Week 40...Hard Work = Miracles

March 10, 2014

1. How was your week?  What were the highs/lows?  This week was awesome!  A lot happened this week.  We’ve been working really hard to find people by talking to people on the street.  We spent a lot of time doing that and we found a few solid potentials and we have times set up later this week to meet with them.  So a high is we were able to do a lot of finding and there were fruits from our labors and the work is slowly starting to pick back up.  Another high is the weather is improving and the snow is starting to melt.  But…drum roll, the biggest high of the week was that TP showed up out of nowhere for the 3rd of hour of church yesterday…what???  We were supposed to be putting her on the back burner and haven’t talked to her for a couple of weeks.  Both Elder B and I were both shocked to see her there.  We had a good visit with her after church and it sounds like she is really trying to get involved with church again (she's an inactive member).   She seems much happier now because she found a job and is not sitting around the house all day doing nothing.  On top of that, Mandy and Lee (daughter and future SIL) want to start meeting with us again and we have an appointment with them tomorrow night.  The best news of all is that we found out  that Lee is off his probation.  Remember previously that he was going to be on probation until 2045.  So now we can actually go somewhere with them.  Another high was I got to give a talk in church yesterday (yes, I said a high).  That is the first time in 9 months that I have given a talk in church and it went well.  The biggest problem was I didn't find out until Thursday night that I was giving it.  So that made it a bit crazy to try and plan/prepare for it.  The topic I was given was Alma 34:32-34 (see the reference below).  I mailed a hard copy of the notes I wrote down and what the basis of my talk was.  I sent it off this morning so hopefully you get it soon.  The talk was great and I was happy to do it.  We did pick up a few other new investigators this week, I will explain about them below where you ask about investigators.  

 32 For behold, this ^alife is the time for men to ^bprepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of ^cthis life is the day for men to perform their ^dlabors.

 33 And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many ^awitnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not ^bprocrastinate the day of your ^crepentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the ^dnight of ^edarkness wherein there can be no labor performed.

 34 Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful ^acrisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say this; for that same spirit which doth ^bpossess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world.

2. Looks like your weather has been much better...how was the weather this week?  The weather has been great, it was warm and sunny for most of the week.  There were a few overcast & cold days, but for the most part it was in the 40's and low 50's.  But it looks like later this week the cold is back. .Has the snow started to melt?  Yes, it is completely melted in some spots, mostly on the south facing areas.  But there are still plenty of spots that are not melted. 
3. How are things with the investigators?
1. How did it go telling Claude?  We have not told him yet that we won't be able to play pool with him anymore. We talked to the lady that is in charge of us at the senior center and she said she would find other stuff for us to do.  It sounds like we may be doing stuff with a group of guys but I am not 100% sure exactly what we will be doing yet. 
2. What about  M (guy from Wisconsin)?  Well we have not really talked to him in a while and he has not been responding back to our texts lately.  So the other day we stopped by and his dad answered the door and said he was asleep because he was not feeling good.  I kind of feel like his parents are not hip on the idea of having us around or having him interested in the church. 
3. 11 yr old boy?  We try and set stuff up with him but he always flakes out.  But we at least have contact with him since he lives close.   
4. Kenya couple?  We have not really talked to them, they are still really busy.
5. New investigators?  We have a couple of new ones.  One of them is G.  He is an old former investigator.  His sister in law is a less active in the ward.  So he was taught the lessons a few years ago, but things kind of fell apart.  So we just started teaching him again and he seems pretty interested.  Another new one is a guy named J.  He is from Haiti.  The sisters actually found him, they were just going through some old phone contacts and got something set up with him.  He is in our area so we started teaching him.  He works with a member of the ward so that is how he found out about the church. 
6. How's the finding going?  It is going well considering that is what we spent a considerable amount of time doing this past week and the result is we are having a lot of success. Whether it be from old investigators or some new people that we have found over the week things are looking better for our teaching pool.   
7. How are the members?  They are doing well.  We still continue to try and visit them as much as possible and continue to build those relationships. 
4. Any mission news or meetings?  Just zone conference in Harrisburg next week. Also we have stake conference coming up here in a few weeks.  We’re looking forward to stake conference and it should be good because it is all about Hastening the Work of Salvation. 
5. What are 5 positive things from this week?  1) It’s staying light past 7 pm now.  2) I ate salmon this week.  3) Also giving my talk was awesome, I enjoyed it.  4) I learned to drive in the snow all by myself without having to text or call you after each occasion and I’m still alive J  Hopefully that’s behind me now though.
6. How's Elder B?  He is doing well.  We continue to build unity and a better relationship on a daily basis.  I continue learn a lot daily.  I think I’ve learned more in 9 months than I did in the past 19 years.  (mom note here…not sure how to take that last statement J  Either he was a slow learner, didn’t listen or is on an accelerated program now.  I like to think he’s on the accelerated program now.  As our good neighbor would say, “It’s not a training issue, it’s a performance problem”.  We’re thrilled that he’s thriving, growing and learning so much.  Some things you just have to learn for yourself.)
7. How are the new sisters?  They are awesome and we only have one new sister.  The new one seems to be good so far from what I've seen. 
8. What about the ZL's?  Zl's are awesome and we only have one new ZL too and he is great. 
9. Any service or singing?  No singing, but we still continue with our service. 
10. Any good stories?  Oh yeah you'll love this, I still eat asparagus when people make it and are you ready???   Yesterday we had salmon for dinner at a member’s house and   I sort of liked it.  It still would not be the first thing I would choose to make or eat, but I got it down and didn’t mind it.  I could do it again if necessary J 
11. What are you studying right now?  Are you reading the BOM again?  Just studying PMG and started the BOM over and I’m studying it with the study manual that you sent.  I just finished 2 Nephi this morning. 
12. Any spiritual experiences you'd like to share?  It enjoy reading the BOM and seeing and reading about all its references to our day and how it is translated for us and meant to be a guide for us in our day and for our lives.  I know it’s true and each of us can gain power and strength through reading and studying it each day.

     Well to answer your question of what I could use in the package, the answer is gum and some more Junior Mints.  Also, I watched those 2 videos you talked about they are amazing.  Pres. Uchtdorf’s Mormon message about Bullying…Stop It   http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/new-mormon-message-video-on-bullying-resonates-with-global-audience

https://www.lds.org/youth/video/bullying-stop-it?lang=eng

Also the link to Elder Holland’s message about The Prodigal Son https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2014-02-002-the-other-prodigal?category=mormon-messages/mormon-messages-2014&lang=eng

I don't know if you have read the March Ensign for this month but there is a story by Mrs. Tateoka’s husband about the day of the big earthquake in Japan (the Tateokas were the mission presidents in Japan during that time and Sis. Tateoka was one of Zach’s teachers at Reid school).  Here is a link if you have not seen it https://www.lds.org/ensign/2014/03/unshaken?lang=eng 

Well there you have it, my week was awesome!!!  I love you and miss you all. 

Love

Elder Muir