We have had some great opportunities to get to know the members more in the ward and stake. There were several activities planned for the Relief Society Sisters, and we were blessed to take part in a few of them. There is so much we learn on our mission, I'm curious how much I will be able to apply later on in life. Our first focus with members, that is mission wide, is to invite everyone to look at mormon.org and create a profile. I know I've already touched on it before, but I think it is an amazing resource! I wish I could get on and create my own profile! It is a wonderful advancement on the Church's part in technology to really help people feel comfortable and more willing to learn about the Church. They don't have to read page after page of doctrine, but they can read bits and pieces of other people's lives and how the Gospel and Jesus Christ has blessed them. Props to Allison, who already has her profile on mormon.org - it's nice to have the name search field :-D Even though members are typically friends with members, so member missionary work really is hard to do, this is an opportunity to do member missionary work. We can be an example online. We can show how the gospel blesses our lives by what we write on our blog, on facebook, other networks, and also by adding to the profiles found on mormon.org. This site was updated not only to help investigators learn of the church, but also to help members know how easy it is to share the gospel in simple terms and also to feel like they are taking part by having their profile accessible with their testimony written for all to see. I hope I'll be able to find more of my family and friends on mormon.org soon :-)
From one of the events we attended this week, I heard an amazing analogy. The speaker was talking about a rope, a strong, thick, sturdy rope. We could hold it in our hands, look at it, and say it is the strongest rope we have ever seen and it could never break. It is firm, it is strong, and there is no doubt it could hold up in any situation. But when the need arises and we have to be dangled off a ledge by that rope, we start to reconsider how strong that rope really is. We begin to look deeper into how the rope was put together and if it really can withstand the weight we are putting on it. She compare this to the gospel. When times are easy, and we have the gospel in our lives, we see that it is strong, it is true, and it can carry us through anything; but when a huge struggle hits us, we begin to look more closely at the gospel and if it really can sustain us through that time. The speaker said that she believes one of the main parts of that "gospel" rope is prayer. We can try to overcome a trial without it, but if we will truly succeed and have the strength necessary, we must rely on prayer and communication with our Heavenly Father. I really liked that analogy.
The work is slow right now, but I fear it may have to do with the way we are working. I really don't like to take the reins and have full control over what we do, where we go, and how things need to be done. There is just so much to learn, so much to do. Every night, I still end my journal entree with a "tender mercy" and I've also added "something I've learned" that day. I truly love the members and I love to sign. I'll continue forth. I'll put it in the Lord's hands. We do make great progress with the leadership and the members, but I wish I knew how to touch the hearts of the people and our investigators. But, ever onward...
‘Make no small plans: They have no magic to stir man’s souls.’ This is the vision I have for the South. I believe that one day the South will baptize more people into the church than all other English speaking missions in the world together. There are great hosts of marvelous Baptists, and members of the church of Christ, Methodists and Catholics who are honorable people, and have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and love him. As they see their church veering off to the right or to the left of these basic teachings, they will begin to search for the truth. And as pivotal teachers come into the church and have influence, we will see the time when we baptize hundreds and thousands, tens of thousands. In your day you will see a million members of the church in the South. There will be Temples plural in the Southern States. What a great call you have to serve with these marvelous people. ~Spencer W Kimball (1974)
