¡Hola Fonzfam!
We have had an incredible week full of crazy success and wonderful miracles! We found a couple new people to teach(we're referring them to YSA this Tuesday) and loads of potentials. For some reason people were way more open and receptive than they've ever been this last week. We're not complaining but because of the success of talking to so many different people who would like to learn more, the struggle has been how to keep everyone accounted for so we don't let them slip through the cracks. We're hoping that as the week progresses that we'll be teaching more and more in sit-down lessons. Only one guy was able to come to church because a member had picked him up. The other 4 or 5 that committed to coming had their own transportation, we're invited by a member at some point last week to come to church, but either just never showed up or had a last minute excuse. This is going to be a real focus for this upcoming week so that we can really start helping people work towards baptism.
We had a pretty cool experience with the Spirit once again last night. So we were OYMing a couple and during the OYM a guy was walking behind us towards the parking lot. I managed a wave to him before returning back to our conversation. A few minutes later we headed back to our car and we're pulling out when we both had an impression to go knock on a door that we had missed earlier. So we immediately reparked and got out. Before heading to the door we noticed that same guy earlier that I had waved at over smoking a pipe at his truck. We go over there and start talking with him(Steele) and we quickly learned that he isn't very religious because all of the "rules" that God has. We address his concern with relating how they help us be free from negative consequences and promised how obedience brings blessings. Then we were able to teach him the Restoration right there and the Spirit filled the conversation, especially as we said the First Vision. He opened right up and accepted a BoM and is willing to let us come back this Thursday before he moves. He's been going through some rough financial stuff recently and that day he had learned that he had to leave his apartment behind in a week. He said this message is what he needed and we promised him that it would for sure help. The funny thing was that we went to knock on that door that we were reminded of by the Spirit in the first place and nobody answered, so I believe that that impression was meant for us to have the opportunity to talk with Steele and provide a better outlook on his life and trials.
The question of the day is, "How to inspire others to fully commit to their God-given calling?" There are a couple Elders who have now gone over a month without placing one BoM on their own. Their faith seems to be fleeding, and when there is no faith there is no hope. With this idea we learn more from Moroni 10:22-23, "And if ye have no hope ye must needs be in despair; and despair cometh because of iniquity." Times seem difficult for these Elders. It's hard. I get that. It wasn't meant to be easy. So we're going to instill in them that faith because "...Christ truly said unto our fathers: If ye have faith ye can do all things which are expedient unto me." Isn't that awesome?! Christ said "all things," not "some things." This week their District Leader is going on an exchange, and so both he and his companion have an opportunity to work with faith. Between that exchange, zone conference this week, and an exchange with us the week after, these Elders are going to have the faith to baptize which will come from their desire to teach repentance to all of God's children.
In last week's reading of the Book of Mormon, we finished the book of Alma. In there we got a good taste of all the wars and contentions until peace was finally established for a little time. But now in Helaman we really see the consequences of the wickedness of the people. The prophets Samuel and Nephi did their best to teach repentance to the people before the coming of Christ, but it was a mighty work for them to do. In Nephi's situation, God gave him power to humble the people by a famine until they remembered their God and repented. But after they repented and began to prosper for some time, they quickly got prideful and contentious again. This just made me smack my forehead. The pride cycle can happen so fast and we see how it's destroying the Nephites. Throughout our lives we receive countless blessings from our Heavenly Father. We also receive countless trials as well. We should always of course be grateful for our blessings, but also our trials. As our lives go up and down on our own personal roller coaster, hold on to your testimony, hold on to your faith, and hold on to your Savior. Some loopty-loops will be big and others will be small, but as we always remember our God through those times He will bless us with the strength to endure to the end of the ride. I'm grateful for the many blessings He's given me and for His Spirit that leads and guides my life. I pray that you will all have this blessing in your lives as you keep His commandments. I love you and hope you make the most of these last couple weeks before school starts up again.
Love you all,
Elder Fonnesbeck
We have had an incredible week full of crazy success and wonderful miracles! We found a couple new people to teach(we're referring them to YSA this Tuesday) and loads of potentials. For some reason people were way more open and receptive than they've ever been this last week. We're not complaining but because of the success of talking to so many different people who would like to learn more, the struggle has been how to keep everyone accounted for so we don't let them slip through the cracks. We're hoping that as the week progresses that we'll be teaching more and more in sit-down lessons. Only one guy was able to come to church because a member had picked him up. The other 4 or 5 that committed to coming had their own transportation, we're invited by a member at some point last week to come to church, but either just never showed up or had a last minute excuse. This is going to be a real focus for this upcoming week so that we can really start helping people work towards baptism.
We had a pretty cool experience with the Spirit once again last night. So we were OYMing a couple and during the OYM a guy was walking behind us towards the parking lot. I managed a wave to him before returning back to our conversation. A few minutes later we headed back to our car and we're pulling out when we both had an impression to go knock on a door that we had missed earlier. So we immediately reparked and got out. Before heading to the door we noticed that same guy earlier that I had waved at over smoking a pipe at his truck. We go over there and start talking with him(Steele) and we quickly learned that he isn't very religious because all of the "rules" that God has. We address his concern with relating how they help us be free from negative consequences and promised how obedience brings blessings. Then we were able to teach him the Restoration right there and the Spirit filled the conversation, especially as we said the First Vision. He opened right up and accepted a BoM and is willing to let us come back this Thursday before he moves. He's been going through some rough financial stuff recently and that day he had learned that he had to leave his apartment behind in a week. He said this message is what he needed and we promised him that it would for sure help. The funny thing was that we went to knock on that door that we were reminded of by the Spirit in the first place and nobody answered, so I believe that that impression was meant for us to have the opportunity to talk with Steele and provide a better outlook on his life and trials.
The question of the day is, "How to inspire others to fully commit to their God-given calling?" There are a couple Elders who have now gone over a month without placing one BoM on their own. Their faith seems to be fleeding, and when there is no faith there is no hope. With this idea we learn more from Moroni 10:22-23, "And if ye have no hope ye must needs be in despair; and despair cometh because of iniquity." Times seem difficult for these Elders. It's hard. I get that. It wasn't meant to be easy. So we're going to instill in them that faith because "...Christ truly said unto our fathers: If ye have faith ye can do all things which are expedient unto me." Isn't that awesome?! Christ said "all things," not "some things." This week their District Leader is going on an exchange, and so both he and his companion have an opportunity to work with faith. Between that exchange, zone conference this week, and an exchange with us the week after, these Elders are going to have the faith to baptize which will come from their desire to teach repentance to all of God's children.
In last week's reading of the Book of Mormon, we finished the book of Alma. In there we got a good taste of all the wars and contentions until peace was finally established for a little time. But now in Helaman we really see the consequences of the wickedness of the people. The prophets Samuel and Nephi did their best to teach repentance to the people before the coming of Christ, but it was a mighty work for them to do. In Nephi's situation, God gave him power to humble the people by a famine until they remembered their God and repented. But after they repented and began to prosper for some time, they quickly got prideful and contentious again. This just made me smack my forehead. The pride cycle can happen so fast and we see how it's destroying the Nephites. Throughout our lives we receive countless blessings from our Heavenly Father. We also receive countless trials as well. We should always of course be grateful for our blessings, but also our trials. As our lives go up and down on our own personal roller coaster, hold on to your testimony, hold on to your faith, and hold on to your Savior. Some loopty-loops will be big and others will be small, but as we always remember our God through those times He will bless us with the strength to endure to the end of the ride. I'm grateful for the many blessings He's given me and for His Spirit that leads and guides my life. I pray that you will all have this blessing in your lives as you keep His commandments. I love you and hope you make the most of these last couple weeks before school starts up again.
Love you all,
Elder Fonnesbeck
One of our districts did a free car wash this last week.
We gave church tours and BoMs to those waiting for their car to be washed.
It's berry time in Oregon they're EVERYWHERE! Blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, you name it.
After freezing them, they make for a great breakfast smoothie.
We we're teaching George one of his last new member lessons at his home,
and afterwards he wanted to show us his collection of reptiles and creepy crawlers.
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