Captain Moroni was a boss!

July 15. 2013

This week was a little bit more difficult to be honest. There were so many meetings that my companions and I had to attend that we had way less time to proselite and teach which is what I love to do! Because of that, less investigators went to church and less investigators are progressing this week which is a bummer.

We had a sweet Zone Conference this week though. The subject was "How to teach people, not lessons" and "How to begin teaching." President taught on how to teach people and not lessons and the Assistants to President taught on how to begin teaching. I definitely have lots of room to improve in these two areas. It's a learning process for sure. I loved the lessons the AP's gave. It helped me a lot to be able to think about what my companions and I should talk about right as a potential investigator lets us in their door for the first time. I'm definitely going to use those important tools as I teach new investigators in the future. The lesson that President gave really made me think how I can be a better and more effective teacher to our investigators instead of just focussing on the lessons that they need for baptisms. Also, sometimes when I focus on the investigators, I tend to only talk about their needs instead of teaching a lesson in PMG and at the same time, focussing the lesson on their needs and resolving their doubt or problem that they have. I'm now focused on combining the two concepts.

My companions and I put together a sweet ward activity on Saturday night....a talent show!! We had an incredible amount of success and it was a lot of fun. My companions and I did this really funny sketch of "a day in the mission field" with tons of funny scenes. It was pretty sweet. Everyone loved it!! We even used the song "YMCA" :) Bonus: Alot of investigators went and had a good time!

Investigator Update:

Viviana moved her baptismal date to the 26th and this day WILL be the day she gets baptized :). It's going to be cool to see an "eternal investigator" make the decision to get baptized and do it!!

Katherine, Esteban and Lissette are doing great. Esteban really wants to get baptized now and is having a lot of fun with the youth in our ward. He's playing soccer with us for the second p-day in a row...he says he has so much fun playing with the Elders.

Cristian went to church for the 5th time in a row and loves it. It's amazing to see his progress, change and desire to follow Jesus Christ more fully in his life.

My favorite scripture of the week is found in Alma 46:11-15. Captain Moroni was a boss!

11 And now it came to pass that when Moroni, who was the chief commander of the armies of the Nephites, had heard of these dissensions, he was angry with Amalickiah.
12 And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it-in memory of our god, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives and our children-and he fastened it upon the end of the pole.
13 And he fastened on his head-plate, and his breastplate, and his shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he called it the title of liberty) and he bowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band of Christians remain to possess the land.
14 For thus were all the true believers of Christ, who belonged to the church of God, called by those who did not belong to the church.
15 And those who did belong to the church were faithful; yea all those who were true believers in Christ took upon them, gladly, the name of Christ, or Christians as they were called, because of their belief in Christ who should come.

Highlights/Thoughts of the week:

I got lots of letters and the Fourth of July package this week!! Thanks for all your love and treats!!! You guys are always very creative. My companions are also VERY thankful :)

Pretty sweet "transformation Tuesday" picture of Tay from Legend Final Four to SUU!

Happiness is when Lissette drew a sweet picture found in the Plan of Salvation pamphlet we gave her and when we arrived later in the week said, "LOOK, LOOK WHAT I DID!"...it was really cool.

Ok, so I  had to transfer all my pics that I had to my pen drive since I filled up yet another memory card. I only have one left by the way if you wanna send me one more?

Well, I know I didn't write a bunch this week but transferring all my pics onto my pen drive was critical so I can have two copies. I never want to lose my mission pictures.

I hope you all have a great week and thanks again for all the photos you sent me!!! Sounds like you had a really fun family reunion in the mountains. It was fun to "see" the Michael Horsley family again...Lolo looks like shes grown alot and same with Sarah. It was great to see all the family pictures. Definitely a highlight.

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!

Love,
Elder Jenson