January 25, 2016
This week was something else! To start off, we
had transfers on
Wednesday and to take to place of our last ever transfer meeting we
watched the worldwide broadcast on missionary work from the church's
general missionary board ft. Elder Bednar and other general
authorities. It was really good, they did a great job of emphasizing
the fundamentals and reminding us that we don't teach - the spirit
teaches. After that I got my new companion, his name is Elder
Bruciaga.
I had some serious ups and serious down this week... and sometimes
both at the same time haha. Probably one of the hardest parts is
learning how to work in the Tongan ward because it is so different and
when we were combined we mostly worked in the Rocky Butte ward. The
Tongan ward is 100% member referral, but since pretty much everyone
works during the day it's pretty hard to stay busy before 4:00 pm.
But when we can do member visits, it's pretty incredible. The bishop
is having us take a piece of paper to every member's house and have
them write down who they're working with, and when they're going to
bring them to church. The crazy thing is that the members actually do
it and they are way on board with it! Just this week at church, two
members brought their non-member friends. The bishop asked the
non-members to take the discussions and now we're going to teach both
of them this week in their (member) friends’ home! To make this even
more awesome, one of our investigators is named Sunhawk Lonewolf! (I
think she's part Native American).
I'm really humbled by these people for a whole lot of reasons it would
take pages of Email to fill.
As far as the baptism goes ...It was different. It was very Rocky
Butte style haha. It would be way too confusing to try and explain all
the events that happened in sequence, so I'll include the diagram I
drew in my journal that day. Below are some other Key points about
the event:
- It was Rocky Butte's new ward mission leader's first baptism so he
left it to Elder Andrew and his new companion to plan pretty much the
whole thing.
- The baptism was supposed to take place at the Columbia River
building (because that font doesn't have green water), but Surona
requested the rose city building, which caused a lot of the confusion
you'll notice in the diagram.
- On the first attempt to baptize Surona she started moving laterally
instead of going under that water. So we had to try again. So I said
the prayer again, but halfway through the prayer I realized I hadn't
taken a breath in quite a while (in part because I was kind of nervous
and in part because the water was just dang cold) so at that point -
in the middle of the baptismal prayer - my diaphragm decided to give
an involuntary and rather irreverent hiccup to try and restore oxygen
balance. Afterwards Elder Holt told me not to worry. However, it was indeed
very noticeable.
Oh boy. In events like the one we had on Saturday, it's important to
remember that the AFHGAFHgFHAFGH most important thing through all of
this is that another daughter of God has entered into the restored
church of Jesus Christ here again on the Earth and is on the path that
leads towards Eternal life and Exaltation.
Hope you all have a great week!
My Missionary Commission
I am called of God.
My authority is above that of the kings of the earth.
By revelation I have been selected
As a personal representative of the Lord Jesus Christ.
He is my master, and He has chosen me to represent him-
To stand in his place, to say and do what he would say and
Do if he personally were ministering to the very people to whom he has sent me.
My voice is his voice. And my acts are his acts; my doctrine is His doctrine.
My commission is to do what he wants done; To say what He wants said;
To be a living modern witness in word and in deed of the
Divinity of His great and Marvelous Latter-Day work.
How great is my calling!
-Elder Bruce R. McConkie
Wednesday and to take to place of our last ever transfer meeting we
watched the worldwide broadcast on missionary work from the church's
general missionary board ft. Elder Bednar and other general
authorities. It was really good, they did a great job of emphasizing
the fundamentals and reminding us that we don't teach - the spirit
teaches. After that I got my new companion, his name is Elder
Bruciaga.
I had some serious ups and serious down this week... and sometimes
both at the same time haha. Probably one of the hardest parts is
learning how to work in the Tongan ward because it is so different and
when we were combined we mostly worked in the Rocky Butte ward. The
Tongan ward is 100% member referral, but since pretty much everyone
works during the day it's pretty hard to stay busy before 4:00 pm.
But when we can do member visits, it's pretty incredible. The bishop
is having us take a piece of paper to every member's house and have
them write down who they're working with, and when they're going to
bring them to church. The crazy thing is that the members actually do
it and they are way on board with it! Just this week at church, two
members brought their non-member friends. The bishop asked the
non-members to take the discussions and now we're going to teach both
of them this week in their (member) friends’ home! To make this even
more awesome, one of our investigators is named Sunhawk Lonewolf! (I
think she's part Native American).
I'm really humbled by these people for a whole lot of reasons it would
take pages of Email to fill.
As far as the baptism goes ...It was different. It was very Rocky
Butte style haha. It would be way too confusing to try and explain all
the events that happened in sequence, so I'll include the diagram I
drew in my journal that day. Below are some other Key points about
the event:
- It was Rocky Butte's new ward mission leader's first baptism so he
left it to Elder Andrew and his new companion to plan pretty much the
whole thing.
- The baptism was supposed to take place at the Columbia River
building (because that font doesn't have green water), but Surona
requested the rose city building, which caused a lot of the confusion
you'll notice in the diagram.
- On the first attempt to baptize Surona she started moving laterally
instead of going under that water. So we had to try again. So I said
the prayer again, but halfway through the prayer I realized I hadn't
taken a breath in quite a while (in part because I was kind of nervous
and in part because the water was just dang cold) so at that point -
in the middle of the baptismal prayer - my diaphragm decided to give
an involuntary and rather irreverent hiccup to try and restore oxygen
balance. Afterwards Elder Holt told me not to worry. However, it was indeed
very noticeable.
Oh boy. In events like the one we had on Saturday, it's important to
remember that the AFHGAFHgFHAFGH most important thing through all of
this is that another daughter of God has entered into the restored
church of Jesus Christ here again on the Earth and is on the path that
leads towards Eternal life and Exaltation.
Hope you all have a great week!
My Missionary Commission
I am called of God.
My authority is above that of the kings of the earth.
By revelation I have been selected
As a personal representative of the Lord Jesus Christ.
He is my master, and He has chosen me to represent him-
To stand in his place, to say and do what he would say and
Do if he personally were ministering to the very people to whom he has sent me.
My voice is his voice. And my acts are his acts; my doctrine is His doctrine.
My commission is to do what he wants done; To say what He wants said;
To be a living modern witness in word and in deed of the
Divinity of His great and Marvelous Latter-Day work.
How great is my calling!
-Elder Bruce R. McConkie
No comments:
Post a Comment