Season 15: Skyway B. Episode 1:Goals to Save Souls

(I got my camera ready now. Here is a picture of my new planner cover. I love it.)

I am unable to get a picture from my camera right now, so here is an
old one from over a year ago! Happy August!

Howdy!

If there is one thing you learn about the Northwest is that blackberries are no rare thing. Elder Cardin and I spent some good time this week hacking away at them doing service for Michael and Phyllis. Their backyard, in the short space of two years, has been over run by them. Eleazar, Elder Cardin, and I have been clearing a path. Our blackberry weapons have consisted of a rake, tree branch clipper, and a machete. Its good work :D

We both have set the goal to help two people receive the ordinance of baptism by the end of this transfer. If we want to help those people, we have got to find and qualify for them by working hard now at the beginning of the transfer. So Elder Cardin and I have been working hard to find more and more new agents. This week we have the goal to find 10 new investigators. The highest we have gotten so far is 7 so it is going to stretch us!

One thing we are doing is instead of just driving from potential investigator to potential investigator, we spend time knocking on doors and talking to people in that area. A lot of time on a mission could be wasted driving around in the cars and rarely will you find people just by doing only that! So our specific goal is before we get back into the car we will keep it locked until we talk to 4 more people/knock on 4 doors. That little goal (which gets me both uncomfortable and stretched (its funny after almost 2 years of doing it, talking to people is still a tough thing to do)) has been a huge blessing as we have found new investigators this past week specifically from doing that!

I was reading a talk this week and it had an amazing quote from Marion G. Romney about reading the Book of Mormon as a family. I wanted to share it with you all!

“I feel certain that if, in our homes, parents will read from the Book of Mormon prayerfully and regularly, both by themselves and with their children, the spirit of that great book will come to permeate our homes and all who dwell therein. The spirit of reverence will increase; mutual respect and consideration for each other will grow. The spirit of contention will depart. Parents will counsel their children in greater love and wisdom. Children will be more responsive and submissive to that counsel. Righteousness will increase. Faith, hope, and charity—the pure love of Christ—will abound in our homes and lives, bringing in their wake peace, joy, and happiness.” (Marion G. Romney, in Conference Report, Apr. 1960, pp. 110–13.)

Those are some really amazing promises. I testify that as I have implemented a daily study of the Book of Mormon, that I have grown closer to God. The Christlike attributes and blessings of God have flown freely into my life and I have been blessed with a mind and eyes to better see them. I invite you to make The Book of Mormon a "keystone" of your life! Instead of making time to read The Book of Mormon daily in your daily schedule, make this sacred text the focus and build your schedule around it. 

For additional testimony on The Book of Mormon, read this amazing talk:

"The Book of Mormon—Keystone of Our Religion"

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1986/10/the-book-of-mormon-keystone-of-our-religion?lang=eng

I have got to get heading, but I love you all and am so very thankful for your prayers and continued support.

Stay Celestial!

Elder Sumsion