The Rain Leads to New Contacts

Hey Y'all! 

It is good to be a missionary!  It is good to be alive!  It is good to be a part of the true Church of Jesus Christ!  Life is truly good! 

This week: 

Mon. March 14:  P-Day.  

We had dinner at the Gundlach's.  Brother Gundlach's daughter and son-in-law were there.  Brother Gundlach had me convinced they were non-members, so the whole time I was trying to teach them bits of the Gospel. Then his son-in-law said he went to Utah State and served a mission in Hungary.  Oh....

We got caught in the rain, and I needed to use the restroom, so we ran inside the Advance Auto Parts. We were able to talk to a real nice lady there, and teach her about the Church.  She lives in Salem, but we were able to pass her on to the Salem 2 Elders.  If it wouldn't have been raining, we wouldn't have found her....because why would bike Elders go into Advanced Auto Parts?  ;)

Tues. March 15:  We had Specialized Training meeting today - it was an excellent follow up from past meetings; I felt very blessed to be a part of this training.

We had a good lesson with Garrett, with Brother Tourville there joining in.  Garrett read the Plan of Salvation pamphlet and we were able to go over that really simply. 

We biked to Myra & Roxanne's.  On the way there, Elder Jolley went headfirst into a metal curb; it destroyed the tire and the wheel.  He's still getting the hang of things!  We were able to make it to Myra and Roxanne's, where their cousin, Brother Frankie Rosser came with us.  He bore a powerful testimony of his conversion.  He was in tears, and Myra and Roxanne were really touched by that. 

Bishop Williams took all the missionaries to Longhorn Steakhouse (for our monthly dinner appointment with Bishop) - good steaks!

We went to Jamie's house (remember her?  We played basketball with her kids, and we've had to reschedule a couple of times.)  Well, we caught her husband, Jim outside.  He told us we'd just missed her and the kids, but we talked to him outside for like 15 minutes.  Then Jamie and her daughter, J-Ana rolled up and got out.  She yelled, "Do y'all want to come in?"  It was awesome; we were able to teach the three of them The Restoration.  They had so many good questions! 

Wed. March 16:  We did exchanges with the Salem 1 Elders.  Elder Young is now the District Leader, and he had Elder Jolley come to Salem with him, and his new companion, Elder Hepworth, come with me.  Elder Hepworth is from Blackfoot, Idaho (but doesn't know one of my past companions, Elder Boyd, who just went home).

We had a lesson with Brother Nate Henegar and were able to emphasize the importance of the Book of Mormon.  We also ended up talking to his neighbors right downstairs, and they were cool guys. 

We were out trying a referral, who wasn't home, but right across the way we started talking to these people outside.  One of the ladies was really interested named, Saprina.  It turns out she was a former investigator who was taught by my Blacksburg zone leaders (Elder Moses and Elder Clawson) when I was in Floyd!  We were able to start teaching her again and she's so interested in coming closer to God, and feeling the way she felt while she was meeting with the other Elders.  The cool thing is; Elder Clawson is now the new Roanoke zone leader (and lives with us).  He was way pumped and was able to give us so more information on her. 

We had a really good dinner at the Cowling's.

We had Ward Missionary Coordination meeting also. 

Thur. March 17: St. Patrick's Day!  

We did our weekly planning. 

Marion cancelled on us.  :( 

We did have a lesson with Brother Lloyd.  He's going to be in the temple prep class, so we talked to him about that.  

Brother Dion came with us to see Susan.  Brother Dion was really a knowledgeable man!  He has a good conversion story that he shared with Susan.

Fri. March 18: 

We had a BBQ at the Laymon's house, and they invited Johnathan and Courtney over!  It was tons of fun, with plenty of good food.  And we had a lesson on keeping commandments.  Courtney has actually been reading the Book of Mormon every single day for 5 minutes! Woo!  

We had a lesson with the Bell's. Sister Cummings, the Relief Society president, came.

 

 

Sat. March 19: 

It was raining, and we started out walking in the rain, but then we took the bus.  We were able to talk to people on the bus, and I talked to a guy named, Steven, and got his phone number and address!  

Myra and Rebbecca weren't feeling well.

 

Brother Caen came with us to Brother Tourville.  Brother Caen was trying really hard to get Gary to come to church or the devotional on Sunday night, but Gary was being stubborn.

 

We had a good dinner at the Village Grill; it's right by our house and everyone has been recommending it to us.

 

We helped this couple named Daniel and Danielle (can you imagine?) push their car out of the mud in their back yard.  Don't ask me why they got their car stuck in the mud in their back yard.  They were so appreciative and asked us to come back and preach to them. 

Sun. March 20: 

I spoke in church today; I spoke on Living to your Full Potential.  I used Preach My Gospel to teach the Plan of Salvation, and Dieter F. Uchtdorf's talk, "Your Potential, Your Privileges." 

But no one came to church (as far as people we are working with).

 

We went and saw the Mclaughlin family.

 

We had the Fireside/Devotional.  It was an alright turnout.  We were really hoping to get some investigators, but none came.  We did get some less-actives to come! 

I really enjoyed preparing and giving my talk yesterday.  Here are some thoughts from it! 

I'd encourage y'all to check out the Mormon Message I used from President Uchtdorf: http://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/mormon-messages/your-potential-your-privileges-1

I know we have a lot of potential, and it is our choice to live to that potential and enjoy our privileges. We have our agency; it is our choice!  

Joshua 24:15

15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

It is our Choice, who we serve!  Therefore it is our choice if we live to our full potential!

  

2 Nephi 2: 27-28 

27 Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself. 

 28 And now, my sons, I would that ye should look to the great Mediator, and hearken unto his great commandments; and be faithful unto his words, and choose eternal life, according to the will of his Holy Spirit;

I hope we can continue to look to our Savior, the Great Mediator.  He wants to help us so much!  Through him, and his Atonement, we never need to worry if there is hope or not. Every day we live beneath our full potential and don't partake of our full privileges.  But because of the Atonement, we can always keep both in sight! 

I Love all of you! Love, Elder Brenchley

Sacrament Meeting Talk

Note: Given in the Buena Vista Ward, Sunday November 8, 2015

“How do I get Answers to Gospel Questions?”

By Elder Ryan Brenchley 

I’m so excited to talk today and pray the Holy Ghost will bear witness of truth here today.  I just wanted to bear a quick testimony on the blessing of studying words of the Lord’s anointed servants.  My testimony and knowledge has increased, as I took a little time to study Elder James B. Martino’s talk, “Turn to Him and Answers Will Come.”  The words of the living servants of the Lord that are found in General Conference and the Ensign are modern-day scripture.  I’ve been asked to talk on “How do I get Answers to Gospel Questions?”  As I mentioned, I was assigned the talk “Turn to Him and Answers Will Come” from Elder James B. Martino from this past October 2015 General  Conference.  I hope to share my thoughts and inspiration on how anyone of us can obtain the answers or help we are seeking, especially the simple Gospel truths that help us have a firm foundation of faith.  Elder James B. Martino states: “The Process begins with being converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”  We know the Gospel of Jesus Christ to be faith, repentance, Baptism, receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.

                President Uchtdorf said in this past conference, “This beautiful Gospel is so simple a child can grasp it, yet so profound and complex that it will take a lifetime—even an eternity—of study and discovery to fully understand it.”  I know that we can get answers from our Heavenly Father to Gospel questions.  Elder Martino also states: “Be obedient, remember the times when you have felt the Spirit in the past, and ask in faith.  Your answer will come.

                Continuing obedience allows us to receive answers. 1 Nephi 15: 10-11 reads: 

10 Behold, I said unto them: How is it that ye do not keep the commandments of the Lord? How is it that ye will perish, because of the hardness of your hearts?

 11 Do ye not remember the things which the Lord hath said?—If ye will not harden your hearts, and ask me in faith, believing that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments, surely these things [will] be made known unto you.

Obedience to the commandments is so essential to receiving revelation.  As we keep the commandments, we show our love for our Heavenly Father.

Next. Do you remember when you have felt the spirit in the past?  Remember those times.  Remember how good the Spirit felt.  Also remember the circumstances that led you to feeling the spirit.  I LOVE feeling the Spirit.  I know as I have sought for the Spirit, I had to turn to Him.  As I have done this, I have received answers to many Gospel questions.

I have found that one of the biggest questions, if not the biggest question, that anyone who might, who will, or who has joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is: “Is the Book of Mormon True?”  I know the Book of  Mormon is true.  I know there is such power in the Book of Mormon.  Brothers and Sisters, I have a testimony of this book!  Any Question or objection anyone has about the church, it’s doctrine, it’s beliefs, it’s stance, can all go back to whether the Book of Mormon is true.

President Ezra Taft Benson taught: “We are to use the Book of Mormon in handling objections to the Church. ..… All objections, whether they be on abortion, plural marriage, seventh-day worship, same-sex marriage, etc., basically hinge on whether Joseph Smith and his successors were and are prophets of God receiving divine revelation. …… The only problem the objector has to resolve for himself is whether the Book of Mormon is true. For if the Book of Mormon is true, then Jesus is the Christ, Joseph Smith was his prophet, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true, and it is being led today by a prophet receiving revelation. Our main task is to declare the gospel and do it effectively. We are not obligated to answer every objection. Every man eventually is backed up to the wall of faith, and there he must make his stand.”

Preach My Gospel also adds: Investigators [or anyone] must resolve for themselves their concerns and objections.  You can help as you focus them on what will strengthen their faith in Jesus Christ—reading and praying about the Book of Mormon.  When they strengthen their testimony of the Restoration, they will have the strength to overcome their objections and concerns.  As you answer concerns, remember that our understanding comes from modern prophets—Joseph Smith and his successors—who receive direct revelation from God.  Therefore, the first question for an investigator to answer is whether Joseph Smith was a prophet, and he or she can answer this question by reading and praying about the Book of Mormon.

So how do we receive the answer to: the divinity of the Book of Mormon, if Joseph Smith is a Prophet, and other Gospel questions?  In Matthew 7:7-8 the Savior Jesus Christ taught:

7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

 8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Also in 3 Nephi 18:20 the Savior to the Nephites said:

20 And whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you.

I testify we can receive answers through Prayer, as our Savior has taught.  What I love, is the Lord Loves questions!  Ask him anything, even questions that bring up concerns. President Uchtdorf said: “A question that creates doubt in some can, after careful investigation, build faith in others.”  He also said, “Doubt your doubts before you doubt your Faith.”

Elder Martino states: “If you have been tempted to murmur, if you have had doubt that leads to unbelief, if trials seem more than you can bear, turn to Him.  If you are one who has turned away or rationalized your behavior, turn to Him.  Can you remember when He did “speak peace to your mind …?  What greater witness can you have than from God?”  Ask yourself, “Am I as close to living like Christ now as I was before?”  Please, turn to Him.”

As we turn to him, to receive help, especially in prayer, we need to make sure our prayers are meaningful.  The Book of Mormon prophet, Mormon, warns us:

9…….if he shall pray and not with real intent of heart; yea, and it profiteth him nothing, for God receiveth none such.

To pray and ask with real intent, to me, means to do something with the answer we receive, not just to do something, but to act in Faith.  Elder Bednar highlighted this and gives one of the best examples of acting in faith.  That is the example of the boy Joseph Smith.  Elder Bednar states: “Joseph’s questions focused not just on what he needed to know but also on what was to be done!  His prayer was not simply, “Which church is right?”  His question was, “Which church should I join?”  Joseph went to the grove to ask in faith, and he was determined to act.”

Brothers and Sisters, I promise you, that your questions will lead to increased faith, as long as you are willing to act in faith.  Your answers can be a process, but Do Not Give Up!  Never Give Up!  I pray, as you have listened this afternoon, that the Spirit has impressed on your minds and hearts something that you might do to have your questions answered.

I want to close with my testimony.  And don’t you know, I’m going to bring it back to the Book of Mormon.  Jesus is the Christ, our personal Savior and personal friend.  I know this because of the Book of Mormon.  Joseph Smith is a Prophet; I know this, as well, because of the Book of Mormon.  I know Thomas S. Monson is a prophet, as well as the First Presidency and the Quorum of the 12 Apostles.  I know that by studying their words and the Book of Mormon.  I know this is the true Church because of the Book of Mormon.  I promise you will come to know your Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ better as you read the Book of Mormon.

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.