Well, one of
these days I'll be able to weave a rhyme as quick and nice as the beaty boy
Elder T Traasdahl to introduce my email. I'm going to start this email with a quick
little story, to show you how the Lord works in my life. Just last week, or the week before, I was
emailing Austin and telling him that I was pretty positive that I was getting
transferred and set on leaving Norman. Well, come Sunday afternoon, when the AP's
called us to give transfer doctrine, Elder Ravsten opens the convo with
"Well elders, only 1 missionary is leaving your zone, who do you think it
is?" Haha I knew right then and
there that it wasn't going to be me. There's a few comps in the zone that needed a
change, but the one that needed it the most got it. So our whole zone is essentially staying the
same, minus 1 new sister coming in. Haha
nuts right? We've got some charity
teaching to do this next transfer. Anyways, I have been sufficiently humbled, and
have learned yet again that I am not one to tell the Lord what moves to make.
So our area
is slowly picking up by small and simple measures. We're still trying to work
with the members and are seeking to build their faith and confidence that yes,
they can share the gospel, rather than "pray for the missionaries that
they will find the elect and honest in heart." What an incredible difference it would make if
each member would pray that they would be led to the elect and honest in heart.
We found a
family the other day as we were out and about. We first talked to the mother
who was with her 3 little girls and baby boy in the park. After okie talkin with her for 5 or so min we
asked if we could share a 10 min message and she was willing, so we shared a
little bit of the Restoration with her, and mainly focused on prophets. We set a return appointment for the next day
so we could visit with her and her husband. When we show up for the appointment we meet
the husband and he's a straight thug. Tattoos
up the ying yang and looks like he could kill you on the spot. Haha but he's a great guy, super open and
found God after his gang life. (This is
the Ramirez family by the way) We taught the whole Restoration and at the end
Br. Ramirez accepted our invitation to say the closing prayer! What's best about them is they're really
willing to listen and read the B.o.M and keep the commitments we extend. As we were leaving that first appointment we
had with the whole family, before the prayer was said, we said to them,
"Br. and Sis. Ramirez, we know what we have shared with you tonight is
true. We know that God knows you, he
loves you, and he has prepared your family to receive this gospel." I've never said that to someone in the first
lesson but shoot howdy dang it came rolling off the tongue and it was powerful!
So we're excited to work with that family.
We've got a
few more appointments set up with potential investigators this next week that
we're looking forward to, so next week hopefully there will be more to report!
Last
thought, as we were seeking to commit a member to pray for missionary
opportunities, she (in a somewhat rebellious tone) said to us "you're
always trying to commit us to do things, how about we commit you do
something!" Long conversation cut
short, we were committed to keep a gratitude journal, and write down 5 things
we're grateful for each day at the end of the day. I've been doing that for 3 days now, and even
within the 3 days that I’ve been doing it, I can always recognize a difference
in my attitude, my outlook on life, and my happiness. I know that God wants us
to be happy. I've learned though that he won't force that happiness upon us. It is a choice! He will always respect our agency. We can use our agency to accept the happiness
and joy He is waiting to bless us with by choosing to be grateful.
Thank you
thank you thank you x 1000000000 for your constant love and prayers!
Love,
Elder
Traasdahl
This is the Shinn family.
The old man with the beard is a
returning LA member, the rest will be members soon!
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