Change Takes Time - Week 38

May 29, 2017


This week has had a bit of a learning curve I would say! I had the opportunity to go on my first exchange as a District Leader with Elder Reid. He is a great missionary that is in his last transfer and he has served in many leadership capacities in and throughout his mission. He and I talked alot about his mission and what its done for him and what he has learned. Im grateful for its experience as it taught me alot about how to be a better servant. Our investigators are progressing really nicely! we found 3 new investigators this week! We were teaching one of the families kids outside and they wanted to invite all their friends over so it started out us just teaching 4 kids to us teaching about 10 kids in the neighborhood! Its really a true statement that the children are definitely a prepared generation to hear this message! I definitely have fallen in love with the fact that i get the opportunity to be able to serve others 100% without focusing on myself. I wish that I could just permanently remember every day so I don't have to write in a journal!  Its been really cool as we have continued meeting with the Bartolomei family. We will begin to teach them the commandments and its cool to see them have such a desire to change and to come unto the Savior. It makes me think of President Boyd K. Packer talk about how we come to this desire to change.

“True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior.

“The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior. Preoccupation with unworthy behavior can lead to unworthy behavior. That is why we stress so forcefully the study of the doctrines of the gospel” (“Little Children,” Ensign, Nov. 1986, 17).

I have truly seen this that those in whom we teach once they understand the doctrines of the gospel they truly change and begin to be converted individuals! This brings me to my thoughts of the week concerning changes and conversion..

With all the new changes in the last few months I have been striving to find ways to improve and better live the gospel as well as what it means to be more converted to the gospel. This quote by Elder Richard G. Scott I found to be very insightful to how to become more converted to the Lord.

“Each of us has observed how some individuals go through life consistently doing the right things. They seem happy, even enthusiastic about life. When difficult choices are to be made, they seem to invariably make the right ones, even though there were enticing alternatives available to them. We know that they are subject to temptation, but they seem oblivious to it. Likewise, we have observed how others are not so valiant in the decisions they make. In a powerfully spiritual environment, they resolve to do better, to change their course of life, to set aside debilitating habits. They are very sincere in their determination to change, yet they are soon back doing the same things they resolved to abandon...What is it that makes the difference in the lives of these two groups? How can you consistently make the right choices? 
“True conversion is the fruit of faith, repentance, and consistent obedience. … True conversion will strengthen your capacity to do what you know you should do, when you should do it, regardless of the circumstances” (“Full Conversion Brings Happiness,” Ensign, May 2002, 24-25).

True faith and repentance is the key. And I hope we all can just pick that one thing and improve on it! Have a great week everyone!

Picture of all the church service missionaries and two zones of the Nampa Idaho Mission

Elder Reid, Elder Anderson and Elder Alba are the the right of me Elder Gerrard on one knee.

Agents to Act - Week 37

May 22, 1017

This week was a pretty great week! We were able to finally get our investigator Mason to church!! After inviting him and reminding him about coming, we decided that we are just going to show up to his house on Sunday with a member and pick them up ourselves! The best part it worked! :) They loved church and hopefully now that we got them there we will be able to get them a bit more self reliant so they can be ready to keep their baptismal covenant! We also are going to start teaching another family this week all because Mason (a 9 year old kid) referred us to them basically. The mom used to meet with missionaries and she wants to meet with missionaries again! Her husband has an issue with Job so he has some doubts about religion and God, and he only speaks spanish so the Spanish sisters will be teaching the parents while we teach the children! We also committed Morgan & Dillion to be baptized this week as well! They accepted and are a little timid to make such a commitment but they are super prepared I pray that they will be able to overcome the trials that will be thrown at them to sway them away from there decision to be baptized. We cover the YSA ward up here as well and the work in that ward is pretty slow, which we have been praying to pick things up in that ward and we have truly been blessed to actually find people that are YSA investigators! We taught one of them Alex for the first time this week and the spirit was really strong. He is looking for alot of answers and after talking with him about the restoration he feels like this is the right path and we gave him a soft commitment to be baptized as well so hopefully he will continue on the path that he is on!

This week I had the opportunity to give my first District meeting as a district leader. The majority of my training that I gave consisted of when we have innocent like faith we often put alot of trust in things, which sometimes can cause us to be very very vulnerable when things happen. This is the kind of faith that leads us to be uncompromising in our faith that the Savior will provide. I have found that various circumstances sometimes come in and compromise our faith. On a missionary standpoint the area you are in, the weather, your companion, etc. all can compromise our faith to find, teach and baptize people. This leads me to wonder what compromises our faith outside of our mission in the circumstances of life. As I pondered this I grew a deeper appreciation of the role of Agency. and as well as how vital and important it is to make our Worship. ( things like prayer, scripture study, church meetings) really meaningful and valuable. These are the things that will put on the armor of light around us to not allow our faith to become compromised in any degree! 

I hope we can all ponder and let the Spirit instruct us how we can make our worship enhanced with deeper depth, understanding, and edification. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is true and it is only as good and helpful in our lives as we exercise our agency and let it!

2 Nephi 2:14 "And now, my sons, I speak unto you these things for your profit and learning; for there is a God, and he hath created all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are, both things to act and things to be acted upon."

I hope we can all be agents to act and get more out of our worship.

My favorite Service Missionaries!

Elder Loveland: he serves at the DI in Nampa Idaho

Elder Phillipps: he serves at the DI in my old are in Boise.

The District! 

left to right: Standing :Sister Viallion, Me Elder Gerrard,  Elder Vilchez, Elder Anderson, Elder Reid, 

Elder Rymer, and Elder Alba. Sitting: Sister Lopez, Elder Blevins, and Elder Dean

Missing: Elder Nicholas, and Elder Lopez

We got to meet with all the Young Service missionaries in the Boise area! They are such wonderful people! Since they cant serve full time missions they do service at various places in boise for at least 6 months!