Week 81

Welp.

 

Hmmm...

 

Slow week.  Quite frustrating in many ways.  I have a trend on my mission... every single time that I have 4 solid appointments with investigators in a single day, not just one, but every single appointment will cancel.  We had such an exciting week planned, so many appointments, and so much potential.  Every appointment but 2 cancelled, some people rescheduled, and cancelled AGAIN! its not just us.  I think its the adversary, I had a missionary come up and say "What's up with Cottonwood? is it just me, or does every appointment seem to cancel?" and then talking to other missionaries, they have been struggling as well, and are getting frustrated.  HOW EXCITING!!! Why would it be exciting? well quite clearly because when opposition arises, that means we are on the right path, and that blessings are soon to follow! So bring on the opposition, and get it out of the way so we can have the blessings.  But if not, that's okay to.  One of my favorite scriptures is Shadrach Meshach and Abednego, when they tell the king that they will be spared, and then they use the phrase "But if not".  I also read about the unprofitable servant parable this past week.  I always thought that the unprofitable servant meant a worthless and lazy servant... but I now understand it to mean that as Servants of God, we should not expect profit, or reward for what we do, so I shouldn't be expecting blessings for hard work and obedience, I should just do it for the sake of the Lord and if the blessings come (which I do know they will) then so be it.  But if not... that's okay too.

 

We had one incredible lesson though this week, which was actually last night.  We taught a part member family that I have been teaching since I've been here.  Missionaries before me asked the non-member if they could teach him the lessons, he said "No, but you can still come by and have dinner, and share a message, just not the lessons." so that's what we've done... then we just decided to teach him without permission... not sure if that's bad, but if we don't tell him they are the "lessons" it should be fine.  We first taught lesson 2, which went well, which is the Plan of Salvation.  Then we taught The Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through Joseph Smith... before we got to the story of Joseph Smith, we set it up for the Spirit (Which is something we just started doing to segway from Apostasy to Restoration) and told him that he would be feeling the spirit as we taught, and explained what he would feel.  I taught about Jospeh Smith, and turned it over to Elder Davenport for the First Vision, he then bore testimony of it, and the Spirit really came into the room very strongly.  We asked everyone how they felt, the non-member said "Very peaceful" we testified it was the Holy Ghost, and the Spirit came even stronger! It was an incredible Spirit in that home, one of the best experiences of my mission.  I absolutely love teaching!

 

I am out of time, so I must go now, that will have to suffice for the week.

 

Elder Martin