Hola from Eagan!
It was yet another crazy but miracle filled week here in Eagan! I had my first zone conference just last Wednesday in Oakdale. President Clements was there. He gave us A LOT of insight as always! The highlight of zone conference was when we got to walk out to the St. Paul temple (it was in the same parking lot as the church building). He told us to imagine our investigators going into the temple to be sealed for all time and eternity and then to imagine the pure joy when they come out. It was pretty powerful and emotional. Me and all the missionaries bore their testimonies after that. It was soooo spiritual. I like one thing that President Clements said: "Mission determines mortality, mortality determines eternity, therefore, mission determines eternity." That's why its sooo important for all of us to be missionaries throughout our lives. I promise that there is no greater happiness that comes from sharing gospel with all the world.
Elder Baker and I also had the opportunity to go to the Presidents fireside just last night with Sister Briggs, a recently reactivated member. This is held every 3rd Sunday of the month and you can come if someone that you are working with is able to come (we didn't have anyone to bring last month). We heard some POWERFUL testimonies of people who were just baptized. There was this one man named John who strengthened my testimony. He has LOTS of tattoos everywhere on his body and has gauges. He has had such a hard past but made a BIG change. He was heavily involved in drugs and alcohol and he ended up in prison eventually. Him and his friend (now wife) wanted to get married and start a family after he came out of prison and went through rehab. He also decided that it would be best if the family had spiritual guidance in their lives. So they went to a Baptist church i think. He liked it a lot but he felt like something was still missing. THE missionaries ended up coming over and they showed him the Restoration DVD. He expressed that he felt an overwhelming yet peaceful feeling and he knew that it was the Spirit. He knew that this was what was missing. He wanted to be baptized after that and receive the fullness of the gospel. That strengthened my testimony because it just shows that even the foulest of all sinners CAN CHANGE! I know it because I have seen it through this mans testimony!
We have had a very successful week considering our success since I came in the mission field. We picked up on 3 referrals, received a new investigator, and invited 3 people to baptism on our first initial contact with them. Our new investigator is Victor, the man who i said last week is more worried about the chaos in the world than coming closer to Jesus Christ. We visited with his brother before and after a while of investigating, his brother asked us not to come by anymore. But then a month ago, we received a prompting to go back there and we met Victor who is now an investigator! Victor just got laid off about 2 months ago and he is really struggling but he is in his humility phase and really trying to have faith and be patient with God. We gave him a blessing of comfort and he really appreciated it. The Spirit was so strong there. I knew that the priesthood is real and that the Savior perhaps has done the same thing 2000 years ago that Elder Baker and I did. We received a referral from the sister missionaries in Northville I believe. Her name is Jamie Hansen and we have heard that she is homeless. The members in Northville and working with us to try and start teaching her. We are pretty sure that if the members are working this hard for her, then she must be a legitimate referral. We also received 2 referrals from the Burnsville Elders where one of my VERY good friends from BYUI is serving (Elder Sande). One is Diane and we contacted her a few nights ago but gave us an excuse that she was too busy to meet with us at all. she said that she would keep our number. At least a seed is planted right? the next one is a very solid referral (according to the Burnsville Elders) and his name is Maleike. We haven't contacted him yet but we are still trying. Ill get back to you all on that. For contacting we invited 3 people to baptism. 2 said no but one did say YES! the bad news is that she gave us a wrong phone number though. We were so sad but its ok. The missionaries will come across her sometime down the road. We were definitely A LOT more bold this week and we are being more successful as missionaries because of that. We taught Mary Hellan this week with a member named Brother Stettler. He is VERY missionary minded and LOVES to preach the gospel. The problem with Mary Hellan is that she doesn't understand fully why we are there. She thinks that we are there to compare our faith with Catholicism but she feels something different when we come over like we are her "angels." Brother Stettler definitely helped us out in knowing how to be bold with her. She likes to dominate the conversation and as you all know, I am not the most outspoken person so it is a challenge! but aside of the spiritual things I am learning, I am learning sooooo many social skills and how to talk to people on my mission. Its really good for you in EVERY aspect of your life.
My spiritual thought for the week is in Luke 18:18-25 (sorry it is so long) which says: "And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not bkill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich. And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." President Clements also referred to this story at zone conference telling us that each of us has something that we lack like this rich man. But let us be willing to find that which we lack and to make it better. We all have weaknesses. I have weaknesses every day on my mission. They may not be big all the time but they are there for sure. We all have them. I pondered President Clements remarks and i decided as a result to make a sacrifice list to give up all those things that i lack. I encourage you all to do the same. I have received divine strength as a make small but meaningful sacrifices for the Lord to better lose myself in his work. I have found that a lot of times i would miss my hobbies at home while i am on my mission. I have been able to focus more on the work as i made this sacrifice list. Remember this: "for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also (Luke 12:34)." As we sacrifice all things we have for the gospel, our hearts will be dedicated to the Lord and we will never be more happy. I thank you all for all the love and support given to me and may the Lord bless you as you strive to diligently dedicate all that you have to glorify the name of Jesus Christ!!!
Love Elder Mower
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