11/25/13

Dear Everyone,

  

Driving in the snow - 10 & 2

Life is good, REALLY GOOD. I don't think I have ever planned so much in my entire life or thought so much about things that are coming up. The things that I have been thinking about are "good things" so don't be thinking I am distracted. My district has been planning a way to get the members more involved, as you all know by now. We have been really trying to get these members fired up! We have been thinking of ways to do this and we have come up with a few ideas, with the help of the Branch President. The first and foremost plan that we have established is a monthly missionary fireside put on by the missionaries. We are planning on teaching the members and their friends the basic doctrines and principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In a sense we will be giving them a motivational talking to haha. We (the missionaries) have created a powerpoint that is going to rock their world and really help them and their friends understand the WHY'S of us "MORMONS". So, if you were wondering, that is what has taken over a good majority of my thinking and planning time. I am not going to lie it has been pretty stressful trying to prepare and teach something so vast in such a short period of time but also giving enough time on the important principles. Thank goodness it is not up to me to convert these people!

 

Some of you (mom and dad) may know that I never really took a lot of time or thought to planning. I sort of just did things as they came, for example a math or english test, a date (not always! sorry girls...who needs to plan or study? Well, I did not need to, until I became a missionary. When it comes to teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ you had better be prepared! However all we have to do is put enough time and effort into obtaining truths so that the Holy Ghost can testify and do the hard work! I can already tell that this fireside is going to be a real success. The biggest reason why that is, is because we are having some Site Sisters come down and teach the Restoration part of the first discussion. For some reason people just like the Sisters better! hahah That's ok...they need the attention :) 

Aside from the madness of this fireside we have been doing our best work when it comes helping people come unto Christ (and by "our best work" I mean following the promptings of the Holy Ghost and doing the will of Heavenly Father because this is not "our work" at all!!). The Spirit is so important to have in this work. For example it is really "the power" in missionary work, because "we of ourselves could do nothing" to move this work along. However when the Spirit is present we can do anything. There is nothing better than being a hand tool for the God of Israel. The Spirit for example has changed the heart of our investigator. They are ready for baptism and will be baptized Dec. 14th instead of Dec. 1st. The experience I have had while teaching has been amazing. I have been there since the very first lessons and have been able to teach everything and see the change! I always thought that missionaries played a big role in the conversion process of investigators but that is not the case. Sure the investigators may learn to love you but the real change takes place as they develop a relationship with their Heavenly Father on their own time and in their own way! That is what makes all the difference in a person. All we have to do is give them enough of the light that is in us, which can only be given if we have it, so that way they can start their own personal journey to Christ. It has been a tender mercy to be a part of something so life changing. 

It has definitely been a week to remember and that is the truth! It is funny the way that God works because just last week I was studying a lot about remembering and how important it is. It is even said by the Prophet President Kimball "that the most important word in the dictionary is REMEMBER". So, I was grateful for this tender mercy. That God would prepare me, before hand, to get the most I possibly could out of this week. It seems like the more we remember and think back on our lives the more we learn and the more we see the "significant but subtle blessings" as Elder Bednar would say. I encourage all of you to look back on some of the blessings or tender mercies you have received recently and to think about what God did to prepare you to receive them. What better time of year to do this than at thanksgiving. I know the more we remember the more we are grateful for what we have been given, no matter what our circumstances may be!

Love, 

Elder Bevan 

 

This isn't what your mom mean't , when she said,

"You need to eat what you kill".