9/24/13

Dear Everyone,

What a week! I just now realized this week how much God has to teach me and well its pretty overwhelming. I was able to overcome this feeling of being overwhelmed through lots of prayer and fasting. It is good to know that Heavenly Father always provides a way out of a situation it just takes some effort on our part. 

I was most overwhelmed this week by all of the people that we were teaching and their lack of progress. It gets so frustrating especially when you think you are doing all you can to help them. Well God answered my prayers! We decided to go out and to try and find more people we could teach and who would accept the message of the Restoration. This is when the cool experiences started to happen. Since we have had very little luck when it comes to getting refferals either from members or non members we decided we were going to just do all we could do and let the Lord do the rest. 

So we went out and started walking, knocking, and talking to as many people as would hear us. We did this for about 4 hrs. We were in this little town called Farnham and we walked to the very edge of the town knocking on every door along the way. We got to the last few houses and decided since only two people had opened there doors we would do one more house and turn around. So I pointed to a house down the road and said "lets do that one" because there are actually vehicles in the drive way. So we went there and guess what! Some one answered. It was a guy named Guy. We immediately started teaching him about the Restoration and we stopped to see his reaction after we were finished and he just kept staring like he wanted to learn more! So he told us to come on back and we could teach him some more. It was a pretty neat tender mercy that we were able to find him. That after all we could do on the very last house God chose to bless us! 

It is just proof that God really does see the big picture and all we have to do is trust in Him and do all we can and He will accomplish His purposes through us. So when you feel like you don't know why things are happening and you feel like nothing you are doing is working just be patient. The time will come and all will be right. Its also important that we listen to the Promptings/thoughts that come as we are doing our best because if they are good they are from God! 

SO just a side note...I have become quite the singer since I have been out here. I have been in three special musical numbers in my last area and here, my companions and I have sung in church (by ourselves...and in a small mens group for a stake fireside...and now church choir). Not saying I am any good but it is just something I would not have done before my mission. It is weird what kind of stuff you will do while you are out here. What a life :) We are moving the work right along up here in NEW YORK. As my Mission President always says Green Ambition My Whole Mission! Nothing like being one of "those missionaries" that is always pushing the rest! My poor companion gets tugged out of bed a few days out of the week to go watch me run, I sort of feel bad but not really :) I am happier than I have ever been!

Thanks so much for all your birthday wishes! I had an awesome Birthday! 

Love,

Elder Bevan

9/16/13

Dear Everyone,

This has been a really good week to learn and to grow. I sure feel I have been tried and tested and put back in the place where I need to be. I had a rough few days in the beginning of this week but I know it was for my benefit since I was going to be giving my first Training as District Leader. Just another testimony to me that Heavenly Father does see fit to try and test us so that we can be equal to the tasks that are to come. I hope I did an ok job, but if not, I know that the Spirit was there and that's who should be teaching. So my biggest lesson learned came from 1 Corinthians 2:9. There is so much in store for us and all we have to do is Love God and keep his commandments and everything will go just right! 

The real highlight of this week was yesterday! I love Sundays more than any other day. Especially when we have firesides and priesthood meetings. Now before I came out here I don't know if you would have ever heard me say that but I love meetings. Every church meeting we have can be such a Spiritual experience (especially Sacrament Meeting) with the proper preparation before hand. We had a Stake Priesthood meeting and there was some pretty awesome things shared there. Our stake president out here is such a Giant literally and Spiritually (He and President Francis are 6'7"-6'8"). The meeting was all about Hastening the Work and really letting us know that the Lord IS hastening and the time is now to open up your homes and let people feel the Spirit that we have. Lots of scriptures were shared but a few really stood out to me. Proverbs 29:18, and 1 Peter 3:15. 

We all need to go out and get more knowledge and light so that we can have more to share! Because when there is no vision (revelation/knowledge) the people perish! Proverbs 29: 18

We all need to be praying and asking Heavenly Father the question "How can I share?!"

Well that was about it for this week! 

Love you all,

Elder Bevan

9/9/13

Dear Everyone,

Well it is official we received transfer calls last night. I will tell you a little bit of a background to what went on this week because it has been a roller coaster of spiritual highs and some definite opposition. I now know without a doubt that satan works the hardest on us just before and just after great spiritual experiences! It is evident as I go back and read through my journal and all of my thoughts feelings and impressions. However there is no way he can prevail if we are doing what we are supposed to! So early in the week we had an awesome lesson with a former investigator named Ray. I already told you a little of that experience in my last email I believe. My companion and I have been doing are best to keep up with the missions standard of excellence for new investigators a week (which is 3 every week). So we have been really seeking out people that are ready to hear our message. We have been focusing a lot on finding by the Spirit and when you are being diligent and asking with an eye of Faith there is nothing that you can not do! We have been finding at least 4 every week! We also had a baptism this saturday!

Jackie Jamieson was baptized and confirmed this week. It was such an amazing experience being able to be a part of her conversion and see such a change. She is going to be a great force for good and bring many people into the gospel because of her example she has set. Especially when it comes to her family. So it has been quite the amazing week for us! Heavenly Father allows us some room so that we can stumble and stay humble  ( yes that rhymes).

I learned a valuable lesson while teaching a lady the other day. I am a pretty confident teacher and feel really comfortable when it comes to explaining doctrines. So when I am teaching someone and they for some reason can not understand I really get down on myself. I know this is the opposite of what I need to do. I learned that if we will just pause and pray we can overcome any obstacle through the direction of the Holy Ghost. This was a humbling lesson for me however it was not a stumbling block but a stepping stone (I learned from some old guy in my last ward the only difference is 6 inches between your ears). I am so grateful that sometimes we get opportunities to learn how to Be still and know that God is there! I really believe that Heavenly Father has been preparing me with all of these experiences for something and now I know why! 

I was super exhausted last night, I had the worst headache, and was really emotionally drained (because sometimes it is hard to smile all day long!). I decided to just get and bed and go to sleep and not stay up and wait for transfer calls to come in. SO that's what I did! It was about 11:30 that night when they came in. Usually they just tell whoever answers the phone what is happening so I did not really wake up right away until Elder Wood gave me the phone and told me they wanted to talk to me. I answered and they assigned me to be the new district leader. Well try and sleep on that! I was up for quite a while after that thinking about all of my responsibilities. I sort of feel unprepared but am really excited to serve the missionaries in my district. 

I would definitely say that I have been tested and prepared for this time in my mission. I have really been enjoying reading from the Teachings of Joseph Smith this past transfer and have learned so much. Something that has really stood out to me in there is that Heavenly Father always prepares His children to succeed in the tasks they are given. It made me think of how Joseph was not at first able to translate the book of mormon but he was told that he was to gain experience so that he could Be Equal To His Task. I know this is such a true principle and you can see it in every part of your life!

My companion Elder Wood is not going to be leaving this transfer and I know it is for good reasons for my benefit but mainly for the benefit of the people! 

I love this Gospel and Know every part of it is inspired  and more importantly that no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing! It does however progress according to the Lord's time table!

Thanks for all your support!

Love,

Elder Bevan

September 3, 2013

Dear Everyone,

I can not believe I am almost half way through with week six! It is all just going by way too fast! My companion is really nervous about leaving. Since he has been here for over 6 months and loves it here. I am not sure if I am ready for him to go since he is so good at talking with all the Indians! 

So the weather up here is beginning to change! The leaves are starting to change colors and the days are getting colder and colder! I have heard that this is supposed to be the worst winter they have had in a while so wish me luck!!! Our Corn Soup Project is really turning out awesome! We had three indian ladies stop in and have some and they said it was amazing! I dont know what that means? Either I am a good chef or a good indian haha. It was even cooler that they wanted to learn about our church and find out what we believed! We taught them the Restoration and gave them all a Book of Mormon and a pamphlet to go! I am not sure if all this publicity is a direct result of church attendance but it seemed like there were more non members at church on Sunday than there were members! 

I have had quite the experience this week. I have learned a lot of patience. I mean I kind of asked for it since that has been my focus for most of this week during my personal study! Heavenly Father sure has his ways of teaching you things however.

 

I know the spider stories are getting old well let me tell you that the first hand experiences are getting even older! Every single day for this past week I have found at least one spider in my bed. They really seem to love my pillow because I will pick it up really quick and low and behold one comes darting out from underneath. I am to the point were I am not even surprised. I sort of just laugh. This is what brought me to the conclusion that in order to be a great missionary you can not be afraid of Spiders.

One of the things I learned this week is there is a lot of power in listening. I guess this just kind of goes a long with my study of patience. My biggest flaw is I always have something good to say. Whether or not it is right for the person to hear is a different story. I had a really great experience about an hour ago as I was meeting with a former investigator. He has been investigating now for 5 years...He loves to talk and I am sure would talk all over you if you let him but for some reason I felt no need to talk. My companion and I sat and listened and really allowed what he said to sink into our hearts to the point where I really felt like I knew what he was going through and let me tell you this man has gone through a lot. The whole time I was focusing on him Scriptures just kept popping into my head however I would just acknowledge them and sort of push them aside. After about 45 mins of listening He stopped talking and I just felt the Spirit enter in the room as we began to speak. My tongue was loosed to the point where I was learning from the things I was saying! I really felt this man was loved and needed to feel this way since he had suffered so much.

Well the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the way, Faith is the power, Love is the motive, Obedience is the price, and Joy is the reward! Keep remembering the blessings you receive and pray always! 

Love,

Elder Bevan