Some really cool things happened this week! I can't wait to hear everything about what's going on in Ya'lls lives. But, I'll just get to the great things, miracles that happened this week!
Mar. 9, Mon: Today was [Blacksburg] Zone P-Day.
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Back: Me, Elder Olsen, Elder Ward (Blacksburg YSA), Elder Boyd (Blacksburg
YSA), Elder Clawson (Blacksburg ZL), Elder Moses (Blacksburg ZL)
Front: Sister
Lively (Dublin), Sister Zsschoke (Dublin), Sister Erickson (Blacksburg Sister
Trainer Leader), Sister Francis (Blacksburg Sister Trainer Leader) |
We got together as a zone at the Blacksburg chapel and had a blast building unity and playing fun games. [The Radford Elders were not there, though].
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{Shades}
L to R: Sister Erickson (she came out with me for my transfer, and
is 5' 10") Sister Francis (going home this transfer with Elder Olsen), Me, Elder
Olsen |
Sister Guthrie signed up to feed us tonight. She's been doing really well, as we're helping her come back to church. She's single though, so we couldn't eat at her house without a male there. We were scrambling to find someone. But in the end, Brother Johnny Brown (the Branch's most recent convert) came up clutch! He's always looking to serve - such a great guy with a great testimony. We taught her the importance of having a testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith. She got really emotional, and it's so great to see her wanting to have the Spirit with her always.
Mar. 10, Tues: We spent the whole day walking, and trying people, and knocking doors. We found some good potentials, and saved a lot of miles because we didn't have to drive.
But, out here in Floyd, you get the country feel!
Mar. 11, Wed: We recently signed up to do service at this place called, "Angels in the Attic." It’s very similar to Desert Industries, except its run completely by volunteers, and a lot less organized. We spent the whole morning unloading, loading, and sorting through lots of stuff. I found a couple treasures! I talked to some good people, and had fun doing it.
After our scripture study class with Sis. McCormick, Bro. Hammond, & Bro. Witska, we had dinner with the Relief Society president’s less active daughter and her family. She and her husband have a "yours, mine, and ours" family, with six kids living at the house. So, a lot of potential for bringing a great family unto Christ. When we were giving our message about prayer, the husband didn't stick around, and neither did half the kids. So, we'll keeping working there.
Mar. 12, Thur: Last week, I got a call that I was invited to an "Extended Mission Leadership Conference." They decided to gather missionaries, but not all, to cover the cross-sections of the mission. So we had to wake up @ 4 in the morning to meet up with the zone leaders in Radford. Elder Higgins and I went with the zone leaders up to Charleston, while Elder Ballard and Elder Olsen worked the whole day in Radford. The meeting was absolutely great! Two staff members of the Missionary Department in Salt Lake came to speak to us. Bro. Jackman instructed us on preparing for using iPads in the mission. And Bro. Donaldson instructed us on planning more effectively, teaching more simply, and using a 8-minute lesson format to teach the Restoration. The purpose was to build a new culture in the mission.
Elder Caldwell also was invited to attend the Extended Mission Leadership Conference, so I was able to ask him how things were going in Beckley 2. So, Matt & Rebecca finally got married! So, it's now Matt and Rebecca Brownin! Matt is down to just 1 or 2 cigarettes a day! So, he's almost there! The Snuffer's have been snowed in, so they or the missionaries haven't been able to meet/go to church. Kevin and Deloris Hall, who I mentioned in previous emails, have read the Book of Mormon and come to know it's true! They have come to church and are on date for Baptism April 26! I always hear how fun it is to get updates from missionaries who serve in your previous areas, so this was my first experience!
On the drive back to Blacksburg, to avoid toll roads, we drove through Beckley on the 3 1/2 hour drive. (It was like Coming Home, going through Beckley! We drove right through my old area. The other Elders in the car probably got tired of me pointing out where all the members and investigators lived!) :)
Mar. 13, Fri: (Another Friday the 13th?) We had zone meeting this morning, so we stayed at Radford's apartment in order to save miles. The zone meeting was great; going over everything we learned in the Leadership Conference. The zone leaders often turned to me to help teach what we learned.
After zone meeting, Bro. Mike Fraizer, who works at Virginia Tech, took us out to lunch on campus. It's such a sweet campus! I was able to go the bookstore and buy a VT shirt.
We then contacted Sherwood, the Lafon's next door neighbor. Sherwood looks just like Uncle Si off Duck Dynasty! We contacted him with Caleb, and we were able to teach the 8-minute Restoration to him! It wasn't exactly 8 minutes, but using the format to teach simply really worked out. We brought up Baptism by the Priesthood Authority and he said it made sense! We picked him up as a new investigator and have a return appt. for Sunday.
After, we helped the Lafon's find some names to take to the temple for the Branch's youth temple trip tomorrow!
Mar. 14, Sat: Today was another great day. We had to push weekly planning back to Saturday. But, we were still able to get out and work, and found three new investigators today!
We found a really good potential as well, who we left the Restoration pamphlet with.
We found an 80+ year old couple named, Jim & Molly. They let us right in, and we had a Restoration lesson with them. They are both Methodist, but are both interested in learning about what the Mormons believe. Two new investigators!
Then we had dinner with the Sundberg's. We taught them the 8-minute Restoration, and invited them to pray for someone they could invite the missionaries to meet with for 8 minutes.
Then, the very last of the night, we were able to meet with Amos, who I have mentioned earlier. He cleaned up really good from when we last saw him. We picked him up as a new investigator and we were able to teach him the Restoration. It was kinda of difficult because his roommate, Orlando, kept interrupting, talking about how much he loved us missionaries, and we were “Angels Without Wings.” Amos brought up a couple concerns; saying he has already been baptized, and he thinks God is only a Spirit. But, he said he was coming to church tomorrow, as long as we found him a ride.
Mar. 15, Sun: We got Bro. Hammond to give Amos a ride to church. Amos enjoyed it and said he had to leave for work early, but he'd stay for all three hours next Sunday.
Sister Guthrie also came to church with her grandson. (WooHOO! 2 weeks in a row!)
The Jeppson's youngest daughter got baptized after church, so that was fun.
Alec, however, wasn't able to make it! Bummer!
The Lafon's had us for dinner, and then Caleb went with us again next door to teach Sherwood. He'd read the whole Restoration pamphlet, and so we were able to teach him the Plan of Salvation. He really understood the 3 Degrees of Glory, and we answered his question on God/Jesus being the same God. He says he's already been baptized, though, twice, so he feels that's good enough. He's always home, so he's real down to earth with us coming over whenever, but we have an appointment with him Thursday!
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| {Missionary Meal Calendar here in Floyd.....we don't go a day without!!!} |
So, we had a real good week! Four new investigators there at the end of the week, but I can see it continue to grow! It was really exciting, also, as I collected numbers from the district members, and then passed them on to the zone leaders; everyone had a certain excitement in them! Everyone is just pumped right now! We all get to hear from an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ on Saturday in Elder D. Todd Christoffersen, so we will be preparing all week for his words he has for us!
I would just like to invite all of you back home to pray and to ponder about someone who you could invite to visit with the missionaries for just 8 minutes, and see the miracles that come from it! Every member a missionary!
Love You All!
Love Elder Brenchley
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