Hi!
So this week worked our butts off and we didn't have much to show for it. We hadn't taught any lessons until Saturday, where we finally caught Peter at home. We also taught a recent convert a lesson and another lesson to a couple. We also gave a talk at a baptism. It was a great day because we were literally running from place to place and I actually felt like I was a missionary.
When we taugh Peter, he was so excited to see us and he felt bad that his work was always calling him in. So we sat down and taught him a first lesson. He told us that he has been reading the Book of Mormon and hasn't found any contridictions between the Bible and BofM. We said that they complimant each other. He said, "Exactly!" That was probably the best lesson that I've had so far, not the way I taught but because the Spirit was there so strongly. We talked about Christ's apostles being killed and how Christ's authority was lost. He told us that he had never thought about it that way. We talked about prophets and how there was a prophet today. We showed him a picture of the prophet, Pres. Monson and he was amazed. He held the ensign in his hand like it was sacred and he said, "This is the prophet's picture and his apostles?" He was so excited! He said that he always knew that there should be prophets on the earth again. We talked about baptism and extended him a baptismal date. He fully accepted it. He told us that he had been baptized many times but he didn't feel any different. He still felt like the same person. When he said that, I could feel the spirit so strongly and without hesitation I told him that this baptism would be so much different. I could feel the love that the Savior had for him and it was so strong. We told the 1st vision and we asked how he felt. He said that he was a little jealous of Joseph because he got to talk to God. But he said that he knew that Joseph was a prophet. We were so happy after that lesson! He was excited to go to church the next day and he almost pleaded with us to get him a ride. So we set up a ride for him.
We waited patiently at the door but when his ride came to church he wasn't with him. We were so disappointed! The ride said that when they knocked on the door, they told him that he wasn't home. We've struggled and prayed so hard to try and get our investigators to church and Heavenly Father is stretching us to our limits. It is the "trial of our faith". We've been struggling so hard to find people and are having a hard time. But we keep working hard.
The church is true so keep the faith!
Love Sister Sumsion
Monday, December 7
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1 comment:
I don't know what current missionary policy is for church attendance prior to baptism. Here is what we did in Uruguay a couple of decades ago.
We picked up (or had members pick up) all of our investigators for the first time or two to the church. And we told them what time we were picking them up, then we went early because often they would not be ready. Yes, sometimes we were late to church, but we got somebody there.
Once the ice was broken or the fear taken away from going alone as well as showing them the way to our building so they wouldn't end up in another church building, then we let them come on there own.
Old policy was 3 times attending before baptism, but that well could have been unique to South America or to my mission (Uruguay- Montevideo).
Keep plugging away, I have read that it takes multiple contacts with the church before baptism in the USA. So perhaps on the 2nd or 3rd time they will actually reach the baptismal waters.
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