It hasn't been to long since I last sent this email it feels like. This week has been going pretty fast and it keeps on getting faster.
Tatiana and Andrei and doing great! They are still progressing to baptism on the 7th of November. Elder Jackson and I are just so astounded at how prepared they are to accept the gospel. One of the things you should do as a missionary is make faithful plans for your investigators or others. This process involves asking questions like "What is the next saving ordinance they need? How can we help them get there?" or something like "What is going to prevent them or stop them from being baptized? What is a possible obstacle they will need to overcome?"
As we thought about them, we thought that Tithing would possibly be one thing that would stop them or they would have questions about. We taught that to them yesterday at their member friends home and they accepted it! They really seemed to accept with no problem at all. I am amazed every time at their faith and determination. We also went to a baptism with them down in Enumclaw on Saturday and they enjoyed it. During the lesson Andrei was saying "I want to be baptized right now!" :D
One thing we really want to help them understand now are the rest of the commandments (like the 10 commandments) and to receive a witness that Thomas S. Monson is The Lords Prophet! Though the most important thing we want to establish is conversion for them and that will only come as they put forth effort on their part (which they are doing). The conversion is really what will bless them because we cant receive our full Celestial Glory if we do not Endure to the End.
Just a simple update for you today, but I did have a challenge for you. This challenge starts from one given by an Apostle and Prophet of God! There is one thing I remember first when we are asked to do something by an Apostle/Prophet is that it comes from God (Amos 3:7). And if we remember as well from the example of Nephi, when God asks us to something He will always provide a way for us to do it(1 Nephi 3:7). Remember as you read this challenge from Elder Ballard.
"In the spirit of Peter’s example, may I suggest that we can all be more consistently involved in missionary work by replacing our fear with real faith, inviting someone at least once a quarter—or four times every year—to be taught by the full-time missionaries. They are prepared to teach by the Spirit, with sincere and heartfelt inspiration from the Lord. Together we can follow up on our invitations, take others by the hand, lift them up, and walk with them on their spiritual journey." (Emphasis Added, "Follow Up.")
I know that if you exercise your faith in inviting people you will be successful, because a successful missionary is one who tries! When you prayerfully identify someone and set it as a goal, I know you will be able to accomplish it. There are prepared people in this world. Prepared people who are looking for the gospel. Sometimes they don't know it though as President Kimball has said.
“Now is the moment in the timetable of the Lord to carry the gospel farther than it has ever been carried before. … Many a person in this world is crying, knowingly and unknowingly, ‘Come over … and help us.’ He might be your neighbor. She might be your friend. He might be a relative. She might be someone you met only yesterday. But we have what they need. Let us take new courage from our studies and pray, as did Peter, ‘And now, Lord, … grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word’ (Acts 4:29)” (Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball [1982], 546).
Invite people to meet with the missionaries and you will see that there are prepared people who will accept. These young women are examples of those who were prepared. Watch these two videos and think about them being prepared.
When you ask in prayer, the spirit can bring someone to your mind of who you can invite. Invite that person and remember not to judge this person. We will only know by inviting as this article from Randall L. Ridd tells.
If there was anything I wanted for Christmas is for you to experience the joy that comes from doing missionary work! I promise that if you set it as a sincere goal, you will be able to accomplish it! Try it out. Try to invite someone. Let me know of your experience. I would love to hear how it is going. And if you have any question at all of what to do, please email me and ask, cameron.sumsion@myldsmail.net :D
I love you all and I challenge you to do it.
Sincerely,
Elder Sumsion
Elder Ballard's Talk
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