Aloha Everyone,
It just doesn't get old, again we have had another fantastic week. This week we also had zone conference where we receive new trainings to be able to reach our highest potential. There was one specific part that really stuck out to me. So as missionaries we want to find the golden investigator who wants to learn and will keep there commitments to allow themselves to have their one true lasting conversion. Along with many other attributes that we as missionaries like to see in investigators we find. Same applies with us, and this is what made me think a little harder about how I personally study. Because we are God's investigators when we sit down to study the gospel. It made me think and compare myself if I'm the same investigator to God as I describe below. Am I a Golden Investigator for God? Do I take my own advice that I give to my investigators? A lot of pondering went into how I can improve my personal study to have my own spiritual lasting conversion.
Sometime during this week we got hit hard when we were on our bikes while riding to find a members home. In seconds I became washed clean from head to toe so we darted back to another members home that was close by to wait out the down poor. But we were still soaked by the time we got there with mud on our shirts from the bike tire flipping the the mud up. ha ha. And of course as soon as we had reached the home the rain stopped. But just next door we found this guy by himself unloading a whole truck full of cabinets that had just been made and he was putting them into his garage. So we made our way over and ended up helping him lift them off the truck and into the garage. It made me smile as he repeatedly stated that he couldn't believe that we would just show up and help him randomly. That, that's unheard off, then he got thinking that his friends would never believe him so he wanted some proof. As a result he had us stand next to all the cabinets and he wanted to take a few pictures to have evidence to show his friends. Its great to see how just a small and simple act can make such a great impact. (Alma 37:6).
I may of stated earlier about an experience of how we found an investigator. But I thought I would share it again with added information. When after tracking a street we headed back to our bikes. But of course we had a flat tire, so I called a close by member to see if he could pick us up and take us back to our pad to get it fixed and get back to work. Therefore as we were waiting a Yukon came racing around a corner and she slammed on her brakes as she rolled down her window to signal us to come talk to her. Then finding that we were the Mormon missionaries she pulled into her driveway the house next door and we began talking. The excitement could of been seen for miles as she explained that the last few months she had been talking to a member in the military. The member gave her videos to watch and a Book of Mormon. But as time went on he couldn't answer all her questions and told her that he would refer her to the missionaries in her area. That exact same day just after he told her she came home to grab something she had forgot. When doing so she ran into us and thought for sure this was a sign from God that she needs to be taught. It was a neat experience to see that God does prepare his children and sends his prepared children to his prepared servants. How sad that would be though if he were to send his prepared children and we weren't prepared to share the gospel.
Then after she left, we were still waiting for the member, so we saw a man working on his truck and decided to walk over and ended up he too wanted to learn from us as we taught him as well this week. When teaching him he said that the only reason he accepted our invitation to be taught was because he felt that it was from our heart. That's all we have to do is speak with charity as we bear testimony to allow the spirit to touch their hearts for them to accept it or not. That's all we are asked to do.
Yesterday a returned missionary shared a great experience that he had on his mission. His name being Sho Flynn, and he served in Riverside California. 2 weeks out on his mission in his greeny area he quickly found that while on there bikes several people would throw grapefruit that grew on the trees at them and even at times some glass bottles.
But after two weeks being out on the mission he got used to the throwing objects. Yet this one day when riding his bike with his companion a truck came passing by while honking which would usually end up in the person flipping them off or something to that nature. So when he received that honk he thought nothing off it until it made a U turn and came right behind his bikes even to the point that the truck was on the sidewalk. Sho Flynn had many thoughts running through his head and thought for sure that a fight was going to break loose at any moment.
The man in the truck jumped down being very large in structure with a beard unlike it's kind. "Hello! I'm the ward Mission Leader!" the man stated, "Welcome to the ward. You must be the new missionary in the area!" Sho Flynn was a bit surprised having a totally different outcome then expected.
The man then gave him a small rock and asked" What's this?" "Uh...a pebble?" "Nope...What is it?" "hmmm... A shiny pebble?" " Nope! it's a small boulder" the man explained. Whenever you feel your not capable to do what is asked, if your scared and feel weak. Think of being a "Little Bolder."
Ever sense then when Sho Flynn would feel inadequate, nervous, or scared he would rub the little boulder in his pocket to remind him to be a "Little Bolder" What a great analogy on how we can step out of our comfort zone and be a little bolder in sharing the gospel! :)
Well I learned a lot this week as I do every week and I thought you would enjoy the things that I learned and that they may help you to want to share the gospel to our brothers and sisters. The people wanting the gospel are prepared and out there and want to find happiness. We have what they want, they just don't know that until we give them the invitations to do so. I love you all thanks for the support and love. And so you know I"m fine from the Tsunami. Hawaii got hit but not that bad. The big island got the worst and Oahu just had some damage to it's docks but only minor. What a sad experience for Japan. But what comfort I have with the testimony I have of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ
Love,
Elder Gardner
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