Hello my beloved amigos y familiares,
Shout out to Rhys who’s going to Texas. You are going to
kill it, brother! And Caleb for being a eating a lot of food I guess...
-Had some big plans to set this part of the Kord's kingdom
on fire this week.
- Called every inactive and investigator we had to meet
with.
- No one wanted to meet or they didn't pick up.
- Dreams crushed.
- Read Matthew: faith as a mustard seed can do all things.
-Faith still burning
- President asked us to run around the city to look for
new apartments, because next transfer a new set of elders will be here and a
senior couple!
- The realtor wanted us to wait to see another apartment.
We said we could wait at the church, we did and we thought it would be this guy’s
one chance to heart about the gospel, tried sharing the BoM with him, wasn't
interested at all, awkward the rest of the night.
- We started throwing up all day all over the place
- Still met with a potential (this guy who would carry a
sign), gave him a BOM
- Asked a recent convert in front of our now new
investigator his thoughts on the BOM and says he has nothing to say about that
book.
- Hearts broken.
- Saw a sweet museum called Panorama! Told about the
battles against the 2 baddest boys in history: the Nazis vs. the USSR!
- Also checked out a sweet abandoned garage by the river.
- Had family home evening with a recent convert and the
district president’s family - gave me hope in Russia!
When we were in the grocery store buying ingredients for
tacos for some potentials that evening, we tried to make the best time of it
and saw a group of Indians so talked to them and got their numbers. We saw
another 2 Indians in the store and talked to them and received their numbers
too. We noticed these 2 younger Russians in line behind us, so we talked to
them and they were very friendly and we got their numbers too. So we got 6
numbers in one grocery store in about 30 min. Just another testimony that Elder
Rodgers from the Best 2 Years knew what he was doing, and that we always need
to be finding.
So our one and only real investigator, Nakita, who has been an investigator for 3 years and has no desire for anything it seems like, seems to be having a change of heart. We sat with him and had a intense lesson with a member about the BOM and what it would mean to receive a testimony of it's truth. We made him a plan to read a certain amount everyday, and we would read it to and would call him every night and ask him about it and how it was. Well he called us later and wanted to read it with him together at the church, because where he lives is not the best environment. So we meet and read with him, and for the first time he started to become sincerely interested. He wanted to meet the next day and read together. So we were able to meet with him 4 times this week and had a great experience reading each time. For the first time I've seen him with such a great desire to know for himself if these things are true! He even came to church! It's exciting to have an investigator again who actually has a desire to learn, and to se how his heart has changed through the BOM! We are going to keep reading and we will fast with him this week to receive an answer!
From reading the BoM with him very slowly and going over all his questions, it's been crazy to see that most of the time the BoM answers it's own questions as you continue to read. Also I was just totally in awe of the faith and character of Nephi; he uses the scriptures as examples of faith to learn from. He doesn't know what will happen, but knows that the Lord will deliver him and the plates, he thinks of the bigger perspective, he forgives others easily, he never murmurs, he ask for the Lord to give him strength so that he can do it himself and to be able to figure it out instead of expecting the Lord to do all the work. He goes to his priesthood leaders/father/prayer for council. He never complains but instead tires to figure out how to solve the problem. He does what the Lord would have him do. And at the end he always gives all glory and thanks to God. Nephi puts all his trust in the Lord and in return the Lord can always trust in Him to accomplish his great works. It really makes me realize how I can improve my trust in the Lord to have it be unshaken, even if I fail like Nephi again and again, and even if it may seem that the Lord had abandoned us, but is really giving us a test of our trust in his greater plan.
So our one and only real investigator, Nakita, who has been an investigator for 3 years and has no desire for anything it seems like, seems to be having a change of heart. We sat with him and had a intense lesson with a member about the BOM and what it would mean to receive a testimony of it's truth. We made him a plan to read a certain amount everyday, and we would read it to and would call him every night and ask him about it and how it was. Well he called us later and wanted to read it with him together at the church, because where he lives is not the best environment. So we meet and read with him, and for the first time he started to become sincerely interested. He wanted to meet the next day and read together. So we were able to meet with him 4 times this week and had a great experience reading each time. For the first time I've seen him with such a great desire to know for himself if these things are true! He even came to church! It's exciting to have an investigator again who actually has a desire to learn, and to se how his heart has changed through the BOM! We are going to keep reading and we will fast with him this week to receive an answer!
From reading the BoM with him very slowly and going over all his questions, it's been crazy to see that most of the time the BoM answers it's own questions as you continue to read. Also I was just totally in awe of the faith and character of Nephi; he uses the scriptures as examples of faith to learn from. He doesn't know what will happen, but knows that the Lord will deliver him and the plates, he thinks of the bigger perspective, he forgives others easily, he never murmurs, he ask for the Lord to give him strength so that he can do it himself and to be able to figure it out instead of expecting the Lord to do all the work. He goes to his priesthood leaders/father/prayer for council. He never complains but instead tires to figure out how to solve the problem. He does what the Lord would have him do. And at the end he always gives all glory and thanks to God. Nephi puts all his trust in the Lord and in return the Lord can always trust in Him to accomplish his great works. It really makes me realize how I can improve my trust in the Lord to have it be unshaken, even if I fail like Nephi again and again, and even if it may seem that the Lord had abandoned us, but is really giving us a test of our trust in his greater plan.
Elder VanBuskirk
No I'm good now, probably some bad food. Thanks. I
love you mom, and loved your letter!
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