Familie und Freunde:
So imagine walking into the chapel at church, and seeing more people that you don't know than you do know... and you have been in the ward for 7 weeks! That was what happened yesterday... the chapel was full of new faces and new people! The William Family, The Emeka Family, The Petzold Family, and several others came to church yesterday, most for the first time. 15 wonderful new faces at church, and the members were so excited! And there were a lot more excited kids running around, too! That's what this is all about- families coming to the gosepl. Elder Walker and I were talking to the sisters after church, and were just amazed that we really didn't do anything, and all these miracles are happeneing.
The biggest miracle of the week was with the Petzold family. We went over on Tuesday and Thursday night. On Tuesday, we had a good discussion about the plan of salvation and talked about finding out for ourselves if the gospel is true- tasting salt or feeling water to really know how it feels. He was real interested and excited to give it a try. On Thursday, we came over and there were some real noticeable changes in this family- the house was cleaner, the prayers at dinner weren't memorized, but from the heart, and then he told us one of the biggest changes. He was sitting out in the garden on Wednesday evening with two beer bottles. He had one and looked at it and thought "what am I doing?" and dumped it out on the grass! Then he opened up the other one, and dupmped it out on the grass, too! Then he came inside to the refigerator and took all the beer and alchohol out and dumped that out, too! He said he read through D&C 89 and just knew it was the thing to do... we hadn't even talked about the word of wisdom yet with him! So now there is a lot more room in their fridge, and a lot more room for the spirit to come and bless their family. ON the way home, Sister Petzold was telling us that it is super important that we meet very often and teach all the lessons, so that Benjamin can make a dicision to be baptized or not, because that would affect the daughters and their whole family, too. So the wife is extending the baptism commitments, he is dumping out the beer bottles, and the girls are memorizing the primary songs and singing them all around! That is conversion- changing from the inside out, and not being told to do so! What a great family! We look forward to the coming weeks with him preparing for baptism... and Sister Petzold will be teaching Relief Society next week, and has been calling the sisters and getting ready and excited! I love it!
I have learned a lot this last week of being on a team, being a team player. Elder Walker and I have been playing Aussie Football in the mornings, and he has explained the rules and positions and all that. I think it's my new favorite sport... yup, it is! To be honest, it makes American Football look like cheerleading... :-) Anyway, he was telling me about some games he played where the unity of the players and the way they worked together was just perfect and they enjoyed playing so much, that it didn't even matter that they got pounded by the other team- they played well together and loved every minute. I read this morning in 1 Corinthians 12 about the body of Christ, and how each person is important and adds a necessary part to the work of the Lord. Just like our body, we need our eyes and hands, and toe nails and lungs... each performing their own function, and none being useful at all on their own. So it is in life. No one can make it alone, and it isn't much fun. Just like with the football team needs all 18 players on the field to be successfull, each performing their purpose and role, so does the Lord need each of us to "lift where we stand", as President Uchtdorf said, to magnify our callings, and add to the whole "body of Christ". That has been something I have really been working on lately. During school and all, I never liked group work. I would rather do a project or a paper on my own... because then I know how it is done, and I know I will do it the way I want. But I have been working to change that a lot recetly. I can't do any of this work on my own... none of us can. The Priesthood is here to bless others. Missionary work is about inviting others to come unto Christ. The Atonement itself is to allow our own conversion, and then we are to strengthen our bretheren after. I am learning about how the church works as a team, not as individuals. It has been a real neat expereince.
I love this time I have to serve the Lord. Time goes by so fast! Many great missionaries are going home in the next few months that I have come to admire and love- and life goes on! But there is work to do- there is work to do!! Let's get to work!
Love you all!
ElderGarlick
So imagine walking into the chapel at church, and seeing more people that you don't know than you do know... and you have been in the ward for 7 weeks! That was what happened yesterday... the chapel was full of new faces and new people! The William Family, The Emeka Family, The Petzold Family, and several others came to church yesterday, most for the first time. 15 wonderful new faces at church, and the members were so excited! And there were a lot more excited kids running around, too! That's what this is all about- families coming to the gosepl. Elder Walker and I were talking to the sisters after church, and were just amazed that we really didn't do anything, and all these miracles are happeneing.
The biggest miracle of the week was with the Petzold family. We went over on Tuesday and Thursday night. On Tuesday, we had a good discussion about the plan of salvation and talked about finding out for ourselves if the gospel is true- tasting salt or feeling water to really know how it feels. He was real interested and excited to give it a try. On Thursday, we came over and there were some real noticeable changes in this family- the house was cleaner, the prayers at dinner weren't memorized, but from the heart, and then he told us one of the biggest changes. He was sitting out in the garden on Wednesday evening with two beer bottles. He had one and looked at it and thought "what am I doing?" and dumped it out on the grass! Then he opened up the other one, and dupmped it out on the grass, too! Then he came inside to the refigerator and took all the beer and alchohol out and dumped that out, too! He said he read through D&C 89 and just knew it was the thing to do... we hadn't even talked about the word of wisdom yet with him! So now there is a lot more room in their fridge, and a lot more room for the spirit to come and bless their family. ON the way home, Sister Petzold was telling us that it is super important that we meet very often and teach all the lessons, so that Benjamin can make a dicision to be baptized or not, because that would affect the daughters and their whole family, too. So the wife is extending the baptism commitments, he is dumping out the beer bottles, and the girls are memorizing the primary songs and singing them all around! That is conversion- changing from the inside out, and not being told to do so! What a great family! We look forward to the coming weeks with him preparing for baptism... and Sister Petzold will be teaching Relief Society next week, and has been calling the sisters and getting ready and excited! I love it!
I have learned a lot this last week of being on a team, being a team player. Elder Walker and I have been playing Aussie Football in the mornings, and he has explained the rules and positions and all that. I think it's my new favorite sport... yup, it is! To be honest, it makes American Football look like cheerleading... :-) Anyway, he was telling me about some games he played where the unity of the players and the way they worked together was just perfect and they enjoyed playing so much, that it didn't even matter that they got pounded by the other team- they played well together and loved every minute. I read this morning in 1 Corinthians 12 about the body of Christ, and how each person is important and adds a necessary part to the work of the Lord. Just like our body, we need our eyes and hands, and toe nails and lungs... each performing their own function, and none being useful at all on their own. So it is in life. No one can make it alone, and it isn't much fun. Just like with the football team needs all 18 players on the field to be successfull, each performing their purpose and role, so does the Lord need each of us to "lift where we stand", as President Uchtdorf said, to magnify our callings, and add to the whole "body of Christ". That has been something I have really been working on lately. During school and all, I never liked group work. I would rather do a project or a paper on my own... because then I know how it is done, and I know I will do it the way I want. But I have been working to change that a lot recetly. I can't do any of this work on my own... none of us can. The Priesthood is here to bless others. Missionary work is about inviting others to come unto Christ. The Atonement itself is to allow our own conversion, and then we are to strengthen our bretheren after. I am learning about how the church works as a team, not as individuals. It has been a real neat expereince.
I love this time I have to serve the Lord. Time goes by so fast! Many great missionaries are going home in the next few months that I have come to admire and love- and life goes on! But there is work to do- there is work to do!! Let's get to work!
Love you all!
ElderGarlick
Love this weeks title! What a great conversion story. And I'll have to agree Aussie football does makes American look a little wimpy :)
ReplyDelete