Last week I typed out a big long email and it wouldn't even send before I ran out of time soo here's the good stuff from last week:
-My companions and I volunteer at a cat shelter once a week... yeah, it smells as bad as it sounds. Some of the cats are ferrel (ferril?) so that's extra exciting. Scooping 20 litter boxes is not.
-I have been visiting my fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Femia who lives in my area! We help her around her house and share messages with her. It is so much fun! She showed us around Perkin's Cove, Maine and took us to the beach. I was always close with her after fourth grade but never got to visit her until now!
-I want all of you to look up "The Room" story from the 14 Day Walk With Christ. It will change you perspective on repentance. It is powerful.
At Zone Conference this week (basically just a bunch of missionaries from surrounding areas all gather for a meeting and instruction) we received a new Mission Vision for the next 12 months. I am SO PUMPED about it. Are you ready? "In the next 12 months, we will help EVERY member was significant missionary experiences." WOOOO FOR MEMBER MISSIONARY WORK. Our area is kind of in a slump and I think this is the key to raising our success. As part of this goal, we don't just want "every member a missionary", but "every missionary a member." We are going to try to be more involved in the members lives and getting to know them and helping them out in their callings, so that we can building better relationships with them and get them pumped about doing missionary work!
I gave a talk in church yesterday... it was supposed to be about prayer, but I kind of took missionary liberties and just talked about our new Mission Vision. But I committed everyone to praying daily for missionary opportunities so I kind of talked about prayer ;) I told them that they have all been called to the earth at this time and this place to be missionaries (D&C 100:4-8) and that just because you don't wear a nametag, doesn't mean you don't represent Jesus Christ. I told them the story of a boy who was throwing starfish into the ocean and an old man came up and said, "What are you doing?" The boy explained that the starfish would die if they didn't make it back into the water, so he was throwing them back in. The old man laughed and said, "Do you know there are miles and miles of beach covered in starfish? You can't possibly make a different." The boy picked up a starfish, threw it into the surf and smiled. He said, "I made a different for that one." I told them that they don't have to be converting the masses to make a difference... just share the gospel with a friend! We can all make a difference. I also talked about how we don't have to be afraid to do missionary work. D&C (Doctrine and Covenants) 84:85,88 says we will know what to say in the very hour we need it and Christ will be on our left and right and his angels will bare us up. D&C 1:19-23 says the weak and simple things of the earth (us) will proclaim the gospel to the world, including kings and rulers. This is the work of Jesus Christ, it will move forward whether or not we chose to be apart of it. We are not alone when we share the gospel and we don't have to be afraid. I told the story of the woman at the well (John 4), and how as soon as she had tasted of the living water of Jesus Christ, she "left her pot" and ran to the city to tell everyone about Christ and she testified of him saying, "Is this not the Christ?" She left behind what was once important to run and tell her friends what she had experienced. Many were converted to Christ just by hearing her testimony of him. Let us all be a little more like the woman at the well!
Sorry about that rant. Be a missionary this week! Whatever religion you are, share your testimony and what you believe with one of your friends or a neighbor, random person, etc. Then tell me about it :)
Miss and love all of you, hope everyone has a fantastical week. Onwards and Upwards.
