Teaching the Gospel Missionary Style

So when we moved out to Michigan I knew that there would be differences.  The biggest one being that we would no longer be surrounded with a community of LDS people.  We would become the minority rather than being the majority.  It's definitely been a change and has made us really think about what we believe and stand for.

Luckily with that change has brought on a whole new experience.  This particular experience has been the missionaries.  I've really enjoyed having them in our ward and seeing them serve the members on top of helping others find the happiness that our church has to offer.

Chase and I have also been lucky enough to work with the missionaries a couple of times.  They are currently teaching a young couple (our age) that are from China, and have asked for mine and Chase's help.  It's been so fun being able to tag along and see them in action.  The first time they asked for our help I was so scared because I afraid of saying something that would take us off the topic that they were teaching.  I was also nervous because I really do love this gospel with all of my heart but at times I don't know how to express my knowledge or my thoughts and feelings very well.  Plus I've never been on a mission so I had no idea of what to expect.  So when the missionaries would ask me a question to answer I did the best that I could and prayed in my heart that that's what they wanted.  It was also so fun to be able to witness the interaction between the investigators and our missionaries.  It's amazing to see the gospel so fresh and so new in a person.  Something that I want to remember from this particular lesson was Nate's (the investigator) answer to praying.  One of the Elder's had asked if they had been praying.  He then asked to their response if he could know something that they had prayed about.  Nate replied saying that he think's his grandma is going to die soon, so he wanted to know what would happen after she died.  I just love that because he might be loosing a dear one soon, he wanted to know what happens after this life.  Nate I pray that you continue searching for answers and that you will find the comfort that we have in knowing that we will see our loved ones again.  It truly is a miraculous blessing :)

So the other time we were able to help the missionaries out was at church.  They had extended the invitation of coming to church to the same cute couple (Nate & Val), they accepted so the missionaries wanted us to sit with the 5 of them in sacrament (we have 3 elders right now), and go to class with them as well.  It sure does make you listen to what is being said in a whole new way.  Sunday school was the most...... interesting to say the least.  Haha and on top of that I'm pretty sure the teacher thinks that we are investigators as well, hum...  I think she might of got the hint at one point though that we are not investigators.  I then took Val to Relief Society.  It was so cute how she introduced herself.  She let everyone (at least those who could hear her, she's very soft spoken (: ) know that it was her first time at church.  After she said that I could hear some of the ladies behind me asking each other if she was an investigator, so I slightly looked back and nodded my head so that they would know that yes she is.  Being able to be with Nate and Val during church warmed my heart.  I'm glad we were given that opportunity to do some missionary work.

lds.org   mormon.org  mormonchannel.org

Now the missionaries have also helped us as well.  They have been helping the families in the ward make a mission statement and goals for their individual family.  Well our mission statement say's: Strengthen our spiritual foundation so that we can help strengthen others.  We then have 3 actions and 3 goals to help us in achieving our mission statement.  They then typed up our mission plan on a picture of Christ, laminated it and added magnets so we can have it on our fridge.  Who knew that boys could be so crafty ;)  After giving it back to us they asked us a few questions and then gave us some suggestions on how we can carry out our mission plan.  It made us think and they gave us some good ideas.  I will say that ever since Chase and I made our mission statement and goals that we have been doing much better!  It's been awesome to have these goals and to be exercising them :)  Wohoo go us.

These boys are awesome and I'm glad that we are getting to know them!  Keep up the great work Elders!  Your mom's are proud :)