September 16, 2009
Hello, hello, hello
Well, I was watching the CES fireside, because we had some recent converts there. I screamed when I saw Eric! When I found out Sister Dalton was talking I knew I had to watch. I love her talks. She always trys to throw some profound things into her talks, but in a way that, only the spiritually tuned in people grab what she is really trying to say.
Things are a little better. I am really just trying to be like the Savior. The Savior taught by example and then invited others to do the same. I invitedthe other missionaries in my house to wake up at six thirty with me. I never ever thought I would have to make goals with so many missionaries about basic things. They are a lot better now. I gave a training about Missionary Conduct at a zone conference. I talked about how this is the Lords' work and should be done the way the Lord wants it to be done. Then I asked, "If the Lord was a missionary, how would he act? How we he work?" They all said good things like ... he would be obedient, work hard, baptise, ect. I just wanted to look at them and say "Then why aren't you doing that?" But I just asked, "Are we doing that?" They all looked around . . . thinking . . . the spirit telling them to work, work, work. I then talked about how we need to correct people who are breaking rules and we can do this without fighting. We talked for a while and then an Elder that I live with lifted his hand and said something like this. "I think correcting someone should be done just like how Elder Perry corrected us at our house. He didn't come and talk to us wanting to fight or to show that he is more powerful, but just invited us to obey the rules." Then he said that I am always obeying the rules, so it was easier to take the correction rather than listening to someone who breaks the rules tell him he is wrong. So at least there was some progression this week. Right? I really hope that I will just continue to be strong and stand up for what is right, even if I stand alone, until others will start to follow my example. I have been able to notice small changes in the way some of the missionaries have been acting.
Well we had a baptism marked for last Sunday, but it fell through. These baptisms we are having are just blessings from the Lord because . . . in my opinion we are not working hard enough to deserve them. So Sat. night we showed up at the church and our baptism fell through. We had baptised a little boy named Thalyson and we talked with his brother about being baptised last Sat. However, I am kind of the traveling zone leader. We have to do 2 splits per week because our zone is so big and for some reason Pres. Jayme wants the zone leaders to do divisions. So every Tues. and Friday I am in a different area ..... THANK GOODNESS! Well anyway that leaves me with just Monday, Thursday and Sunday to work in my area because of preparation day and also on Sat. we just do interviews. So really just two days to prepare people for baptism. So Thalyson´s brother, Fabricio, was supposed to be baptised last Sat. but just kinda went under the radar and never got visited the entire week, except on Monday. I wonder why? Anyway Saturday gets here and he had not been visited, so who knew if he was still thinking about his baptism? He had been taught already, but I don't think it's wise to leave your investigators alone for such a long time because Satan is working hard always. I talked with my companion and he just said . . . leave it for next week. Well he showed up Sat. night and asked me if he was still going to baptized. I said yes, but that it was going to be Sunday after church. So pretty much the Lord is just being nice to me. I think he feels bad for me and is just helping me. I am actually enjoying standing up for what is right because I know I´ll just grow from this experience. I love serving the lord, even when it gets tough. "No matter how prepared we think we might be, there are hills on the course."
I love you all.
Elder Perry