27 January 2013 Church Talk & BBQed Pig

 

  Oh, the Irony. I spoke on Sunday too. We were the backup this week. Bishop called and asked us. I went first, Elder Aitken followed. I was prompted with the topic "The Restoration in the words of a 20 year old." So, I spoke for twenty minutes, without note, scriptures, or anything but quoting the first vision from the pamphlet. Basically, I taught the Restoration in my words on the pulpit. Elder Aitken followed with a great talk he put together on "What it means to be a disciple" Including John 6 - Lovest thou me? The members enjoyed it and a few mentioned how they felt the Spirit and had promptings. It was great. Oh, I like how you can search and veiw the document on the Joseph Smith papers. But it doesn't have the Church Logo on the site, so its technically not approved. I'll check it out later.

 

  We got a hold of J. and L.. He cooked a pig and invited us over for some BBQ. It's not that they didn't want to meet with us, just a few bad schedulings in a row. We've got a dinner and lesson scheduled this Thursday with a member and his referral. Yes, we do a bit of our own finding. cleaning up the Less-actives on the roster helps, just talking to people. That's how we got one of our investigators, L. Not to much different this week than last. We're on bikes next week. We had 8 Less-active lessons this last week.

 

 Oh! It Snowed!!!And everyone went to the store right before to buy eggs, milk, and bread. Why? We have no idea. It just melts in 24 hours anyways...we'll research why sometime. It's suppose to snow soon again. A member asked if we needed some extra bread, milk or eggs...it was interesting. Nonetheless. Good week. 

 

I found a good quote you could share with our home teaching families considering as how the prophet has called all to work in the vineyard:

"The reflection that everyone is to receive according to his own diligence and perseverance while in the vineyard, ought to inspire everyone who is called to be a minister of these glad tidings, to so improve his talent . . . that when the Master sits down to take an account of the conduct of His servants, it may be said, Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things; I will now make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."
Joseph Smith, History of the Church, 2:6.

Transfer calls are on Sunday night. Talk to ya'lls later! Have a good one!
Love elder Meyerink

20 Jan 2014 How it should be!

  I have just discovered Josephsmithpapers.org It rocks. Just a thought.

  J. and L. canceled again and didn't come to Church. But we found where one of our investigators lives. So we saw them with a member and had a great Restoration lesson with them, they didn't show for church either, but we'll go see them tonight. 

We still have 53 referrals to contact. It's not a Elders or Sisters- "Here is a list of people ya'll should see, here's their address, have fun Elders." It's set up to be this way: The members call their referrals, have some sort of invitations ie dinner and a lesson with the missionaries in their home and thus contacting the referrals. This is where the problem lies. The members aren't calling, talking to, or really doing anything with most of the names. We have 1 or 2 dinners set up, but the ball should be rolling and it's not. nonetheless, the members are still great members.

  Thanks for the story, I was wondering how that all went- your conversion. By the way, do you have any info or contact with the Elders that taught and baptized you?

  Good to know Sarah and Josh are doing well. Oh, by the way, Arthur's package hasn't come yet, don't know if he got it shipped yet, or to what address.

  Not to much more for this week.

Love ya'll, Elder Meyerink

13 Jan 2014 Lesson plans

 

  Yes, They split Conference up, but it was still Mission Conf. They had  VA one and a NC one. Our last three appointments with J and L  kept getting post-poned. We were supposed to have a Lesson last night with a member, but they were spending time with their kids (which they don't have custody of) so we scheduled for tonight. They didn't come to Church either, but that isn't a big concern with them. We're planning on a hard-core Restoration lesson and a Baptismal date. (Fingers crossed) No, we haven't picked up any lesons from the referrals yet, but they are on the horizon. I can't wait!

 

 Oh, I started reading the Joseph Smith book you sent. It's got some very good insights in it. I like it.

 

Not much else this week. Have a good one.

 

Love ya'll

Elder Meyerink

6 January 2014 Happy New Year!

  Yes, we watched Muppet Christmas Carol at our mission conference. Pres Baker's message was about Christmas in the trenches of WWI and how on Christmas eve the Germans held a sign out of the trench saying, "You no shoot, we no shoot." On Christmas, the enemies of a few days ago, were sharing their Christmas traditional treats, caroling, and spending time together. He recounted the power of The Savior and how it mended two enemy nations who were previously destroying each other.

  Good to know that things are going good back home. Hope that family gets baptized. Pray for them. J.and L. are the couple we're teaching. They came to Church again. Sounds like the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit would be cool.

The following is what I emailed Pres. Baker when he asked, "How did the 3rd hour meeting go? What resources did you use?"

""It helps that our Bishop is so young, having his mission in Utah fresh in his mind. Elder Aitken has a DVD with segments of The Work of Salvation broadcast so we showed those; the one of the bishop in Schefield England and the Ward mission leader one. 

We then read in Preach my Gospel where "The ideal situation is when members invite others to be taught and are present for the teaching. When members do this, more people are baptized and remain active in the Church." We then talked about setting a ward mission plan and involving the members so it became their plan, not just ward councils.

 Bishop then told of an account where a sister in the ward called every sister in the ward to let them know milk was on sale at Wal-mart. He then asked how sad it was that we can't do that with our friends with the Gospel. Elder Aitken then mentions fear. No one would say, "You want me to save money on milk? How dare you, I'm offended, we're not friends anymore." Then, "How dare you invite me to have a happier family! I can't believe you would ask me to have a more peaceful life. How dare you share your happy church with me." The analogy made sense to the members that then made comments like, "That makes sense." and, "Well how do we do this as members?"

 President, we had members of the ward showing the faith to ask us to set the goal of twenty baptisms this year. We then shared the statistic that 1 of 5,000 people found  tracting get baptized. 1 of 3 found by a member gets baptized.That plus 100+ referrals that The Lord God Omnipotent, Maker of Heaven and Earth, told you that they are ready to talk to the missionaries blew their minds. It was terrific. The Spirit was so strong.

 I then asked how many of them in class were converts. 2/3rds raised their hands. I asked them to look around. "This is a missionary ward! Do you not see that? It's natural for you." I still thank The Lord for this ward, times may be tough and slow, but it is the best I've had on my Mission. It makes me wonder how The Lord feels with our progress. Is He asking, "Progress faster, can't you see yourself grow?" I wish like Elder Anderson, we would not only catch "The Wave", but surf it and use it.
The Lord is in all of it.   My question is --How can one not see this?

 You as well have a wonderful week President. ""

Have a great week ya'll

Love, Elder Meyerink