This week has been pretty good. We spent the beginning of the week getting Elder Nordfors ready to go to Edinburgh and we had a nice dinner at one of our member family's home (from South Africa) on Tuesday. We got to teach a great spiritual lesson on the Restoration with a Nigerian family on Tuesday, as well. Their names are Youmi, Kemi, Timitayo, and Timitade. They are very active in a huge Nigerian Pentecostal church over here and in the UK, called Mountain of Fire. We explained the importance and need for the Book of Mormon, and they all agreed to read it pray about its truth.
The rest of our week was spent meeting with investigators and continuing to teach them. One of the biggest challenges we face with our investigators is that they don't keep appointments and they don't keep their commitments to come to church.
Friday is the day we have our branch missionary coordination, and this week we decided to change things a bit. A large obstacle we face in Galway is the members' drive to build up the branch, as well as their desires to magnify church callings and serve others. So instead of having a normal coordination where we waste time giving information about what we did during the week, and who we taught, we decided that it's time for more effort on the part of the members. We are starting to give assignments to branch leaders and beginning to convey more heavily the importance of member efforts in missionary work. Ironically, as we watched the Worldwide Leadership Training on missionary work yesterday, the Quorum of the Twelve agreed with our new drive. Without the effort of the members we spend time tracting, GQing, and trying by potentials when we don't have appointments. Our mission is much different than others.
Yesterday we had 7 investigators confirmed to come to church, and 2 showed up.
We can't really do anything about the choices of others, but we hope to continue to convey to those we are teaching that as they come to church they allow themselves to receive answers to prayers, as God recognizes the steps they are taking in faith to receive.
Someone I've been relating to and striving to emulate is Ammon in Alma chapter 26 in the Book of Mormon. Our mission is very similar to the land of Nephi, in that we do everything we can to convince others of the incorrect traditions of their fathers, and to testify of the joy that Christ's TRUE gospel brings! I have the drive to share the gospel every day because I am so amazed every day by the love of God I feel in my life, and that I can recognize in the entire human race! I glory at the complex simplicity of His Plan of Happiness and Christ's atoning sacrifice. I marvel at our God-given gift of freedom to choose, and its connectivity to the trials and blessings God outpours in our lives. I know the reality of the power of Satan, and I love the truth I know that God's work will not be interrupted -- that His all-powerful hand is the Grand Canyon compared to those pebbles of men that attempt to hinder His work.
How long can rolling waters remain impure? What power shall stay the heavens? As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri river in its decreed course, or to turn it up stream, as to hinder the Almighty from pouring down knowledge from heaven upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints. -Doctrine and Covenants 121:33
I have a conviction that God lives, and that He guides the work I am set apart to do. I know that trials come in our lives for our own benefit, and that if we endure them well God will bless us. As we testify of the divinity of Jesus Christ in all places of our lives, we allow the hearts of others to be touched, and for the Spirit of God to give witness to the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Thank you all for the prayers you give to missionaries around the world. I love you and I know that God does, too.
Till next week,
Elder Clement
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| "Elder Leonard and I" |
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| "The Currans and a dinner of deep-fried french toast we made for them" |
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