Saturday, January 30, 2016

January 25, 2016

Multi zone conferences are finished!  Our version of Groundhog Day is done.  It's fun to observe the changes we make each training we do in the various zones.  We implemented a nice object lesson as part of the conferences.  Our mission is focusing on "getting on fire" and just diligently doing outstanding missionary work.  We made a nice table arrangement on each table to help us convey our message.  It consisted of one electric candle surrounded by a small ring of salt (not to be mistaken with snow - it does not snow in Riverside).

Why salt?  We shared the story of Lot's wife as part of us, as a mission, focusing on becoming on fire and moving forward with our new transition plan that will help us to progress. You can check Genesis Chapter 19 in the Old Testament for the un-abbreviated version.  Lot's wife is commanded by the Lord to leave Sodom and Gomorrah with her husband.  Unfortunately she glances back at her old life, and TURNS INTO A PILLAR OF SALT.  As a token of us not wanting to turn to salt like Lot's wife, Elder Westenskow and I invited all the missionaries to take a pinch of salt and put it in the "fire" (the electronic candle in our case - because apparently there can't be any open flames in the church building) to leave our past behind and change to become the best missionaries we can become.

We had a worldwide missionary training broadcast that was an outstanding reminder of our purpose as missionaries and the role we play in the conversion of new members.  They discussed how we can bring the message unto an investigator, but we cannot bring it "into" their heart.  That is their job to accept the message, which falls back on the core foundation that we all have agency to choose for ourselves what will truly make us happy.

A new approach to contacting that we're trying out is saying "we're your missionaries."  Because technically, we are everyone who lives in this area's "missionaries."  Some of them accept that, but some people kind of look at us like, "oh, I didn't know we had missionaries."  It's a cool approach to contacting and door approaches.

Our mission president came out with us last week for an evening, and at one door, we didn't even get the chance to try out this door approach.  After a couple knocks, the man finally came to the door, opened it, got a really angry look on his face, and said "NO," after which he slammed the door and wouldn't open it back up again.  I was a bit taken back, but it was a funny experience.

A highlight of the week was Sarah’s baptism! [name changed to protect the young]  Lots of fun to see her make this step.  After we got sisters in our ward, they started teaching her.  She lives in Norco which the sisters cover now.  

do you have the fire?

A young friend's baptism!  Elder Fischer got to come back to attend!



found another matching picture with the ties!

 Elder Westenskow said I looked like a "thug" after I got bundled up for basketball

multizone selfie (if you're companions with Elder Westenskow, selfies are a part of daily life)

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