Monday, June 9, 2014

Soiled / Found You / Open Your Mouth

Elder Burt and companions at Zone Meeting.
Good morning, America!

It's been another good week. I caught a train. That was cool. We saw two apostles speak. That was also cool. (There was a special broadcast to three Brazilian states by Elder Scott and Elder Ballard on Sunday. Minas Gerais was one of them.) There were a lot of entertaining experiences, things learned, and hilarious conversations. And, as always, miracles.

1) Soiled- So I thought I would share one of these conversations with you. We were knocking on the door of an investigator, who wasn't at home. We heard dogs barking and looked to the other side of the street where an older man was standing, staring at us from the other side of his gate with his five dogs. We walked over to talk to him, of course, and asked if we could share a message of God that would bring him happiness. 
   He responded, "I'm spiritist. And you know happiness isn't from this life." 
   "But it's possible to be happy in this life." 
   He just smiled. 
   "...in any case, do you known anyone nearby that could use a message about Christ?" 
   "There's a pastor down the street." 
   "OK, what's his name?" 
   "His son was deathly ill. I visited and suggested a type of medicine. He's better now." 
   "OK, but..." 
   "I had spinal problems. I had to take some medicine, but I ended up taking too much, and before I knew it, I had soiled my underwear, soiled the bathroom...everything." 
We were laughing at this point. "But what's the pastor's name?" 
   "My dog's name is Fooluf. Because when I found her, her head was full of things. Full of ticks, full of fleas..." 
   "Thank you, Sir. Goodbye."

2) Found You- We had a miracle happen on Sunday. After church we were street contacting and talked to a man. He was running (literally) and said he couldn't stop to talk, and off he went. Later that same day we were contacting a reference in another neighborhood. They weren't at home, so we knocked on the next door. They didn't let us in, but mentioned another neighbor. We visited them...and found this same man who I'd contacted earlier. He let us in, and we taught a very solid first lesson. The family truly needed what we had to say, and we brought a peace into the home that wasn't there before. What made the miracle even bigger? His wife has already investigated the church and visited several times ten years ago. And both of them accepted a baptismal date for the 21st of June.

3) Open Your Mouth- This week was the mission leadership counsel. It was very uplifting and inspiring, and the focus was on the need to talk to more people if we want to have more success. The mission minimum is that each missionary talks to ten new people per day.  Our new goal as a companionship is to each talk to 25 per day. There are so many people put in our way, and we can't miss these opportunities the Lord gives us. President cited the following scripture from Doctrine and Covenants 33:
Open your mouths and they shall be filled, and you shall become even as Nephi of old, who journeyed from Jerusalem in the wilderness.  Yea, open your mouths and spare not, and you shall be laden with sheaves upon your backs, for lo, I am with you.  Yea, open your mouths and they shall be filled, saying: Repent, repent, and prepare ye the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

So that's what I'm working on at the moment. Opening my mouth even more. Being an example. This is the Lord's work. I just have to set everything aside and do His will. And I imagine that'll work out well.

I love you all. Keep on fighting. Do the good work. Read the Book of Mormon. It changes lives. Help the missionaries. Serve your neighbor. Open your mouth. And it shall be filled.

Much Love,

Elder Burt

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