Hey
Mom!
Yup so that is pretty
much me at the amusement park in Taiwan! Out in front with a grin on my face.
:)
As for the ward
Newsletter, no I don't get it at all. So I don't really see anything or hear a
lot from ward stuff unless it is through you and/or dad. That is really cool
though what you shared from Sister Larsen. It's funny, interesting, and not a
coincidence that last night and this morning I just read through a talk (it has
been about 3 months since I last read it) that is entitled "Becoming a
Preach My Gospel Missionary" by Elder Bednar. It is a talk he gave back in
2011 at the new mission president seminar at the MTC. I think it was given
though for all the missionaries, not just the mission president. But so
actually talks from the MTC are really hard to get any hands on, but when I
came to Taiwan, President Blickenstaff gave a copy of this talk to all of us.
It is very powerful and instructive to become the Lord's missionary and an
effective representative and instrument for the Lord. He shares about 5 parts:
1.Remember who you represent 2.Be worthy 3.Treasure up the words of eternal
life 4.The Spirit is the ultimate teacher 5.Preaching the gospel is not just
talking and teaching
The part I want to
share with you and focus on is the last step, because what you shared brought
specifically this part to mind. We are called to preach the gospel, but it is
much more than just talking and teaching. Elder Bednar said if you go through
the simple motions of meeting, teaching, and talking with someone, then all you
are doing as a missionary is talking with yourself with an investigator
present. Harsh, but very true at the same time. The particular part I liked
that he shared is talking or speaking is the last part we really do. We first
should observe, listen, discern, and then speak. This is something more and
more I try to do as best I can because I really want to as best as possible
help people according to their circumstances and situations. But so observing
involves learning anything and everything you can, understanding from not just
words spoken (that is more listening) but from everything else. Discerning
revolves around seeing and hearing by the Spirit. That which cannot be
understood by the naked eye. Discerning what an investigator's real concern or
question is from what they ask or say. What really needs to be said or shared
with them, the next principle. Then you speak. Which actually brings me back to
the 4th step where I really wanted to share with you is Elder Bednar sharing
about it doesn't matter how worthy or how much devotion and desire we have
within us, we ultimately cannot convert someone or confirm to someone truth.
Simply what we have been called to do and can do is preach and share, bringing
truth UNTO the heart of our investigator. But ultimately the investigator
through righteous desire, sincere intent, and willingness to act will let the
truth INTO their heart as the Spirit teaches and confirms it to them.
I say "hi"
back.........Just kidding, but really yeah say hi back to the Starks as well as
Trevor!
That is crazy that
Johnathan Peterson is going on a mission! Seriously?! I still see him as being
just like a teacher or something, not that old yet. Where is he going?
About the topic I
could share a lot about how Satan uses fear and anxiety as tactics to tempt and
deceive us. Because that is very much what him and his followers have been
doing hardcore, non-stop against me. You really don't feel just how much there
is opposition to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and their plan until you are
set apart as a missionary. And it isn't really in the basic temptations that
the adversary strikes at missionaries (like there isn't just going to be beer
thrust at you or cigarettes, although many times I have been offered beer,
cigarettes, and tea on my mission now). This was a lesson I learned from Elder
Mudrow, that very much doubts and fear are temptations that the adversary and
his followers use against us to get us off focus, unbalanced, not working at
our peak capacity. Which in parts I feel bad about because I am working as hard
as I can to get past, over, under, around all this crap so that I can be the
best me possible. But it isn't easy. It's a work in progress and trying to get
better. I feel though at times it getting at me hard. Like worrying, stressing,
anxiety, nervousness about being a good
missionary, being a good senior companion, being a good English leader (yeah
this move call I am the English leader for Zhanghua), and such. In parts it
also has felt at times that things become kind of rote. I don't know if at
times this is a good thing or bad thing. Makes me think to maybe try and make
each day special in some way.
As for the stomach
thing, I haven't heard anything about that. Yeah really my health is all ok and
everything. There was at one ZTM we showed up in Yuanlin and the ZLs ended
sharing that the Yuanlin Sisters (4 of them, all live in the same apartment)
wont be coming because the night before they had a cockroach and I guess went
crazy on spraying the Raid and basically poisoned themselves a little bit that
they ended up throwing up throughout the night. At least we aren't doing that.
We have more fun with the cockroaches. We sometimes use Raid, but are
conservative with it. Or Elder Oldham just smacks them with his fist. Or we
work together in directing them towards our racket zapper and then fry them.
It's all pretty fun! But so yeah health is ok. Nothing really big or different.
Just more exhausted and everything, which also sometimes gets my eyes a little
more bloodshot.
Have so much fun on
Girls camp this week! I am sure you will have a blast!
Love you so much!
Elder Roo
