Dear All,
Oh wow... This week has flown by! I've had so many wonderful experiences in this area. We have found at least one new investigator each day. I have had to restain myself from just teaching everything at once on a couple of occasions. :) One of our best lessons was with the neighbor of a recent convert, Lorenzo.. Lorenzo kept calling Elder Anderson with issues and such and finally Elder Anderson told him to go find someone we could teach... He called a little bit later and told us to come over at 4pm. We ended up teaching a really good lesson to his neighbor, Ron, and he invited us to dinner to teach the second lesson today! :D
I love Sundays! We had Ward Conference and Bishop Compton and Stake President Judd gave really good talks on being an example of a believer. I was feeling a bit homesick in choir, I really missed having other tenors singing alongside me. I've been really working on focusing on my mission though and living in the here and now, but it has been a challenge since I am used to thinking into the future and such. I've also been working on being a better companion and losing myself in the work. I have found a greater love for those I serve, but am still struggling with being a better companion. I'm not going to give up though, I know Elder Anderson and I can learn a lot from each other if we are patient with one another.
This week I have been adjusting to missionary life and to teaching the gospel. I didn't go through the MTC (missionary training center) so I have had to brush up on teaching techniques and such with the help of Elder Anderson. He's a good teacher and I am learning a lot from his example and by studying the Preach My Gospel manual. I've memorized the main points of the first 3 discussions and the First Vision. I've also been working on recognizing and following the Spirit.
I love bearing my testimony! We were at a couple's house, the Clarks, and were teaching the Word of Wisdom. Bro. Clark got hung up on the commandment not to drink tea or coffee, but after we all bore testimony of the truthfulness of the church all was well. Preach My Gospel teaches that most disputations on commandments, if not all, tie back to whether or not Joseph Smith was a Prophet speaking in behalf of God. Once they read, pray and get a testimony that the Book of Mormon is true then that proves that Jesus is the Christ, Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God and that the commandments given were of God and should be followed. Bishop Compton, a convert, gave a great example of this when he told the story of how the missionaries kept trying to scientifically tell him why he shouldn't drink tea. He kept rationalizing it away until one missionary told him "I can't tell you why you shouldn't drink tea save the Lord has commanded that we not." This pierced him and he hasn't had any since.
Overall, this has been a marvelous week, we have a nice pool of new investigators, and a few people with plausible baptismal dates. I know that this area has so much potential and I look forward to finding it! I love this gospel, I know it changes lives and that as long as we harken unto the words of our Prophet, Thomas S. Monson, and strive to keep our will in line with the will of our Father in Heaven, we will find joy and peace in our daily lives.
With love,
Elder Roberts
