I know parents of missionaries are excited for phone calls next week!
Here's a brief rundown on what's going to happen. Elder Kamissoko will
be calling his family in Mali on Sunday at 12 noon from the mission
home. I don't know what time church is back home, so what I'll
probably do is call in the morning just to see when you are available.
Mom and dad, if you just want to text the Cathcarts and tell me when
church is or when works for you, that would be fine too. Our sacrament
meeting starts at 11, and we'll be at the mission home at noon. As far
as I know, we're in the same time zone. I will have 40 minutes max to
talk.
Pictures this week! Elder Kamissoko and I made a huge effort to see
part member families this week. One such family had a lovely sign on
their door that sent a chill down my spine despite the 100+ temp
outside. It said, "A house is not a home without a pitbull" Yeah, who
wants to knock that? The other picture just makes me laugh. On
Saturday night the ward had their annual "Spring Sing" to raise money
for camp. Their was a dinner and entertainment was provided by the
youth of the ward. At the end the youth did a skit they had done in
the past. It's the story of Johny Lingo, but backwards. It's about an
ugly cow and a studly cow who offers eight women to marry the ugly
cow. Devin Cathcart narrated the whole thing, and Shane and Carly were
the main cows. It was way too funny and I had to have a picture with
them in their cow costumes.
I was able to go on an exchange with Elder Johnson this past Friday. I
love the guy. Ever since the MTC I've just been good friends with him.
Living with him in Surprise was a blast and now I get to see him in
action. What a great leader! Our day together went so well. We were in
his area, and it was a pleasure to be able to see how he worked. We
had a good time on the exchange sharing stories, opinions and
testimonies of our missions up until this point. It was also great to
see him work with the stake leadership in the stake coordination
meeting this past Sunday. The stake president out here is amazing. All
the zone leaders had to do was give him information and he began to
make assignments for himself and the rest of the presidency. What a
sense of urgency! I'm loving Glendale more and more every day!
The week was tough. We worked so hard and all appointments but one
fell through. The one lesson was with an investigator who just hasn't
been coming to church. No idea why. I was told in the MTC that when
extending invitations, anything less than a definite "YES" is a "no."
I invited very directly, "Will you come to church this Sunday?" He
paused and said "Yeah, I might be there this week!" Elder Kamissoko
asked what would be keeping him from coming. He didn't have a reason.
He went on to say, "I don't want to say yes and then not show up. I
don't want to let you guys down and..." That caught my attention and I
had to speak up. I told him to listen to what he was saying. I told
him, "We're not inviting you to church for US, we're inviting you for
YOU. It's your choice to follow Christ and you'll will get what you
put into it." It was a little bold, but it needed to be said. Elder
Kamissoko was nodding his head the whole time. I felt upset inside,
not with what I said, but with thinking about how we've been teaching
him up until this point. Does he think that the whole time we've been
inviting him to follow Christ to please us? We may need to go back to
the start and set a better foundation in explaining our purpose as
missionaries.
This morning I read Alma 26:21-22 (printed below) and spent nearly half an hour
writing notes and personal revelation on that scripture alone. I had
never noticed that before. I had always seen Alma 26 as a way to
express thanks and how to humble yourself in the building up of the
Lord's work. I feel as if though I need to memorize this one. I felt
so inspired after that and couldn't wait to tell Elder Kamissoko about
it! This week I had a great conversation with someone and walked away
with a strengthened testimony of the Atonement. I went to bed that
night and couldn't sleep. I laid there for over 45 minutes just
thinking about how real all of this is. It's moments like those that
solidify my testimony of a perfect work for a perfect Heavenly Father.
This week I was yelled at by people more over the course of three or
four days than the past year all together. And? Shrug it off, get to
work! There are people out there who are capable of feeling what I've
felt these past few days and I'm eager to meet them. Elder Kamissoko
and I are just plain happy. The work moves on.
I'm excited to talk with you guys this week. Have a great week, and
I'll talk to you on Sunday! Take care and be good.
Much love,
Elder Eric James Turner
-----------------
Alma 26:21-22 from the Book of Mormon
21 And
now behold, my brethren, what natural man is there that knoweth these
things? I say unto you, there is none that knoweth these things, save it
be the penitent.
22 Yea,
he that repenteth and exerciseth faith, and bringeth forth good works,
and prayeth continually without ceasing—unto such it is given to know
the mysteries of God; yea, unto such it shall be given to reveal things
which never have been revealed; yea, and it shall be given unto such to
bring thousands of souls to repentance, even as it has been given unto
us to bring these our brethren to repentance.
------------------
 |
| This sign speaks for itself |
 |
| At the Spring Sing |
No comments:
Post a Comment