My week was full of ups and downs!
Our hearts both sank when we read the message
So, firstly, a bit of an update on J_ and M_. We went and taught them the Plan of Salvation this week. J_ prepared us a mean physical feed, and then we delivered a mean spiritual feed. They had some wonderful questions, and the Spirit was definitely present. We were all edified, and we are confident that they are feeling more and more that our message is true.
That was what we felt until last night. We had previously invited them to church, and they said they would try and make it. When they didn't make it to church, we texted them and just checked up on things. We got a reply back that they really enjoy our company and stuff, but they are happy living an agnostic life style, and don't want to join our church. Our hearts both sank when Elder Kerr and I read the message. Oh well! To gather the elect we'll go!! I have been fairly lucky on my mission to not have been dropped by heaps of investigators, mainly just rejected on the outset. But it's okay. These things are for experience and help me to grow!
Young and so innocent
There was some excitement in Dapto ward this week! There is a Maori part-member family that had 3 kids get baptized. One of my responsibilities as a district leader is to interview the baptismal candidates of those in my district, so I got to go down and do a power trade-off with Elder Janes to do the interview. There was an 8 year old, 9 year old, and 12 year old that got baptized. These three sisters are the sweetest little things I have ever met! So innocent, and excited for their baptisms! I learned a lot from their absolute trust in their parents, and in the missionaries. They asked some really cute questions during the interview. For example, one asked "But what happens to those people that don't get baptized? Why do I get to do it and they don't? Isn't that not fair?" I reassured her of the Love of God, that He loves all of His children, and provides an opportunity for all to embrace the gospel, in this life or the next. The response brought so much relief. I wish I could be that young again, and so innocent! With such pure desires to do good, and be obedient, and so much love and concern for everyone else in the world!
Due to that experience, and other experiences, I was inspired to study about becoming like a child. I found some neat verses in the scriptures to supplement my studies. Without going out of my way, in my normal Book of Mormon reading I read 3 Nephi 9:22 "Therefore, whoso repenteth and cometh unto me as a little child, him will I receive, for of such is the kingdom of God. Behold, for such I have laid down my life, and have taken it up again; therefore repent, and come unto me ye ends of the earth, and be saved." Jesus Christ died for us, so that we can all become innocent and pure, as a child. Further instruction on the process of becoming like a child is found in Mosiah 3:19 "For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father." Those were the things that I saw in those young girls. They had yielded to the enticings of the Holy Spirit. They came before the Lord (his representative) so submissively, meekly, and all of the attributes taught about in these verses. It is laid before us. We must hearken to the Spirit, and rely on the Atonement to help change our nature and refine us, so that we can be as these little children the Savior so often speaks of. Additional light came from studying 1 Pet. 2:1-3, and Matt. 18:3-4.
Members, find opportunities to get the missionaries around your friends in a casual way!
Saturday morning, we got a call from our ward mission leader with a special request. He asked us to come along and help him do some service, so that we could meet his friend he wanted us to start working with. We showed up at the designated location (a house owned by a friend of Matt H. that no one lives in and needed cleaning etc.) and there we met a super cool guy named A_. He is the man! Matt and A_ have been friends for a number of years, since they worked together for a short period of time. We had a good time working together, having a few laughs and getting to know A_ better. What was really neat was how A_ began to ask questions about the church, simply because we were present. he asked some awesome questions, and all three of us gave some awesome answers. A_ was comfortable speaking with us because we met him with the mutual relationship of Matt. If we would have knocked on his door, he probably would have slammed it. But the member doing the inviting, and most of the teaching in such a casual way really opened A_ up so that he could ask some sincere, soul-searching questions! We hope to be able to work more with him in the future. Moral of the story; Members, find opportunities to get the missionaries around your friends in a casual way! That will help the church come up very casually and comfortably in conversation, and opportunities to teach that would have otherwise been passed, will arise!
Mission Conference with Brad Wilcox
The climax of our week was a mission conference with Brad Wilcox, who came to Sydney for a time out for women thingy. He is the man!!!!! He taught us the doctrine of us being in the latter days and having a "Birthright", with which comes added responsibility, which eventually led to us being on missions. He was accompanied by Sandra Telixytyuiyu or something, a gal that sang on Broadway, and her husband who both shared wonderful thoughts. Sandra Teloiuweryiouw sang us a couple musical items, which were beautiful! (parent note: we think this must be Sandra Turley) It was soooo cool to be there, and I got the added treat of seeing some missionaries who are going home this week. Elder Anderson for example. And Elder Naidu. I caught up with Elder Tuua. I miss those guys! Not to mention about a quarter of Campbelltown 3rd ward, because the conference was at that chapel, right after they finished their meeting.
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| Elder Anderson and Larsen - farewell Elder Anderson |
I love every minute of serving the Lord!!
So yes. A long week. Lots happened. But I love every minute of serving the Lord!! It is amazing! It is exhausting. It is the best thing that I have ever done for my life.
Hey Ez! Get better, okay buddy? I don't like when my bro is sick! I think there are yoyos in Australia, but I am not sure!
Hi JJ! Well, in my mission, there are.....6+6+7+9+5+3+5 wards/branches. Pretty sure I didn't miss any!
Everyone is growing up! Good to hear you are all alive and whatnot!
Love you guys heaps!!
Elder Larsen
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