The Miracles of Members

Hello from the Boca Raton Family History Center! :-D Typically, we go to the Broward County Library just south of our apartment, but when our reservation time came, all the computers had froze. And so we were unable to get online. Thankfully, we remembered that the Family History Center is open Monday mornings so here we are at the Boca Chapel in the Family History Center!

We were extremely blessed this week with all the meetings that were held. On Tuesday was a special "Preach My Gospel Training" by Brother Tracy Watson of the Mission Department. It was a great experience focusing on teaching with the spirit, asking inspired questions, and applying everything back to the gospel so we can teach like prophets! Then, we had Zone Counsel the next day where we continued to discuss what we learned at the Training and we had Bro. Lustig of the Stake Missionary Representative who taught us more about "Harvesting the Field" as we continue to strengthen the members of the ward - focusing on less actives and part member families. It is a wonderful program that is about getting the wards involved in missionary work, showing the members that it is their responsibility to prepare others for missionary visits. So far, it's slow going, but soon it will spark into a great program.

I am really seeing all these examples around me about how it is extremely important for members to be involved in missionary work. I keep thinking about it, and I am surprised at how little I knew about my purpose in life. I always thought it was to be a strong member of the church by living well to the commandments of God. The three-fold mission of the Church states: Proclaim the Gospel, Perfect the Saints, Redeem the Dead. Well, the missionaries called to serve missions were proclaiming the gospel, I was improving myself to work towards perfection, and I was doing temple work when I could. Now I'm thinking, the prophets themselves have said that every member is a missionary ... so proclaiming the gospel isn't only the role of called missionaries: it's for all of us! Perfecting the saints isn't about our own lives, but when you lose yourself in helping others you find yourself. Also redeeming the dead is a missionary work in itself bringing those who have already passed on the opportunity to accept the gospel. Our three-fold mission of the Church is focused on MISSIONARY WORK!!! I thought that was awesome! Our purpose in this life isn't to go to school and work and church. It isn't learning for ourselves about the mysteries of the scriptures. Our purpose as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is to invite others to come unto Christ. We talk about accepting upon ourselves the Christ-like attributes. But how many of us realize that when Christ was on the earth, He was sharing the gospel with everyone he would meet. That is an attribute of Christ - being a missionary! Of course that doesn't mean all of us should be full-time missionaries. It means we should be more willing to talk about our beliefs with friends and co-workers, giving out a pass-a-long card to store clerks or security guards, inviting neighbors and friends over for meals when the missionaries are available. The door to tracting is closing. That came straight from the Mission Department. Soon, missionaries will be unable to go door to door hoping someone will want to hear the gospel from a stranger. We met a guy a few weeks ago who said he never would have listened to two people knocking at his door, but because he had a friend who invited him to church and offered him a Book of Mormon, he is now interested in learning about the gospel. It all comes from us. We already are good examples by our actions and way of living, but we need to pray for courage to open our mouths. Especially since Satan is working so hard on this world to keep people from mentioning the name of God or Jesus Christ in public. We must fight against Satan. We must realize that in the name of Christ, we are able to overpower anything the adversary tries to throw our way. I really hope I can remember that when I finish my mission. A prophet once said that soon there will no longer be a need for set-apart missionaries because the members will be those missionaries. Now is the time to find our purpose and live it.

A great event that just happened yesterday was tracting into a woman who decided to read from the Book of Mormon because her co-worker offered it to her. She wasn't very interested in talking to us until we learned which member of our ward had given her the book. As soon as we started to talk about the member, she opened up and was excited to talk more with us. She even showed interest in having us come over and teach her more. People will easily dismiss and close doors to two strangers, but when there is that connection with someone they know, they open up and are willing to listen and learn. Again and again this week we've met people who have a friend who's a member or a sibling who's investigated the church. The more connection to the church they have, the more interest and time they give to us as missionaries. It is the members that bring success and growth to the Church. I see that and know it to be true. Kick away the fear, for fear is not of God. Give an invitation to a friend, family member, co-worker, acquaintance to come to church, to come to an activity, to read the Book of Mormon, to check out mormon.org, to listen to the missionaries, to come to the Family History Center. There are so many resources available to us! Let's use them!

And now I am done ... for a time ... It was just exciting for me to see what I need to do in my life to change. I love how we are focusing on our purpose as a missionary and how that helps me see what my purpose is for life. Oh the great insights that are found from studying the gospel!

And I can't end without saying: HAPPY 100TH ANNIVERSARY BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA!!!! Boy Scouts is amazing! My future husband better be an Eagle Scout! :-D