This week has been such a great week, we started this week by tracting
(knocking doors) with our ward mission leader and another member. I
was with the other member and Elder Lintusaari was with the ward
mission leader, it was some quite a good night, we had managed to set
up 8 appointments all together, the member I was with and myself
tracted around where our Bishop lived, Bishop Smith. We even managed
to set up an appointment with our Bishops next door neighbour. I value
the members in our ward so much, they help us so much. That night
myself and the member I was with even managed to teach a lesson to one
of our investigators. I love working with the members.
We have been focusing alot of our missionary work on our updated ward
list where we had identified active members, less- actives and recent
converts by colouring in the names of the members in three different
colours, we were able to try by many of the members on the ward list,
and I know that by using them the missionary work in this area has
been forwarded so much.
One of the best feelings a missionary is when children tell us that
they want to be like us when we they grow up. We have been visiting a
family called the Mainwarings, they are amazing and they have three
young children who aspire to serve missions someday. They love us and
when ever we pass we hear a loud shout "Missionaries" in young
childrens voices, the youngest is about a year old and whenever we are
about to leave she runs up to us to shake our hands. Being a role
model is one of the most gratifying feelings.
Growing and developing as a missionary is such an amazing thing, as
soon as you leave a lesson, you think "what could I have done better
in that situation?" you never stop analysing it and you keep growing
as a missionary, you keep growing as a person. During another visit
with John he asked: "Do miracles really still happen?", in this day
and age it is so hard to recognise miracles, we take advances in
science and technology as granted. John had been hospitalised for
alcohol problems for 4 times now, he had shared with us that the
doctors said that he should have died the first time he was in
hospital for alcoholism.
I had shared with him, how I knew that despite the amount of times he
had been in the hospital, and the times he should have died, he was
alive now and that was all that mattered. He acknowledged that he
being alive even now was a miracles and was soon grateful for us
pointing that out to him. I let him know that God gave him this chance
for a reason. To receive this gospel. I wouldn't have known the
experiences he has had if I hadn't have listened to him. Sometimes
more important than speaking, is listening. I know this for a fact.
Recently, Elder Lintusaari and I have pondered what the strength of
our companionship as missionaries is, by various investigators and
members we have received the nicknames "Good cop" "Bad Cop", Elder
Lintusaari says very Very VERY bold things, he gets the point across
so bluntly, he says what he thinks, he is nicknamed "Bad Cop", because
he is very blunt with the truth. I am nicknamed "Good Cop" because I
reinforce what Elder Lintusaari says immediately without a moments
hesitation. I reinforce what Elder Lintusaari says with a loving
demeanour.
I love using that phrase "we only say these things because WE LOVE
YOU!" I let our investigators know what I feel, because of this I am
nicknamed "Good cop" Elder Lintusaari and I are such a great teaching
companionship because of this, he says all the necessary things that
need to be said, I relate all the necessary feelings that need to be
felt. We are such a great companionship together!
I love you all, I know that this is his Church and that he lives, even
Jesus the Christ our older brother and our saviour.
Elder Sapaden.
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