Elder Asper is doing really great in progress as a missionary! I am so impressed at the level which he is already at especially in talking to the random people we see all around and on when we knock on doors.
I am pretty sure that when I was on my second week of my mission I would not be as willing as he is to talk to as many people as I invite him to do. Elder Asper has grown a lot (you know, because there is no growth in a comfort zone and no comfort in a growth zone) and I have been giving him lots of opportunities to be uncomfortable. We will be walking and see someone and I ask him "will you contact that person?" and he will go and do it. I don't make him lead out in a contact every single time, but he does it pretty often. I would say about 40% of the time he leads out a contact. We don't have required tracting in our mission, but we do use it as a tool to help find people and fulfill our purpose if there are no people out (you know, because "If we are in the business of saving souls, we have got to go where the souls are." -President Eaton).
Just yesterday we knocked on someone's door and I asked him to lead it out. He wasn't the most coordinated in talking to him or the most eloquent in his words, but he did try and he invited and the man said we could come back! Elder Aspers faith is such an example to me because he prays a lot and he prays for specific things.
I know just like that if we, as members of the church, were praying specifically every day for missionary experiences, we would have them. And then if we opened our mouths and just invited them to learn more by meeting with the missionaries we will be surprised by the results. We don't know who is ready to receive the gospel and it is not our place to judge.
When we invite, whether they accept or not, we are successful. When we don't invite we are not successful. When we try I know counts. That article about not judging is wonderful and I encourage you to prayerfully read it and consider and ask what Heavenly Father would have you do.
We haven't had the chance to teach a whole ton of people this week and its been on the low end as of late, but progress is still being made and we are finding more people who say we can come back.
Had a really great experience yesterday though at church when some less-actives in Glacier Park came to church. So its Sister Sund who is deaf and who I have taught a couple of times. She has a less-active daughter who is Sister Mclain. She is around 50-ish. Last week we talked a little bit to Sister Mclain and she mentioned how she is trying to give up cigarettes. We asked what she has tried, but it hasn't worked out before. We then asked "Well have you ever tried church to help you overcome that addiction?" She really hadn't and we invited her to try it out and she accepted. So this Sunday she came to church and right after Sacrament the Bishop gave her a blessing to help her overcome that addiction and we are going by later this week to follow up and help her some more. She has a desire to go to the temple which is great. I was so grateful that she came to church and that she has a desire to repent and change her life. I know that it is through faith in Jesus Christ we can do hard things after all we can do and that as Sister Mclain strives to repent and renew her covenants through the sacrament, she will feel the spirit more actively involved and helping her in life to receive the blessings of the temple and ultimately eternal life.
Things are moving slowly and surely. Have some great days and please do read the article.
Sincerely,
Elder Sumsion
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