Happy Halloween!!

Season 8: Glacier Park/Lake Wilderness. Episode 4:What I Desire Most For Christmas...

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.

 

http://seminary.lds.org/videos/invite-a-friend-to-seminary?lang=eng

 

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2011-12-07-because-i-have-been-given-much?lang=eng

 

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.

 

 https://www.lds.org/new-era/2015/03/be-a-missionary-now/dont-judge-who-is-ready?lang=eng

 

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

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/04/following-up?lang=eng

Season 8: Glacier Park/Lake Wilderness. Episode 3: An Inspired Cat

I took this one just 30 seconds ago. We are doing our computer stuffs in the Maple Valley Library. (Those orbs behind us look like cool UFO/ghost things)

Elder Wagstaff is now one of my Zone Leaders and we got to go on exchanges last Tuesday after District Meeting. We had a good time proselyting together again and reminiscing about old times :D We also ate some great left overs from some members. That Mint Oreo Ice-cream cake was something divine :D

Elder Green and I with the ties that we traded each other :D

Happy days! There has been many many things which have occurred since I last communicated with y'all (AKA you all). I will include as much as I can and try to provide at least some substance.

 

First off I do have a request/ favor to ask for. I am looking for a talk called "Believing Blood" by Bruce R. McConkie. For those of you who can, would you do a Google search or something of the sort and try to find it for me?

 

We have 2 people committed to baptism! It is Tatiana and her 9 year old son Andrei! On Tuesday while I was on exchanges with Elder Wagstaff we were able to teach both of them and they accepted to prepare for November 7th. Its coming up and it is so wonderful and happy! They are really on track and very committed. While we were planning for them in Weekly Planning and filling out a baptismal calendar, we realized they would need to be living the Word of Wisdom starting on Saturday the 17th. So we were able to go on the 16th, we talked about it, we invited and they accepted. She really loves the gospel and said "If that's what it takes, I'll do it." Their commitment is so amazing. On Sunday when we had a lesson with them at the Relief Society Presidents home when we were talking about some of the preparation for baptism she and Andrei were willing to do things to meet that goal of the 7th. Everything is wonderful for those two and the ward is doing an amazing job at being their friends.

 

One day we were biking around and their was a street I had never been down in my 6 months here, so we went down it. As we were biking around it, we thought to tract this one house. In reflection there wasn't any like huge spiritual prompting or manifestation to tract it, but just a good thought. We did it. We talked at the door for a little bit about her Halloween decorations and then her cat ran out the door and she went to retrieve it. We talked more and after she got it back inside, she actually sat down and we were able to teach her the Restoration right there on her front porch!

She was very receptive and involved in the lesson and we are going back this Friday. One of the coolest things that she told us was that the 7th Day Adventists (another church) were there just an hour earlier, but she didn't talk to them much. She listened to us and we were talking for under an hour! She is a single mother and her name is Janet and she said if she knew that this church was Gods church, she would join it. Now we will help her find her answer because it is His church! As long as she puts forth effort and sincerity it isn't a matter of if she finds out, its a matter of when she finds out.

 

Another person we found from a tract was Derrick. He let us in and at the end of the lesson he said a kneeling down prayer with us for the first time in a while. We had another lesson with him yesterday and he said the same thing Janet did. So if he puts for that effort it will be a matter of when he founds out!

 

Yesterday we got to hear from Elder Lawrence of the 70 and his wife. It was amazing! I really loved when Sister Lawrence talked to us. She told us about a lot of deep doctrine that I could not possibly explain over email. Suffice it to say, it was amazing and I loved learning it. One of the main focus' was on helping our mission baptize more. So on Monday the Mission Leadership Council set a specific goal that we would help a certain amount of people be baptized in November. Not because we want to boast or get a higher number, but because the more we baptize the more people who are saved! If you haven't done an in depth study on the Doctrine of Christ, I have quite a bit of scripture references for you. Let me know if you would like that study.

 

The week was wonderful. A lot of fruitful things occurred. My specific invitation for you this week is that if you have not asked those difficult questions is to do that! Then for those of you who have done that and received an answer of something to change, make a plan to change! "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail." So create a game plan of how you are going to accomplish that. No football team will ever win consistently if they don't go into the game with a plan. Our ultimate goal is to become like Jesus. So more than trying to be like him for a day, consistently become more like Him every day of your life. You wont regret it.

 

Sincerely and with love,

Elder Sumsion

Season 8: Glacier Park/Lake Wilderness. Episode 2: Ask Yourself Difficult Questions!

Time sure is moving on. Its strange to think that by the end of this transfer I will have spent 6 months in this area! That is a long while. And if I stay here for another transfer then I will have spent double the amount of time I spent in the Clark Lake ward in Kent (p.s. I still miss and love you Kent!).

Also we have a general authority visiting our mission next week! Elder Lawrence of the 70 will be coming. As a result our next P-day will be Wednesday the 21st (so that is when my next email time will be). In preparation for this visit one of the things (we have been asked to do quite a bit of things in preparation) is to read/watch the talk he gave in General Conference, "What Lack I Yet?" and apply what he invites us all to do. This is his invitation,

 

"However, we need to ask the Lord for directions along the way. We have to ask some difficult questions, like “What do I need to change?” “How can I improve?” “What weakness needs strengthening?”

 

Usually it seems that missionaries have things they wish they would have done more of (or less of) at the end of their mission. They will say something like "I wish that I would have helped my investigators to read The Book of Mormon more" or "I should have done a lot better job at talking to everyone. I would have baptized more people that way." As I thought about those things the question came to me, "What would I regret/wish I would have done if I was finished with my mission next month?"

As I ask questions like that, good questions that dig deep, and reflect on them it will help me be a better missionary. That way as I recognize what I can do better now, I will better be able to fulfill my purpose now! Of course I wont be perfect and there will always be something I could have done better, but this way of trying to become better I will be able to finish my mission confident that what I did pleased The Lord (because that is what truly matters).

 

My invitation for ALL OF YOU is to ask yourself deep questions in prayer and ponder them. Ask yourself just as Elder Lawrence directed, "What do I need to change [to become more like Christ?" Ponder these things and see that ye do them! Elder Lawrence closed his talk with this

 

"The Spirit can show us our weaknesses, but He is also able to show us our strengths. Sometimes we need to ask what we are doing right so that the Lord can lift and encourage us. When we read our patriarchal blessings, weare reminded that our Heavenly Father knows our divine potential. He rejoices every time we take a step forward. To Him, our direction is ever more important than our speed.

Be persistent, brothers and sisters, but never be discouraged. We will have to go beyond the grave before we actually reach perfection, but here in mortality we can lay the foundation. “It is our duty to be better today thanwe were yesterday, and better tomorrow than we are today."

If spiritual growth is not a priority in our lives, if we are not on a course of steady improvement, we will miss out on the important experiences that God wants to give us."
You choose who you would like to become, but remember this is the commandment. "Therefore I would that ye should be perfect‍ even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect." (3 Nephi 12:48). "For behold, this life‍ isthe time for men to prepare‍ to meet God; yea, behold the day of this‍ life is the day for men to perform their labors [and to obey His commandments]. (Alma 34:32)" You wont instantly be perfected or it wont become easier to get more Christ-like in the next life. The time to start is now (D&C 130:18-19 and Alma 41:10-13)! I promise you wont regret it and you will look back with gladness that you chose to become more like Christ.

Love you all! Here is a link to Elder Lawrence's talk.
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/10/what-lack-i-yet?lang=eng

Season 8: Glacier Park/Lake Wilderness. Episode 1: Faith in the Work of Salvation.

I brought my camera with me to the transfer meeting and while we were walking around grabbing his luggage (about 15 minutes after we found out we were going to be companions) we took this selfie :D

Elder Jackson is my new companion! He is from Plain City, Utah. (Its nice to get companions from all these different places in Utah that I didn't fully know about before.)

Random information and things about him:

• He is taller than me like all of my companions since Elder Wagstaff 
• He likes "hot-dog-a-dillas."
• He is focused on his purpose
• He just graduated from High School this year
• He enjoys general conference
• He remembers the names of people who we talk to
• He is focused on the missionary purpose*

 

 

*This is my favorite one :D

 

I am excited to get to work with him this transfer and to be his trainer. He is already teaching me and I am grateful for his example.

 

One of the greatest lessons I learned from Elder Asper is praying with and that is something I am putting into practice. So we am praying that The Lord will inspire us to find those who are prepared to receive the gospel and for the people prepared to receive the gospel to find us. Both of those things are happening :D

 

We have had some really cool experiences this week. Both of these are a result from talking with everyone who is placed in our path.

We need to talk to everyone who is placed in our path to find those who are prepared. How could The Lord trust us with His elect if we are not trying to help all of His brothers and sisters. He suffered and died for everyone, so we should talk to everyone.

 

The first one was a lady named Crystal we met on the Lake Wilderness trail. When we introduced ourselves as missionaries from "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," she wondered why "Jesus Christ" was apart of the name of our church because she thought Mormons weren't Christian. We talked and testified of Him and she asked some sincere questions about why our church is different. As we bore testimony of truths of the restoration she got more curious and she was asking more sincere questions. We didn't have time to teach her right then and there for an hour because we were on a way to an appointment. We mentioned that we needed to go and offered to talk to her later about the restoration. She basically said this, "Okay, does next Friday work at this same time?" Its so amazing because she was honestly wondering and wanted to receive answers. As we have been increasing our faith that there are prepared people "who are only kept from the truth because they know not‍ where to find it" (D&C 123:12), we have been meeting these prepared people. Its as simple as that, when we are being obedient and doing all we can God will bless our efforts. President Eyring talked a lot about that in the talk he gave in Priesthood Session. As we do what we are asked to do, our efforts (which may seem insignificant) and magnified to bless others.

 

Another experience happened as we bore testimony of what we knew to be true. We were talking to a man named Sean and he wasn't really listening or truly considering what we were talking to him about. He was a God-Fearing man, but he was comfortable where he was at. We felt like we should keep on trying, but he was bringing up these strange things telling us we should research the Hindu religion. We then, not knowing what else to say, told him what we did know. We testified and told him what we knew to be true which was The Book of Mormon. It was amazing to see how he reacted after we bore that powerful testimony because the spirit did touch him. He said "I could really feel the power of God behind what you said there." We challenged him to read it and he accepted a copy. It was great to have been a tool in The Lords hands to touch this mans heart.

 

I know that when we aren't sure of what say or the answer to a question we can always rely on what we do know. I know the Book of Mormon is true. Even though things that I don't understand happened yesterday or happen today, that is okay. I know The Book of Mormon is true and that this Church is being led by Christ. If you are not yet founded upon these simples truths, that Jesus is our Savior, The Book of Mormon being true, and this Church being the only true and living Church I urge you with all the energy of my soul to become founded on these things. Pray and ask God. Read The Book of Mormon daily sincerely and with real intent and you will discover the truth. And when you finish it, start it again. Your testimony is like a fire. As soon as you stop feeding it, it starts getting smaller. There is no middle ground either your faith is increasing or decreasing.

 

Love you all. This work is true. Don't be ashamed of the Gospel (2 Tim 1:7-9) and share it. If you have questions how watch President Uchtdorfs talk from the 1st session and ask me or any other missionary you know. We would love to help.

 

Love,

Elder Sumsion

 

President Uchtdorfs talk

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/watch/2015/10?lang=eng&vid=4529103258001&cid=4

 

President Eyrings talk in Priesthood Session

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/watch/2015/10?lang=eng&vid=4529839165001&cid=7

Season 7:Glacier Park/Lake Wilderness. Episode 6:Change is Good.

This is the district I was I was over. From the Left was Elder Holtry and Willardsen (Zone Leaders), Elder Asper and I, and Hermana Peacock and Jorgensen.

Elder Green in his Fancy new suit that he got on Monday the local
 thrift store for $15! Its pretty good.

Elder Warner and I. Elder Warner just finished his mission yesterday! He is a fantastic missionary with a very very big heart! He serves so much! 

One of Lake Lucernes Investigators named Douglas. We went on a church tour with him and he is awesome! It goes Douglas, Elder Covington, Elder Lowry, and then me.

The pizza I got on Monday at Mods :D

I got spinach, onions, jalapenos, green bell peppers, pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, Asiago cheese, spicy meatballs, grilled chicken, and a mixture of BBQ and white sauce. It was good :D

There have been a lot of changes throughout the past week and more to come.

As you know Elder Asper has been having some very bad back pain and its been tough on him. This past week it got a lot worse and on Wednesday it was agonizing. Our President Eaton and Sister Eaton came by that night and had an interview and determined it was best for him to head home and heal. So on Thursday Elder Asper left for home.

I really do love him so much and I am grateful I had the opportunity to learn so much from him! Now you may think of the question of "was Elder Asper still a successful missionary even though he went home?"

Preach My Gospel says "Your success as a missionary is measured primarily by your commitment to find, teach, baptize, and confirm people and to help them become faithful members of the Church who enjoy the presenceof the Holy Ghost. (Page 10)"

I will tell you that Elder Aspers commitment to do those things was incredible! There is no doubt at all in my mind, absolutely none, that Elder Asper was a successful missionary. He was so committed and he desired to baptize all of the people he could in The Lords way and he worked for it. If you look on pages 10-11 and look at some of the characteristics of a successful missionary, he filled every single one of those traits.

Success isn't measured by baptisms or how long a missionary stays out. Elders who serve for 24 months are no more successful or less successful than Sisters who serve for 18 months. They are both equal and the Lord accepts each of them.

Since then I have been with Elder Warner and Elder Lowry in a trio. Then I am now currently in a trio with Elder Lowry and Elder Covington. Elder Lowry and Elder Covington companions both finished their missions so we are together until today actually. Today is transfer days and I am going to be training another new missionary. Its going to be wonderful and I know I am going to grow so much again. These past two transfers for me have been fantastic in helping me grow and become more Christ-like.

On Saturday we went to a baptism with Douglas a Lake Lucerne Investigator and that was so great. We were late to the baptism in Enumclaw, but we had a really great church tour afterwards. When we were teaching (it was really the spirit that did the teaching) and talking in the chapel the spirit was so strong! I love the chapel so much! The spirit was wonderful. He is really commited and seriously desires to be baptized which is wonderful.

We also had a lesson with a very very strange man named Steve. We had it at the church with a young man. While I was beginning the lesson before the prayer he started going off on a lot of crazy things. He wasn't yelling at us or anything, he was actually very serious and quite. He was basically talking about a whole bunch of conspiracy theories. And it was about 20 minutes of this before we were able to get things under control. Here are just two of the things he talked to us about.

• Moses didn't actually part the Red Sea. What actually happened was the mother ship (which is the moon) lost the back part of it and it felt to the earth and caused an opening for them to walk through.
• Down in Arizona the church is building a super computer. And that employees are disappearing from Boeing and their mind is being downloaded into that computer.

Remember, that was only a little of what he talked to us about.

On Sunday Tatiana came to church again! This is the 3rd Sunday in a row that she has come. We haven't even taught her (yet ;D) and she still comes to church. She has been coming to a lot of church activities and other things like that. She is really becoming involved. She even said herself that she is getting "rooted" or putting down her roots. Right now her perspective is to come church for the social aspect, but the lesson in Gospel Principles class about Heavenly Father was very powerful and she definitely felt the spirit there and other times.

Yesterday we went to a Family Home Evening with her at the Relief Society Presidents home and that was great as well. They talked about Modern Prophets and general conference and she said she should be watching it. Wonderful things are happening with her.

 It has been a very different week and it will be different continuing on. I am excited though for that opportunity to train again. Training really is a sacred trust from the Mission President and The Lord. Have a fantastic week and stay strong! I feel prompted to share with you the Hymn "Does the Journey Seem Long?" Listen to it and read the lyrics. Its a wonderful Hymn.

1. Does the journey seem long,

The path rugged and steep?

Are there briars and thorns on the way?

Do sharp stones cut your feet

As you struggle to rise

To the heights thru the heat of the day?

2. Is your heart faint and sad,

Your soul weary within,

As you toil 'neath your burden of care?

Does the load heavy seem

You are forced now to lift?

Is there no one your burden to share?

3. Let your heart be not faint

Now the journey's begun;

There is One who still beckons to you.

So look upward in joy

And take hold of his hand;

He will lead you to heights that are new--

4. A land holy and pure,

Where all trouble doth end,

And your life shall be free from all sin,

Where no tears shall be shed,

For no sorrows remain.

Take his hand and with him enter in.

Love,

Elder Sumsion

Season 7:Glacier Park/Lake Wilderness. Episode 5:A Successful Missionary

This is of Elder Graham, Asper, and I. Elder Graham was my trainer and I am Elder Aspers Trainer. This was take yesterday just before the Mission Devotional at the Puyallup Stake Center

I think just in general for these emails I don't have as much time as I would like to create them. So you shall receive what is produced in this amount of time.

Elder Asper is doing much better. He is learning much better how to cope with the pain he is experiencing because of it and I am just so impressed at his diligence and effort. He definitely is handling a lot more pain that I can comprehend to experience all the time.

Missionary work wise Sister Loftus the one who wants to be baptized is sick and we haven't been able to meet with her in about two weeks which is really hard. Two weeks of not meeting with and investigator feels like months as a missionary. Hopefully she gets better soon! In Glacier Park the lady we invited (she really just asked) came to church again and this time she brought her two children. The new Relief Society President in the ward is a really wonderful member missionary. She has already invited her to several activities and Tatiana has come to some of them. She really is a friend to Tatiana. What missionaries really love is when members are actual friends to the people the missionaries teach. And that is what the Relief Society President and several others throughout both wards have done which is just amazing stuff.

Missionary work wise there isn't a lot going on to report. Elder Asper and I though are exercising our faith and praying for and expecting miracles! We truly do desire to do the Lords will and fulfill our purpose. So we have set a goal in faith that we will have a baptism on October 10th. We are going to work hard and do what we can to achieve that goal. We have the faith (because we are acting) and will do our very best. Then if it be Heavenly Fathers will, it will happen. Elder Asper is just a very very faithful missionary and I appreciate his example so much.

One last insight and thing that I have learned is about prayer and asking for blessings or Christ-like attributes. For example in life we recognize that we are imperfect and need to be more like Christ. We are yelling at our kids all of the time or bickering and not being kind to our companion we should probably strive to have more patience. So what I have learned is that instead of praying for the gift of patience to be magically plopped down upon my soul and character (because that doesn't happen), I pray for opportunities to exercise and become more patient. It really works!

Think about it in terms of working out. If we want to get stronger, we are not going to pray to Heavenly Father asking him to grant us physical strength and then sit down and eat potatoes chips. We should pray for it and then get up and work out. Its only as we do our part that God will carry us through.

My experience as I have had the opportunities to exercise my patience has been wonderful. Instead of getting immediately annoyed and criticizing my companion I recognize in the moment that I am working on it, that right now I have the opportunity to be more patient. I then pray again for strength and do my best at overcoming any negative feeling I may have. It takes time. I am not immediately the strongest person in the world as soon as I begin to work out, but I do get stronger a little bit at a time.

I hope the whole idea and concept of what I was saying. You should try it out this week if you haven't before. Try praying for in addition that you will be blessed with opportunities to be more patient, loving, charitable, forgiving, less defensive, etc. It works for me. 

Ultimately is only through Christ that we can experience any lasting change and make it count. I am so very thankful for His Atonement for me. That through his suffering and anguish in the garden and on the cross, which I don't fully understand, I can be forgiven as I exercise faith in Him, Repent, renew my covenants I have made with Him and Heavenly Father with the Sacrament, follow the council of the Holy Ghost, and continue that process throughout my life.

Love you all!

Elder Sumsion

P.S. Letters are always a nice thing that I appreciate. Feel free to write me.

Elder Cameron Sumsion

23175 224th Place SE, Suite E

Maple Valley, WA 98038