Weekly Update 22 April 2013

Hi Everyone!

This transfer has just flown by, next week is transfers so I'll be
e-mailing Wednesday to Thursday, it's scary to think that next
Transfers will be my last in the mission field. But, I'll make every
second count. It seems just like yesterday we just moved into Stoke
and started from scratch with nothing. Now, it's hard to find time to
teach everyone. We seem to be spread really thin and trying to be
everywhere at once.

Well, it's a good problem to have. We have been teaching so many
Slovakians this week. We found three new families to teach this week a
long with many other individuals.

A highlight of my week was finding a couple, Roy and Julia they have
been investigating for over 40 years. Perhaps even longer. They said
if missionaries ever came by ever again that they would become
"Mormons" it is pretty exciting, they seem to know everyone in the
ward already and they have quite the desire to help us out. They are a
lovely couple and honestly we don't know why they haven't been
baptised yet.

Sorry, for the short e-mail we have to go to teach people, a funny yet
ironic thing is that we don't even have a full preparation day
anymore, apart from short e-mails and some shopping we have to
sacrafice our preparation day time to go to teach people, they say
"Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven" it is very true, well
we have to go to teach some people. I love you all and if I were to be
completely honest I'll see you all soon enough.

Love you!

Elder Sapaden

Weekly Update 15 April 2013

What a Great Week!

I definately love my mission. It is an extremely scary thought to
think that I have less than two months to go. But I'm making every
second count, ever since we white washed Stoke (two and a half weeks
ago) we have been doing amazingly well.

One of the most difficult things that has happened to me is on my
mission where I was called upon to Whitewash train. This whitewash
including moving into a new flat never has been lived in, new area
missionaries haven't worked in, new keys to new flat, new phone, new
address, new area book with no investigators at all not even any
former investigators and to top it all off, also to train a New
missionary at the same time. It is a time where we were litterally
starting from scratch. It seemed like one of those secret missions
that starts off by opening a mysterious brown envelope.

It was one of the most trying times in my life, where I had depended
on everything that I had been taught in my whole life, one where I had
to rely on principles of Charity, dilligence, independance and
resilliance. I felt alone and on my own where someone was following me
all the time to look at my example to look at everything I was doing.

Something I learnt is the value of friendship, the value of picking
myself up even when I fall and stumble. As we worked harder and
harder, the area seemed to flourish. It came from a blank canvas with
nothing on it to one of the most spectacular sights I've ever seen. A
place where it became a model for hard work and elbow grease for
anyone that was looking from the outside. But more than that, it
became a symbol for overcoming, for desire and passion and never
giving up when the times get tough.

Since a two weeks and a half are going by, we have found and taught 35
new investigators, many of which are family units. The lord is
blessing us and angels are delcaring it unto many that the time of the
harvest of souls is nigh.

Many of my favourite interactions has been with the Phillipino
community here in Stoke. We are teaching so many Phillipino families,
they feed us weekly and just for a little over an hour it seems like I
am just back at home with my own family. It's easy to get caught up in
numbers, the goals, the key indicators. However, it is more important
to remember the individuals behind the pieces of paper.

Since two weeks and a bit, we have found many that have been able to
progress. We have some that are slowly working toward carrying a
Baptismal date. It is an exciting time in Stoke. Perhaps it has been
one of the most challenging times of my life, it has been a struggle
to stay positive recently and I've really been a "negative nancy"
about many things. Our Heavenly Father helps us develop the divine
gift of gratitude through memories.

Anything of great worth, requires great work, great sacrifice. Now two
and a half weeks later. Our once blank area book, is now stacked with
records of people. Our planners which were blank and hadn't contained
even one appointment are filled with too many appointments we struggle
to fit in Lunch or Dinner. Trust me, it's a good problem to have, once
a few days ago we tried our best fit in a weekly planning session
which usually lasts about 3 hours into 45 minutes. We had lunch in 10
of those minutes so we could go out to our many teaching appointments.

Infact, positivity can be reflected in many ways. Perhaps because we
have only had 2 dinner appointments while we have been here for 2 and
a half weeks we have had more time to teach. At this stage even if we
do have the rare pleasure of a dinner appointment in a week we would
struggle to fit it in.

Gratitude is the divine attribute associated with our hopes. Hope is
the petrol of our lives. Just like a car complains when it's without
petrol, so would we complain about everything if we did not have hope.
Once that hope is used as the driving force, the force and power by
how we move forward with the wheels of faith. The gratitude comes from
appreciating how smooth the ride is.

This week I got to play piano at Church. I notice that the wards in
which I am involved muscially incuding sacrament meeting, they are the
wards that we usually get more dinner appointments. I'm not playing
for money, I'm playing for the members. It puts a whole different spin
on our relationship. This week we taught 29 lessons, a week with 15
lessons is a very good week.

Just like Stoke become a symbol or a token of overcoming for me, I too
pray that we can make our lives a symbol or a token for overcoming. In
the scriptures it speaks of becoming. "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"

However, we must remember as King Benjamin points out, Becoming is Overcoming.

With Love,

Elder Sapaden

Weekly Update 2 April 2013

What a week!

15 new investigators in 3 days, we have hit the streets of Stoke hard.
It has been miracle after miracle. Our first Sunday in Stoke, we had
an "on-the-spot" musical item, here we have Church services from
2pm-5pm, really weird. Before hand we had lunch with the Bishop, I
shared with him that in Bolton on the second sunday I had a musical
item, he commented "we can beat that" I didn't really take notice to
it. I told him that Elder Sutton, one of my previous companions was
serving in the Newcastle ward (we share the Newcastle Chapel), just
after sharing our introductionary testimonies whilst walking off the
stand bishop, pulled me to the side and asked me if Elder Sutton was
still in the Building. I called Elder Sutton, who was at the time
lying on his couch in his flat having lunch and told him to be at the
Chapel in less than 5 minutes. 5 minutes later and a very surprised
Elder Sutton with me at the piano presented on my first sunday in the
Stoke ward a well presented version of "Come thou fount, of every
blessing" just as we did about 9 months previous when we were both
serving together on the Isle of Man.

It was unpractised and it has been for over 9 months, but we performed
together again just like we did yesterday. Bishop definately broke my
record. First Sunday in a new ward, musical item. With 5 or so minutes
of warning, impressive, eh? It was as flawless as it was 9 months ago.

Another Miracle! My first Sunday, a Phillipino family who hasn't been
quite so active in the Church showed up. They welcomed me as a fellow
Phillipino, invited us around for a Dinner appointment and referred us
to her niece who has been going to Church pretty regularly, hasn't
received missionary lessons, and to be honest we don't know why she
hasn't already been baptised. Miracles. Apart from that we already
have 3 progressing investigators and it has been less than a week we
have been here. One Chinese, one african and one english.

The Bishop has been very supportive, infact, he let us help him give a
presentation on the Public affairs side of Mormon.org last Sunday,
where members walked away from Church with a new sense of
determination and new copies of the Book of Mormon to give away to
friends.

I love Stoke, the miracles, don't seem to stop. My companion is from
Lindon, Utah, if you were wondering "why the subject line?" He is
doing great.

Sorry, it's short. Life is hectic.

Love you all!

Elder Sapaden

Weekly Update 28 March 2013

Hello!

Well, I'm in Stoke On Trent. If you couldn't tell by the subject line.
Let's rewind, shall we?

Runcorn is such a good place, this transfer has been hectic. We have
27- 30 new missionaries in the mission with only 2 going home. My
experience this past few days, can be summarised in the word "new"

New flat never has been lived in, new area practically untouched, new
keys to new flat, new phone doesn't even have a regular missionary
number, new address, new area book with no investigators at all not
even any former investigators and to top it all off. New missionary.

I've been called to "White- wash train" my new companion is Elder
Christiansen. He is from Lindon, Utah, he is fresh out of the MTC,
yesterday we taught his first lesson, gave his first Book of Mormon
away, we knocked his first door and met the Ward Mission Leader and
Bishop for the first time. This twist is, I know the area as well as
he does. Another interesting fact to point out is. That he is one of
the missionaries the new missionary policy has affected in America. He
is 18 and isn't going to be 19 for a long time.

A postive highlight we have experienced, is we have a very, very, very
nice missionary flat. 2 Bathrooms, 2 toilets, two showers, very nice
kitchen, new furniture. This morning we had breakfast which consisted
of tinned boiled vegetable and tinned lamb curry. It was so new our
cutlery was in plastic bags along with our new pans. New beds, new
pillows, new duvets. New.

I understand James Knight has served in Stoke. The great thing is I've
been comforted by the fact that Elder Christiansen and myself are
litterally starting from scratch. Indeed it was a scary thought to
receive a new address, where I have no clue to get their with my new
companion with both my luggage and his, in the middle of Manchester.
It seemed like one of those secret missions that starts off by opening
a mysterious brown envelope.

But I am Stoked, for Stoke. We were comfortable leading the mission in
probably almost every way from Runcorn, we taught more than anyone
else, we left the area with 3 investigators lined up for Baptism even
though we came in with nothing. I really don't like white washing but
it is my 3rd time I've white washed and am pretty accustomed to all
the stresses associated with it. It was funny to note that I've never
whitewashed with a new missionary or sort of opened a brand new area
with one either. We were always replacing previous missionaries
efforts. However, I suppose when we came into the Runcorn area, we
equally had nothing when we came in aswell.

Stoke reminds me of Bolton, we have a lot of people here, a lot of
different ethnic groups and a lot of interesting interactions, so far
this week I've been damned to hell by a fellow christian, had quite
interesting encounters with the opposition and knocked on a home with
guard dogs. Missionary Life, eh? Oh, and it feels like forever ago
since then, but last Saturday we had a Baptism.

Jess got Baptised, the Baptism was great, it was very hectic, because
we had a Blizzard in Runcorn, where it was a literal "white-out" we
had to shovel the snow for 2 hours before the Baptism and after 10
minutes of shovelling you are already tired, some people were stuck
and couldn't get out of the house it was so bad, but she got Baptised.
It was so frozen the Boiler in the Church broke so she got Baptised in
cold water.

I sure love my mission!

Elder Sapaden

Weekly Update 18 March 2013

Hello!

 

Just to reinforce my new e-mail policy I thought I would type it up:

 

ADJUSTED MISSIONARY E-MAIL POLICY: We received the following policy change from the Missionary Department: "Missionaries are to write to their families each week and are also authorized to communicate by email with friends, priesthood leaders, and new converts. Mission presidents should allow sufficient time on preparation day for missionaries to write emails and letters. While in the mission field, missionaries should receivce authorization from the mission president before entering into communication, including via email, with converts and others of the opposite gender within the mission boundaries"

 

Send me an e-mail. You know you want to. jared.sapaden@myldsmail.net

 

 

This week has been a great one, I felt happy today to sign in to my e-mail and discover a vast number of e-mails from friends. Keep them coming.

 

There really is no mercy here in Runcorn, it's a great feeling to be busy, but I'm pretty worn out my companion wasn't here with me from Tuesday - Saturday, I like to joke with him when he gets back always asking him "so, how was your holiday?" but it's nice to be away I suppose, I stay in Runcorn with the other missionary because he doesn't have his license yet. But, hey I'm not complaining I have the Car with me all the time and all we do here is teach and speak to scousers. I wouldn't trade it for a holiday to the Isle of Man.

 

We have a Baptism this Saturday, it is quite exciting, I love Baptising it is a good feeling knowing that as missionaries we are here to harvest. I don't fully agree with the "I'm a missionary sowing seeds" mentality, I don't know about you, but I'm here to Harvest.

 

This week we gave trainings to about 60- 70 missionaries, it was quite fun, we got a lot of explosions involved, mentos and coke, baloons and even a pre- easter egg hunt. I loved this week, I was on exchange with a former companion, Elder Lamb and we had a lot of fun. We had an investigator pass a Baptismal interview.

 

We went on two proper exchanges and even had time to work with two companionships of Sister missionaries aswell as tearing it up in Runcorn.

 

Here's the miracle off the week:

 

On Thursday I just felt that I needed to go help out the Sister Missionaries in a previous area that I had served in called Chester. However, I wasn't with my companion, I was on exchange, so we were on exchanges and we went to help other missionaries out, it was quite a weird situation, the spirit had told me I needed to be here in Chester but I didn't know why. Intially we visited a former investigator that I taught when I was in Chester, she was pretty good. The sister missionaries had asked us to give one of their other investigators a Priesthood Blessing, so we said we could help. This other investigator had pro -actively called the ward in the area about him receiving a Book of Mormon 6 months prior and had referred himself to the missionaries because he lost contact with the missionaries 6 months ago. We came by, the miracle was that the missionary I was with was the one that had given this particular investigator the Book of Mormon 6 months ago. We were in the right place, at the right time, I even brought the right person with me although we hadn't planned it. The same missionary that had given their investigator the Book of Mormon 6 months ago gave him a priesthood blessing this week, it was quite symbolic. Definately pay attention to those spiritual promptings it was a faith building experience for everyone.

 

With Love,

 

Elder Sapaden

Weekly Update 11 March 2013

Hello!

 

Runcorn is a "four dimentional" experience, along with capturing my heart, might, mind and strength it seems to have leaked into my soul. Even my dreams are very much missionary investigator focused. We have taught 30 lessons this week and I have experienced the joy of sacrafice. How is love shown in missionary work? I would reply: Consecration, it is the only surrender which is also a victory. When we withhold nothing and give absolutely everything, we come back to the flat, tired, drained and when I hang up the phone and sit on our couch, most of my evenings are spend vegetating. I don't even want to think. It just builds my capacity the next day, just like growing muscles we need to destroy and tear and break down the muscle before we are able to grow again. I am absolutely coverted to this principle. After the couch, I have to get together enough strength to crawl into bed.

 

Something I also love is doing things for the right reasons, I do not teach to "lead the mission" or because of any other principles, it is really fun to see other missionaries think that, "if I work hard on my mission Heavenly Father will bless me with an attractive wife" that is completely the wrong reason to work. However once the lifestyle of hard work is performed, if it ever comes to an end, it is quite amusing to think, if the principle was true: what would my spouse look like? But it must not be the motivation.

 

This week we have travelled from Birkenhead, to Manchester to Liverpool to Chester, there really is no rest for the wicked. Perhaps if you remember our miracle investigator who shared her testimony last sunday. This week she asked me: "will you come back from London when I am Baptised?" to which I replied something around the lines of I will actually be here to witness it. The only thing preventing her at this curent time to be Baptised is her surgery on the 19th. She has medical issues. It was amusing that lesson with her, she taught us the Gospel of Jesus Christ, why repentance and Baptism are necessary, she is just so ready.

 

Well... here is a piece of quite exciting news, missionary policy has changed... anyone can e-mail me from now on (except recent converts of the opposite sex living in the mission boundaries) but absolutely everyone! Get this e-mail around! E-mail me at: jared.sapaden@myldsmail.net

 

I'm expecting 50 e-mails next week. That is faith, huh? It is snowing outside so I'm going to enjoy that!

 

With Love,

 

Elder Sapaden

Weekly Update 4 March 2013

Hello!

 

It is once again that time of the week and I am catching a Tan, it is quite sunny here it's very strange for the northern part of England, what is even more weird is it hasn't rained since Transfers, about 2-3 weeks ago. I don't to spoil the wonderful luck we are facing but I hope it continues.

Yesterday was one of the best fast and testimony Sundays ever, since this transfer we are building up, we have just received two new ward missionaries and we have the whole ward on our side. One of our ward missionaries has better skills than some missionaries in the Zone. He has been dilligently stidying Preach my Gospel and has mastered many teaching skills, he asks great questions, follows-up on the last lesson we had, he shares personal experiences and bears and always shares his testimony, he invited other non - members to lessons, he helps find people for us to teach and he turned to our investigator and commited him boldly "will you read the Book of Mormon for 10 minutes a day? Will you try that?" after finding out that he had not read this week. The amazing thing is that this particular ward missionary has made this transformation since we have been here, when we took him fellowshipping for the first time, he had no clue of what to say. He is in his 60s and when he isn't with us (he is with us everyday, for a few hours) he is in the Library doing family history.

 

Yesterday, our two new ward missionaries and various other members we had asked to help us out in our weekly missionary work which was many individuals so many that I cannot put a number on it shared their experiences with missionary work that week, they shared their testimony on this work and they encouraged others to do so. What brought me to tears was when our investigator that we brought to Church, only her second time at Church, she got up and shared her own testimony, which included her own personal conversion and her testimony of missionary work and she is not even a member. We shared our testimonies about the wonder of missionary work and currently have the ward all fired up to serve.

 

This week we painted some fences for members, a nice green spray which I would argue 1/3 of it went on my clothes. We taught about 30 lessons this week and we had 10 of them with investigators with members helping us to do the teaching. Never has there been a time on my mission where I have been so involved with the members. We have had tea appointments everyday and all we have to do is call auxilliary leaders such as the relief society president or the elders quorum president and they will make all the necessary arrangements for fellowshippers for us. Part of me is convinced that this is Zion.

 

We have been quite busy aswell, travelling between Rhyl, Liverpool and Birkenhead (the wirral) this week. It is quite busy, this week I was asked was it hard serving in my home country? I would have to say no, the temptation to slacken off and to mess about is their, but you learn to give it no heed. It was quite frightening to see advertised £7 for Liverpool to London on a train, but I love this place too much to care.

 

Something I am proud of accomplishing this week is only doing 1800 miles this month. We usually do about 1900-2100 miles per month, I'm happy for our planning but a good reason is perhaps that there is only 28 days this past Febuary. We had a lot at Sacrament meeting, we have worked a lot with less- actives and many families came out this sacrament meeting we had 130+ in attendance. I love my mission.

 

With Love,

 

Elder Sapaden