Monday, July 18, 2016

diligence-dedication-patience brings blessings

Wow this week was crazy!! Such cool experiences this week, I hope I can get them all into this one email!

First off the week started really slow. Up until like Friday we hadn't really had the success that we thought that we could have achieved. It was just rough. More contacting without finding new investigators, tons of appointments falling through. I was just getting really annoyed, wondering what we were doing or NOT doing that was causing the lack of success in these last few weeks. But we worked and we pushed though it like Preach My Gospel says, don't get down on yourself. I always just remembered the talk by Elder Holland when he told us that we get credit for trying.

But on Friday I think it was, I realized that I wasn't doing enough. I studied the consecration and diligence and really realized that my approach to missionary work hasn't been as good as it could be. I've been taking the easy way out a lot lately. So for me, I committed to be better and be more dedicated to the work. Then I fasted for the blessings, to be strong and be able to push through the hard times, but also to find someone that would seriously interested in the gospel.

Then one of the coolest things happened. I might have my story out of order but that doesn't matter much. The point is: On Friday (or Saturday, I can't remember which day) we had a ward service activity. We put together 300 backpacks with school supplies inside on Wednesday and the city selected 300 kids to give the backpacks to. Then on Friday, all these kids and their families came to the church to pick up and receive their backpacks. It was interesting because they said that we couldn't do any proselyting or real missionary work. But I think we kinda stretched that. We did a big opening meeting, where there were talks given and testimonies born. They showed Mormon Messages and videos like that. Then they came through from the chapel into the "gym" area (what it would be in the US), and there were a bunch of big Mormon ADs. If you know what those area, like big posters showing a message and talking about a principle of the gospel. And as they stood in line we talked to the people briefly about the posters and I was able to contact a dad and his 6 year old son. He was super nice and I asked him if he would be willing to accept the missionaries in his house again one day. He said yes and said that we could come Sunday. But I was like, "Wait, you can either come to church on Sunday, or we could come to your house." So he told me to call him Saturday night and that's what we did. Called, and he said that he would be coming to church.

Miracle!! HE CAME. AND HE BROUGHT HIS WHOLE FAMILY. His wife, his teenage daughter, and his 2 little sons. They loved church. The daughter is going on a Young Women's encampment this week. The kids loved the nursery. The parents participated in the classes. It was amazing. And the members must have just felt something because they all helped to fellowship them. Literally amazing.

2nd MIRACLE!! On Saturday we were contacting and found a guy in the street. We gave him a card and introduced ourselves but nothing really came of it. Then he left, but he called us back. He said that he had found a Book of Mormon in the plaza (there's a big wall of cubbies where you can leave old books and people can take them for free). He said he had been reading it. And he loves it. He invited us over and so we went to his house on Sunday and we set a baptismal date with him right there!! Like that kind of thing doesn't happen every day!! WHAT KINDA LUCK!?!

Super cool and I really do believe that a lot of the success came from focusing a little more on the work.

Soooooo after such a hard 2 weeks without any real success, the work paid off and the patience is what really matters in the Lord's work because it's His work. I KNOW that this church is true. This is HIS work. He lives. This is HIS church and it has been restored to bless US. I LOVE this gospel and the time I have to serve Him.

I love you all! Open your mouths and share the gospel!!

Love,
Elder Nelson


Only pic I got this week was when Elder Hanna left Caguas


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