in the same litter?  No...it's divinely mandated.  I know it is.

I hope your week goes well.  Know I pray for you.  I love you all so much.  Always remember the eternal perspective.

Love,

Elder Patty

Week 63

Mon, Sep 2, 2013 at 12:24 PM

Here's a really small email.  We're here at the church emailing one at a time on the clerk computer.  Life's going well.  We've started to teach a couple more people which is really good.  Exciting news of the week is that yesterday, we had an investigator at church.  It was ridiculously exciting.  She had so many fellowshippers; it was amazing.  She could only stay for sacrament meeting, but it was an incredible experience.  The spirit was super strong, and she sat with us really close to the sacrament table to help her have a great experience.  We hope she really enjoyed it, but more importantly, we hope that she felt the difference...the spirit.  I love this gospel...the restored and full Gospel of Jesus Christ--the way to true and eternal happiness.

Got a letter from mom I think.

Okay, so if you haven't already noticed...some things are going down on my facebook page...that's right, we have recently become one of several online-proselyting missions.  We, as the leaders in the mission, will be piloting it first for a few weeks before it goes to the entire mission.  We will be using facebook to do missionary work.  It's pretty exciting, but ridiculously weird all at the same time.  We have to go through this many step process to missionary-proof our facebook pageI don't know all the details yet of how it'll work, so you'll get updates as I go, but know that life is changing...the work is hastening. ;)

Love,

Elder Patty