Dear Family/Friends,
Sorry you did not get anything from me yesterday! Our P-day was moved to Tuesday this week because we had the opportunity to go to the temple this week and our P-day gets moved to the day we go to the temple. I was so refreshing! I am always grateful for the Spirit that is there so thick that you can drink it! I also really enjoyed our ride to and from the temple (about a two/ two and a half hour trip). Our District Leader suggested that we sing hymns in the car and it was awesome! It was great preparation to go to the temple and get feeling the Spirit. It was also really fun because we had four and five part harmonies going and everyone just sang from their heart. And since it is halfway to Christmas, I will make an "ELF" reference: "The best way to spread Christmas cheer, is singing loud for all to hear." And in this case, Christmas cheer means the Spirit of Christ in general. Hopefully that isn't too blasphemous...
Last week was yet another trying week. We got dropped by our three investigators so we are starting from Ground Zero again. We spent several hours each day tracting and trying our best to find people who are willing and ready to listen. We haven't had too much success on that front, so we are actively thinking of new ways to find. We were able to carry out one of those ideas last night at the "Empty Nesters" FHE group in our ward. We shared with the members the message of the Restoration. We invited them to reflect on what the Restoration meant to them and pay attention to promptings they received regarding who they should share this message with. We hope that this effort and the wonderful broadcast on Sunday will help the ward members to get more excited about missionary work. Referrals have been hard to come by, so we are excited about the prospect of receiving some soon!
We have been blessed for our efforts in many small ways this week though. On Friday, we were able to have two impromtu member present lessons as we visited various members in our ward. They just happened to have non-member friends or family over when we stopped by and shared a message with them. We are starting to be able to get the word out there!
Sister Slade and I had one new investigator this week, Chuck. His wife is a member and they just recently had their second child. Sam (his wife) is preparing to be able to go to the temple to receive her endowment. Chuck wanted to know more about why his wife seems to believe that the temple and her faith is so important. He is agnostic and very philosophical. But he attended church on Sunday and we have a lesson with him on Thursday! We are grateful that he is open regardless of his hold-backs and willing to listen and try it out. Sister Slade gave a very inspired challenge to Chuck to take what we have to say to heart and try it out so that he can truly learn and appreciate what we are teaching him. I have realized that that is the only way that we really can understand the Gospel. By trying it out. I know that my testimony of the Plan of Salvation was a nice thought, but it did not really mean anything to me until my mother passed away and that was all I had to rely on--God and His promises. We are hopeful that Chuck will act on all our challenges and gain a testimony of his own. What a blessing that will be to him and his family to be sealed and have their family centered on the Gospel!
I have studied Jacob chapter five this last week (Lari--and Cami), and it has meant a lot to me. Especially the promise that the Lord gives us in verse 72, "And it came to pass that the servants did go and labor with their mights; and the Lord of the vineyard labored also with them . . ." As we give our all to do the Lord's work, He promises that He will labor alongside us. I also loved a comment that Elder Andersen made during the Mission President Training. He said, "They are in the hand of the Lord of the vineyard and they are His" and that the Lord will not let us fail. This came just when I needed it, because I was VERY discouraged this week. Our key indicator totals for the better part of the week were ones and zeros, and not for lack of effort by any means. I am just grateful for that reassurance that they are the Lord's children and they will (and we will) be taken care of by the Lord in His time. Our District Leader, Elder DeVictoria gave us some great suggestions as to how to handle that situation and avoid discouragement. I am excited to try them out! I guess I feel like the Lord of the vineyard in Jacob 5:41 "And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard wept, and said unto the servant: What could I have done more for my vineyard?" I feel the Lord's disappointment when He is rejected by His children. I am sure that He weeps when they choose to disregard and disobey Him. Choose the Right!
I hope that you are all doing well!
Love,
S. Turley
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