Newhall 1st Ward Missionary Newsletter
February 6, 2011
Elder Elliot Adair - Oklahoma Okla. City Spanish Mission
"We have a few Spanish speaking members who attend our English services as well as a few investigators. The stake actually got a translator set (complete with headphones, microphone, and everything) so that the Spanish-speakers could understand what was being said instead of just sitting there. Well, who got assigned the responsibility of translating? Me, of course. I was so nervous about trying to translate a whole meeting from English because it's really difficult to listen and translate at the same time. Also, one of our investigators with a baptismal date, Juan, had one of the headsets. I prayed so hard that I would be able to speak well and translate effectively. It was such an awesome experience. I felt myself saying words that I did not know I knew and having almost no trouble following along with what was being said. It was still super difficult, for sure, but I know the gift of tongues is real and I'm so grateful for the ability to speak Spanish. It seemed like the Spanish-speakers enjoyed it too so that's what's important."
Sister Amanda Beach - Brazil Londrina Mission
"We just finished a service project in the house of an inactive member (cleaning house and doggy baths) and we are off to a member's house to do an activity with some investigators (yay for the American who knows how to make cookies!). I am healthy and happy and sleeping like a baby at night. I know with all of my heart that the Gospel is true. I know that my Savior is literally at my side and knows me better than I know myself. Every time I face any problem or trial, I know that I can come out victorious because I am not using the strength of men - but the strength I receive from being the Lord's servant and trusting in Him. I love you all and really hope and pray that you all are trying to know our Savior a little more each day. Search for Him - and without a doubt - you will find Him at your side."
Elder Travis Beach - Houston Texas South Mission
"I did have the pleasure of starting up with a new investigator who I really like. He's a 70-year-old gentleman who used to believe in the 'holy roller thing?' Think of every TV show you can think of where the congregation is standing and clapping with gospel singers in the background. Anyway, this man listens to the Holy Ghost more than anyone I've ever seen. He consults Heavenly Father in prayer with just about everything he does. He's already gained a firm testimony of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. Now he's had lot of habits ingrained in him, so it's interesting sometimes. Occasionally we'll be praying and he'll start humming satisfaction in the prayer and will unexpectedly shout 'Jesus!' Anyway, he's awesome."
Elder Bryce Bolick - Washington Kennewick Mission
"I went on exchanges with Elder Lyells and thoroughly enjoyed myself. He is a new missionary of about 4 weeks and is assigned to an area where he doesn't have many opportunities to teach. Nevertheless, when we gave him the opportunity to teach he did it, and he did it well! We taught Chiffon Kuenninger ( a lady getting baptized on Feb. 12th) the law of chastity and it was Elder Lyell's first time ever seeing the law of chastity taught. I told him before the lesson that I would ask him to teach it and gave one or two scriptures to help him out. The rest was all him and the spirit. It was fantastic, I tell you! She asked me if I would confirm her! I accepted! In a lesson later in the week when Elder Collier was there, she asked him to baptize her. He was stoked!"
Elder Brett Gardiner - Colombia
"We went proselytizing with the missionaries from the MTC. We did a service project Saturday morning. We organized and cleaned a really old and dusty house. Moved lots of furniture and made things nice. We got covered in dust and soot.
Walking to the temple today my companion and I sang 'I Love to See the Temple
Sister Merisa Hicks - Utah SLC Temple Square Mission
"We've had several miracles lately - here's one of them! About a little over a month ago I called this girl named Kirsten March in the RC. We had an amazing conversation and she referred! So I also invited to teach her on the phone, but she told us after the holidays would be best. So we tried calling her over and over and finally had to drop her, which was so sad because the RC call was so good!! We decided to email her (our zone has a special email that we use to correspond with our investigators) and we got an amazing email back from her!! She said she was sorry because she never got the missed calls from us, but that she has already met with the missionaries and gone to church, which she loved and thought everyone was so nice!! Wooohooo!! So here we thought she was lost and could only hope the missionaries had gotten in touch with her, and she was found again! It made me think of the parables in the Bible, like the lost sheep & the prodigal son and the coin. All these things were lost and how exciting was it when they were found!!
I love these stories! You can also look at the gospel that way, it was lost and restored and look at the joy it has brought so many people! The Church is true!"
Elder Ian Loveland - Canada Calgary Mission
"I had a great experience the other day. We were visiting a less active member and after talking to her for a while, we invited her to go to church next Sunday. She accepted, but said she hadn't been feeling well and wasn't sure if she would feel up to going. We talked to her about priesthood blessings and offered to give her one. She accepted! This was only my second priesthood blessing and I was pretty nervous. As we put our hands upon her head, I was overwhelmed by the spirit. I was able to say what she needed to hear and I knew that I was following the spirit. It was a great spiritual experience! I am so thankful for the Priesthood and the blessings it brings to my life and the lives of others."
Elder Carlton Reininger - Argentina Mendoza Mission
"So one of the things that has been a difficulty in our 'pench' has been sleeping during down times, like when we are not permitted to work because it is too dangerous with drunks and things like that. During the down time I have really been getting into marking my Spanish scriptures. It has been helping me learn the language, but I have been looking through the notes that I have been taking throughout my scriptures for however long I have had them. I came across the scripture mastery scripture: Mosiah 3:19 that talks about how the natural man is an enemy to God. I started thinking about what kind of natural man stuff I have put off in my life and what I am still working on. And then I thought about how sleeping for us missionaries is definitely a natural desire, especially when we walk lots of miles every day. So I shared it with our 'pench' and that is one of our goals for the next year, to put off the natural man, keep being obedient and stop sleeping when we are not supposed to. Even before coming to Argentina
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