This week we did a lot of searching
and trying new things so that we can get some more people to teach, which
is hard because nobody works in Coachella so most of their friends either live
out in Indio or Thermal or the other side of Coachella which we don't cover.
And well a lot of the people here are members of another
church, but not really practicing. A lot of them don't go to church or
really do the things they say they believe, they are following tradition
and they don't really want to listen to us. They say they already have
their religion and they don't want to listen to what we have to say.
We are just asking people to listen and then decide. So it’s kind of hard
but we are working on it. On the bright side we had a really exciting thing
come out of all this searching.
We decided we needed to try
something new. So we decided to go Area Booking. The Area Book is a binder where we
keep all our records about the area we are working in. It has the ward list,
map of the area, and some other things. The "Progress Record" which
is where we record who we are teaching each week, what they were taught, what
they need. We have the "Teaching Record" which is where we record
what we teach people on an individual level. It has space for notes and info
about the people and past appointments. So Area Booking is this: when we
go into the Potential or Former Investigator Section and we pick some of the
people and go visit them. So that's what we did. The first house we went to we
made contact with the lady on the record and we talked to her for about 20
mins. We testified and taught and the Spirit was there with us and we invited
her to pray to know if the Book of Mormon (which she had read already) was
true. And we promised her that if she
prayed sincerely and with a real desire to know the truth that she would
receive that confirmation, that feeling of peace and comfort and warmth, from
the Holy Spirit. We put it into her hands. We invited and that's all we can
really do. So we'll see what happens when we go back this week.
This former investigator
happened to live across the street from a less active member of our ward that
we had never met. We saw as we were leaving the formers house, the family going
into their own house so we decided to go and knock the door and we did and we
met the grandpa and we found out that his daughter, the member, gets off at
work around 6 so we are definitely going to go back and visit them this week.
And finally the last like really
exciting thing is... (Drum Roll Please) We have a new investigator!! So a girl
named Julie in our ward had like a "Gospel Party" and she invited a
bunch of her non-member friends over and all the missionaries and we just hung
out and talked and played like group games. I think I've already talked about
it. But one of the kids there was named Abraham. (Ah-bram(bram rhythms
with ham))(For if you want to say it like we do) He is about 17 and he is a
really cool kid. But he is the only one that had any questions about the church
and what missionaries are and so we went over and talked to him and had a
lesson. It was mostly a get to know him because we didn't really have much
prepared. Something that morning had messed with our study times. But the
lesson was good. It’s tough because well I've never taught any of the lessons
before. Because we just haven’t had any investigators this whole time we've
been here. Well other then Juan. But really I've had
no practice. So that was really throwing me off. Because Elder C said I was in
charge and I'm like "...fine". I had no idea what I was doing but we
managed to get through it. Hopefully I'll get better as I muddle my way
through.
We did a bike day and that was pretty good. I was dying. I'm
so out of shape, 30 minutes really isn't enough time, and there isn't really a
way to do much cardio. But I'm going to keep working at it and see if I can get
myself back into shape. The funny part is I still haven't gained any weight.
I'm just getting weaker.
Yesterday we all came back to the
house after dinner because one of the 4 of us wanted a blessing. To help him
have energy and focus. And then another of us asked for one too for similar
things. And we all ended up receiving blessings, I had been feeling I needed
one for a little while and this was a good opportunity. But the Spirit and the
peace and energy we felt in our apartment was just incredible. I don't have
words to describe it. It was like a great burning in my chest and I just felt
at peace and I felt comfort and it was exactly what I needed to hear to help
me. Now we are all crazy energized and ready to have a really good strong
transfer and we feel like we are doing the things we are supposed to so we are
happy.
Well that's the email for the week. I
hope everyone has a good week and is successful in their endeavors. Make
good choices! Remember who you are and that you have a purpose. Your Heavenly
Father Loves You and wants You to be Happy. Read the Book Of Mormon Everyday
and through its pages you will be able to feel the Love and Guidance from your
Heavenly Father. Pray every Morning and Night and you will be able to have the
Spirit and know what You and supposed to Accomplish. I Know this Church is True
and that Joseph Smith was a true Prophet et of God. I Know that through him the
Church that Jesus Christ Established while He was on Earth was Restored again
to the Earth with all the same Power and Authority. I Know that the Book Of Mormon
is True and that through Studying it we can Draw Nearer to God. I Know that I
have a Purpose and that Heavenly Father has a Plan For Me and because of that I
Don't have to Worry. I say these things in
the name of Jesus Christ, Our Brother, Our Savior, and Our Redeemer. Amen.
Have A Blast in the SNOW!!!!!
Love,
Elder Zachary Gore