Week 39; Insanity

Photo Album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/QuW5JQQJL6emqhb68 On Thursday we had an exchange with Southside again. I was with Elder Beynon and it was a fun time. Right at the beginning of our day before lunch we stopped by someone named Tiffany. She had talked with them a bit before and we got to know her a lot and her background. We then talked about baptism with her and she wanted to be baptized and work toward it. She brought out 2 of her 9 kids and we talked with them and they also want to work toward baptism. We set expectations with them and recurring lessons for 3 times a week. What a miracle. Instantly after we were going to stop by this lady when I saw this young lady in her car and I got her to roll down her window and I chatted with her about possibly coming to church and learning more. Her name is Raikera and we were able to set up a time to come to her house a couple blocks over. Funny thing was about how the person we were stopping by was her aunt and she was there for her aswell on a lunch break, there's no coincidences with God. We then had a very good lesson with Miguel their friend who is getting baptized next week. We drew and talked about the 2nd half of the plan of salvation, great lesson. Finally, we had a lesson with a member and her 2 sons are getting baptized in 2 weeks. I am not exaggerating when I say we taught the entire restoration lesson using only football terms. It was amazing and they loved it, it helped them understand it so much especially due to their love for football. Southside is seeing so many miracles. Me and Elder Beynon had a blessed day and he is so inspiring. I had the opportunity to go on exchange with Elder Hackett who is a new Zone Leader. He is just so awesome. We had to take over a church tour from the other Elders with this cool guy named Wesley. We were able to show him around the church and talk a lot about the sacrament. We then took him to the institute room and shared the message of the restoration with him, it was a good lesson. We had a lot of promising lessons for that day and all of them ended up falling through which was so frustrating. So for the rest of the day we just knocked around and went downtown for a bit. There was a cool miracle that happened where Elder Hackett felt impressed to go to a street we had skipped earlier in the day. We went there and found this guy visiting his parents and he was super interested in checking out something new. It was just before we had to go to calls and shows how God does truly provide people for us when we just listen and act. Elder Hackett is an amazing but insanely tall elder. We had a great day even though not much happened. This transfer we have really been working hard and finding a ton of people. Unfortunately people still have their agency and we have been running into this Insanity loop with absolutely 0 church attendances each week this transfer. We've been finding so many elect families and friends and a lot of people that want to work towards baptism. But, they still either sleep in or sunday sickness comes around after solidly confirming the night or morning of church. It's been very unmotivating especially with all the friends southside and morningside have been getting to church. Last transfer we were getting a lot of people there, but out of nowhere we are in a drought. It sucks a lot, but the work still continues. During a lesson with our recent convert Isabella she called her friend who's mom Trisha had been taught by me and other missionaries and came to church a while ago. We set up a lesson with them and Isabella is going to come to the lesson with us. Trisha has a big desire for baptism and wants to work past some issues in her life. Unfortunately as always the sleep coma hit her on sunday and she slept through church and didn't make it. But, it was still a really cool miracle and hopefully we can help her progress in the gospel. 2 Nephi 3:24 "And there shall rise up one mighty among them, who shall do much good, both in word and in deed, being an instrument in the hands of God, with exceeding faith, to work mighty wonders, and do that thing which is great in the sight of God, unto the bringing to pass much restoration unto the house of Israel…" Moses talked about a "mighty" prophet. Lehi sees Joseph Smith. But the verse isn’t just about one man. It’s about God’s pattern: He still raises up “mighty ones” today. Notice the order: 1) "Instrument in the hands of God" 2) "Exceeding faith" 3) "Mighty wonders" 4) "Much restoration." God doesn’t start with wonders. He starts with someone willing to be used. Someone who believes more than they doubt. "Both in word and in deed", mighty doesn’t mean famous or flawless. It means your words match your actions. You teach truth, then you live it when no one’s watching. That’s what makes someone "great in the sight of God" not the size of their platform, but the size of their faith. The Restoration didn’t stop in 1830. Every time you choose faith over fear, repentance over hypocrisy, serving over hiding… you’re part of "bringing to pass much restoration." You become mighty in your sphere. God’s question hasn’t changed: "Whom shall I send" The answer is still: someone who will say "Here am I, send me." With Love, Elder Batman