Well this week has been a really weird week I guess. It seems like I am just getting into a rut!! But then we had Zone Conference!!! What an amazing experience. They changed up Zone Conference a bit. Instead of doing it the week 5 of the transfer they have decided to do them in week 1 and 2 of the transfer to really apply what we have learned with our new companion for the 4-5 weeks. It was absolutely an amazing Zone Conference. We did a lot of role playing and this time we were encouraged to really take it seriously. Man it was amazing. I really felt like I was Elizabeth Brown and Astevia Willet. I felt what there needs were and then we got to have a kneeling prayer for them. It was absolutely amazing. I felt the spirit so strongly. Instead of doing Zone Conference in the Chapel we set up some tables and had it more like a "conference" set up! It was really great. I have a lot to work on. I am really excited about this transfer. I am going to have to work really hard at making sure that I am doing all that I can to be a better missionary and better companion. There are so many things that I am inadequate at, but that's the wonderful things about the Atonement. Jesus Christ makes up for my weaknesses! I have a few trials to get over this next week but I am excited for the ride. I am grateful for all the weaknesses that my Heavenly Father gives me to help me grow. I love the way he is so gracious when I need help (which is always) and the way he handles me when I mess up. He truly loves me. Isn't that great to know that we have a father in heaven who loves us! I have really realized this week that we take advantage of the gospel too much. We don't realize the impact it really has on people's lives until we see someone come from not knowing to being baptized.
Kelly's baptism was amazing! I cant even tell you how it changed me. Her fire is incredible. We had one of the new member lessons with them this week and we invited the Leech's to come with us! It was really great for both of them. Kelly even wants to teach her mom the gospel. New converts have a fire about them that is really incredible.
I had the opportunity to go on exchanges with Elder Bigelow (our District Leader) this week. It was really incredible. He is a very hard worker. Even though he just has 4 weeks left he is still doing all that he can. That is something I need to work on. To really do all that I can to progress this work. He taught me how to really do door approaches better. I need to ask more questions when I am at someone's door. I need to try and make them as accountable as I can so that they will be able to feel that guilt and ask themselves "why do I feel guilty now and not before?!" The spirit testifies of truth and I need to be better at teaching at the door rather than have the attitude, oh its just another door to get slammed in my face. The Lord has suffered for that and I need to be more excited and really "gung ho" about it. While on exchanges we met with a guy named Dennis. Man what an interesting man. He is a genius but is currently unemployed. He knows a lot of things. It was so hard to teach him thought because he believes in a "Supreme Being" but not in God. He had a lot of really deep doctrinal questions he asked us. It was so reassuring to me afterwords that I know the simple answers, those primary answers about this gospel. These deep questions can be made known unto me later but it's all about having faith and learning the little things and then growing and learning the bigger things. We can't eat steak before first drinking milk.
We had a lesson with Elizabeth Sammons this week. It was a really interesting one. She likes the Bible a lot. It's really going to test me and how well I can listen to the Spirit. I don't know the Bible really at all but I do know the Book of Mormon pretty good and that's what matters. The Lord will help me teach her because I will have the Holy Ghost to testify of truth. She seems interested though. She has been meeting with the missionaries for about 15 years. It was really interesting to me how all she knew was the Joseph Smith Translated the Book of Mormon with special glasses. That's all she knew after the 15 years. She had never been invited to Church or anything like that! I hope that I am inviting everybody I meet to repentance and to Church and to read out of the Book of Mormon while I am out here. I have a lot to work on!
Justice is on fire!!! He will be baptized soon I'm sure. We are just helping him to gain faith in Jesus Christ and help him realize the importance of the decision he is going to make. We had a lesson on Baptism with him and he said "so all I have to do to be baptized is jump in a pool of water with a bunch of Mormons and have their hands on my head right?!" It was really funny! I love him so much.
The Leech's are doing really great. They are reading and praying together and having family home evening and doing everything they should. I really love that family! They are an inspiration to me! I look up to Brother Leech so much. He will be one that I keep in contact with for sure!
We haven't been teaching Lauren lately because she has been in finals. She told us to call this week so we are excited about that. Astevia and Katherine have been gone to DC for that past while because they needed a break. They have both just finished at school. Kim is still not interested. Elder Cline and Elder Moreno had a lesson with them while we were on splits. They apparently tried to set a baptismal date but it failed. I wonder why that is. I wonder why they won't make that commitment. I will definitely be praying hard about it though.
We have been having kneeling prayers with everyone we have taught and the members as well! It was really made clear in Zone Conference that we should do this. We need to be more reverent when addressing our Heavenly Father. There is such a different spirit when we do it. I love it.
We met with Elizabeth Brown last Tuesday and will be meeting with her again today. Today could be a rough lesson. I hope and pray that the spirit will be with me. We have to teach the Word of Wisdom with them and The Law of Chasity. President said "that the spirit CANNOT be present if the Law of Chasity isn't being kept. Its better that we approach this now then later!
I need to be more bold but lovingly. I need to stop protecting my teaching pool. There are the elect out there and I can find them. I can't be wasting my time if our investigators aren't progressing. They need to know the importance of our time and the importance of our message. Its going to be a really interesting week I think. I am going to be pushing my Companion more to go tracting and to find. We need to find more investigators. We have been not so good at that. I am such a weak missionary but I am trying to become what the Lord wants me to be. Mindy set me a paper with like 15 steps to having a better attitude. I am going to start reading these steps every morning and night so that I can try and have a better attitude. Its really all about our attitude!!! I really do love this gospel so much. It has really changed my life and changed other peoples lives as well. I know that what I am doing here is inspired by God. It will be taught his way.
Kelly's baptism was amazing! I cant even tell you how it changed me. Her fire is incredible. We had one of the new member lessons with them this week and we invited the Leech's to come with us! It was really great for both of them. Kelly even wants to teach her mom the gospel. New converts have a fire about them that is really incredible.
I had the opportunity to go on exchanges with Elder Bigelow (our District Leader) this week. It was really incredible. He is a very hard worker. Even though he just has 4 weeks left he is still doing all that he can. That is something I need to work on. To really do all that I can to progress this work. He taught me how to really do door approaches better. I need to ask more questions when I am at someone's door. I need to try and make them as accountable as I can so that they will be able to feel that guilt and ask themselves "why do I feel guilty now and not before?!" The spirit testifies of truth and I need to be better at teaching at the door rather than have the attitude, oh its just another door to get slammed in my face. The Lord has suffered for that and I need to be more excited and really "gung ho" about it. While on exchanges we met with a guy named Dennis. Man what an interesting man. He is a genius but is currently unemployed. He knows a lot of things. It was so hard to teach him thought because he believes in a "Supreme Being" but not in God. He had a lot of really deep doctrinal questions he asked us. It was so reassuring to me afterwords that I know the simple answers, those primary answers about this gospel. These deep questions can be made known unto me later but it's all about having faith and learning the little things and then growing and learning the bigger things. We can't eat steak before first drinking milk.
We had a lesson with Elizabeth Sammons this week. It was a really interesting one. She likes the Bible a lot. It's really going to test me and how well I can listen to the Spirit. I don't know the Bible really at all but I do know the Book of Mormon pretty good and that's what matters. The Lord will help me teach her because I will have the Holy Ghost to testify of truth. She seems interested though. She has been meeting with the missionaries for about 15 years. It was really interesting to me how all she knew was the Joseph Smith Translated the Book of Mormon with special glasses. That's all she knew after the 15 years. She had never been invited to Church or anything like that! I hope that I am inviting everybody I meet to repentance and to Church and to read out of the Book of Mormon while I am out here. I have a lot to work on!
Justice is on fire!!! He will be baptized soon I'm sure. We are just helping him to gain faith in Jesus Christ and help him realize the importance of the decision he is going to make. We had a lesson on Baptism with him and he said "so all I have to do to be baptized is jump in a pool of water with a bunch of Mormons and have their hands on my head right?!" It was really funny! I love him so much.
The Leech's are doing really great. They are reading and praying together and having family home evening and doing everything they should. I really love that family! They are an inspiration to me! I look up to Brother Leech so much. He will be one that I keep in contact with for sure!
We haven't been teaching Lauren lately because she has been in finals. She told us to call this week so we are excited about that. Astevia and Katherine have been gone to DC for that past while because they needed a break. They have both just finished at school. Kim is still not interested. Elder Cline and Elder Moreno had a lesson with them while we were on splits. They apparently tried to set a baptismal date but it failed. I wonder why that is. I wonder why they won't make that commitment. I will definitely be praying hard about it though.
We have been having kneeling prayers with everyone we have taught and the members as well! It was really made clear in Zone Conference that we should do this. We need to be more reverent when addressing our Heavenly Father. There is such a different spirit when we do it. I love it.
We met with Elizabeth Brown last Tuesday and will be meeting with her again today. Today could be a rough lesson. I hope and pray that the spirit will be with me. We have to teach the Word of Wisdom with them and The Law of Chasity. President said "that the spirit CANNOT be present if the Law of Chasity isn't being kept. Its better that we approach this now then later!
I need to be more bold but lovingly. I need to stop protecting my teaching pool. There are the elect out there and I can find them. I can't be wasting my time if our investigators aren't progressing. They need to know the importance of our time and the importance of our message. Its going to be a really interesting week I think. I am going to be pushing my Companion more to go tracting and to find. We need to find more investigators. We have been not so good at that. I am such a weak missionary but I am trying to become what the Lord wants me to be. Mindy set me a paper with like 15 steps to having a better attitude. I am going to start reading these steps every morning and night so that I can try and have a better attitude. Its really all about our attitude!!! I really do love this gospel so much. It has really changed my life and changed other peoples lives as well. I know that what I am doing here is inspired by God. It will be taught his way.
Thank you for all the support that you continually give me. Know that I love and am proud of you all. You guys keep me going sometimes. Know that you are always in my prayers.
Love Elder Butler
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