Andover week 16

So remember that one time it is March? wow. I had a strange experience this last week where my companion told a member I had about a year left on my mission. It hadn't really hit me that I am almost half way done until then. How strange... I feel like I have only been gone a few months!

So Brother G. is all set for baptism this Saturday. This will be the first baptism in the ward in 13 months so everyone is pumped. We were told that we will meet in the chapel, which is going to be needed because of how many people will be there. Brother G. is integrated into the ward quite well! He has practically been a member for the last month. In his baptismal interview Saturday he just kept talking about how much he loves the Book of Mormon. He already has plans to share it will all his friends once he gets his license back! he told us that he meets people at the store and invites them to church. your willingness to share the gospel is a reflection of your conversion! He is elect.

During one of our lessons with him a member asked him how he felt about being baptized. He teared up and said, 'aint nothing stopping me not. Aint nothing" (in his thick southern/Minnesotan accent). I seriously feel so blessed to be able to be a part of this man's conversion process. He is 1/3 of the way done with his second read through of the Book of Mormon in 3 months and he just cant get enough!

We had a wonderful lesson with a less active, Brother S, this week. Brother S. had a MAJOR heart attack last March and was basically dead for a short time. he got a priesthood blessing that basically helped him come back to life and now he is trying to return to church and get sealed in the temple. His big issue is repentance. he doesn't believe everyone can be forgiven. at one point in the lesson he cut me off and said, "you speak so nonchalantly about repentance." and then proceeded to basically stop listening to me. it was quite frustrating. I really love this man! I want to see him at the temple more than anything. then he went off on how really bad people cant be forgiven. now this lesson actually ended really well. Why? because we brought a joint teacher that we knew would fit the situation. the member we brought is a convert who had to overcome some really hard things to get baptized. he looked Brother S. right in the eye and said, non verbatim," just STOP! you keep saying you are a bad person but you worked at the post office your whole life. you have no clue how long it took me to get to where I am but the atonement of Jesus Christ works for EVERYONE. Don't you dare sit there and tell us that not everyone can be forgiven because I have been there." this kinda rattled the less active, in a very good way, though. I then whispered to Elder Foggin to talk about how you must want to be forgiven to find forgiveness (I ddint talk because he stopped listening to me). The less active prayed to end the lesson and thanked God for opening his eyes to some things he was confused about. he thinks he has a lot of faith in Jesus Christ but the reality is he doesn't actualy believe Christ did what He said He did. So here is a question: Do you believe He did what He said he did? Or do you just believe He exists.

I want to throw out a testimony on home teaching and visiting teaching: it is so inspired and even if you don't think that it is having an effect please do not EVER stop. it works. it softens hearts in ways we cannot do. This past week a wonderful member of our ward, who is a great member missionary, went to go visit teach a less active woman in her 20s who married a non-member. the non-member once looked into the church but got anti'ed. this wonderful member gave the visiting teaching lesson and then asked the husband, who was close by, if he had any questions. he started asking a few! 2 hours later the member left after testifying that if you truly want to know if we are a hoax or from God that you must ask God in prayer and also find out our beliefs from our own mouth. the less active woman later called her mom (who is in the ward) crying and said that her husband wanted to be baptized. the non member husband, Brother Z, then called us Saturday and said, "I don't know how this works, but I want to start taking the lessons. I need to be baptized so we can raise our little girl in the church." !!!!!!!!!!! Elder Foggin is the one who took the call and his jaw dropped. Please never stop visiting teaching and home teaching! it makes a difference!

We then met with the Z family sunday night. the lesson was fantastic! he asked for chapters to read from the Book of Mormon and wants to be baptized soon! he asked us what he needed to do and so we briefly went over a few things. unfortunately he is on probation so that complicates things, but we will work that out. He told us he has made a lot of mistakes in his life and learned the hard way but he is tired of dealing with the consequences. he said he really wants to change. He told us he really gets sucked into instant gratification too much. i testified to him that happiness found through Christ is deep and abiding. it is everlasting, not momentarily. he leaned forward in his chair and said, "do you actually believe that or are you just saying what you need me to here. don't BS me right now." I looked him right in the eye and told him I most definitely believed it. I told him the happiness of the people in the church is one of the major reasons that drew me to find out if this Church is really true. the Spirit bore witness to my soul that what I was saying was true. Sister Z was nodding her head in agreement. the Spirit flooded the room. So fantastic!

 

We had zone training with President Ehlert this week. Wowza. He is legit. He had an interview with one of the other elders and he told that elder about his business successes. He has started and sold 12 companies and is working for a fortune 20 company along with running another company he started. he took his iPad and put it on the table, looked at the elder right in the eye and said, "i have done all these things and guess what. None of it matters. Not a single thing. the only thing that matters is The Most High God." So humble.

All of the priesthood leaders in my life right now are really epitomizing what i want to be some day. A combination of President Toronto (our stake pres), President Clements, President Ehlert, and of course you dad, would probably lead me to be a perfect human being and i would be translated so i know I will never reach it, but these men are shaping my life. aren't missions great?

Also at zone training we all got these fancy pedometers to track our steps to make sure we are mentally healthy. long story short, it is scientifically proven that if you walk throughout the day you are happier and you learn more effectively. so this pedometer tracks how many times a day you walk at least 5 minutes. The number is actually surprisingly low. most missionaries think they move around a lot, but in reality, do not. President Ehlert is the one heading this and he is talking with Salt Lake to get it to more missions. each week the data from our pedometers are synced for observation. Which is where i come in as the district leader. They gave all the district leaders iPads!!!!!!!!!! eachsunday we have to take the iPad to church and sync the missionary's pedometers. Only naturally my iPad was the only one that wasn't working so they couldn't give me one yet, so Im the only district leader in the mission without an iPad right now. i guess the Lord knew i would probably become guilty of idol worshipping... haha. i should get it soon. but don't worry, the thing is completely locked down. You cant use most the features. It is mission proof.

This week I thought a lot about the Restoration and how Satan has changed his tactics throughout the years. During the time of Joseph Smith everyone was arguing about the one true church. I bet Satan was quite happy with himself because everyone was arguing to find something that wasn't even on earth. but then along came Joseph Smith and all of a sudden the true church was back! the truth about the church people were looking for was back! So Satan changed his tactics. what is the common theme these days? You don't need to be in a certain church. everyone is right. it doesn't matter what you do, if you are a good person you go to heaven. a clever shift in though pattern, eh?

Mormon 9:9 brings me a lot of clarity on the matter

 9 For do we not read that God is the ^asame ^byesterday, today, and forever, and in him there is no ^cvariableness neither shadow of changing?

God is the same! He does not change! Christ instituted one church, or group of beliefs, while He was on earth and therefore there is one group that has all the right ordinances and whatnot today!

I love you all! Have a great week!

Elder Damron