Howdy family!
This week has been pretty sweet! Um I don't really know where to begin, or in what order these things go in so I'll just start. We have a way sweet investigator from Ghana that we went over to teach and luckily she loves us and feels the spirit when we go into her home and teach her. Because I completely pounded her with Baptism. We had a lesson plan to go over the Restoration. The spirit totally wasn't there and I went over it again and again Mosiah 2 about keeping Gods commandments and 3 Nephi 11 when Jesus commands us to be baptized and in what way. Then I committed her. My companion kept trying to get me to back off, but I wanted her on date. I realized afterwards that it was for the wrong reasons. I wanted her to get baptized for me and not for her. That is wrong. It totally got me to thinking that scripture that it talks about having the holy spirit. It says that without it you will not teach. I went with my own agenda and not with God's so it resulted in a pretty bad pushy lesson. I was bold, but not loving. That is OK though. I got to learn from it and I don't plan on teaching with the spirit ever again, and even though it was a bad lesson she knows what we expect of her if she gets an answer and she even asked God to tell her what day she should get Baptized. She make these covenants with her heavenly father it is only a matter of time. My job is just to get her to understand the truth by teaching plainly and showing her the path. The spirit does the rest. Samuel the Lamanite even says so (Heleman 15). So anyway I went on exchanges with my zone leader and you guys must know how prone I am to getting lost even with a map! It was really cool though because we talked to so many people that were just walking their dogs and stuff because of my lostness! God gives us weaknesses to make us humble and through him weak things can become strong (Ether 12:27) So ya really cool. We were able to teach a Hindu guy. He totally didn't want to hear anything we had to say about there being one true church. Hindus are really hard to teach. They understand the world so much differently than Christians and Muslims do. Not in a bad way it is just hard to see things from their perspective. We also are starting to teach Grand kids of a convert of like 10 years ago. They absolutely love us and I love them! Kids are the most fun to teach because they really listen and try to understand. Not with their minds, but their hearts. I think that is why Jesus said that we are suppose to be like little children meek submissive humble willing to submit to their fathers will. Anyway we will see where that goes. Their Mom and Dad are as far as I can tell uninterested, but they don't mind us teaching them and their Grandpa is all for it. "He says maybe we can turn them into Mormons yet!"
Our Bishops son just came home from his mission this last week. It was weird talking to him and exchanging stories. Serving in Utah would be pretty sweet I think...all teaching hardly any finding. I'm not sure they understand how blessed they are to have as many people to work with as they do. I'm not complaining I just have some envy I guess...is that a sin?!?! hahaha. Anyway Austin gave his homecoming talk yesterday and it was really weird because I could see myself in his shoes in a little over a year, and to tell you the truth I didn't think I would like it. The mission is such an easy way of life. I don't have to worry about myself at all. I am constantly focused on others and how I can help them and I never have to plan farther than next week. I get a monthly allowance that I can use to buy the things I need. I am able to study the scriptures that truly do enlighten my soul. I feel like Nephi when he talks about the words of Isaiah. I'm not quite there yet....but, I do truly love them. My understanding is added upon in each study session. A chapter in D&C talks about this as well as Alma 32 and one day all of our understandings will be as the perfect day. I think D&C 49...this is bugging me let me check.... Anyway ya I'm enjoying my mission more and more and really am able to start seeing that joy that the sons of Mosiah and Alma felt while bringing the truth to their brothers and sisters. Oh and Austin is moving back to Utah in like a week in the Salt Lake area...he likes the west coast better. Big surprise hahaha. The lifestyle here is way to busy for my taste. It is all about work work work and no fun. Everyone is busy constantly. I am pretty sure the only people reason people live here is 1. They don't know any better and 2. they are forced to work here because of their job. :)
Well I love you all I hope you are all enjoying the beginning of school. Remember knowledge is power! hahaha
Elder Cameron Zabriskie
P.S. The earthquake was week......huge over reaction on every ones part. We were actually riding out bikes to the library when it happened and the shocks on my bike must have absorbed it because I didn't feel anything. That is hows small it was. I do understand that the infrastructure over here isn't meant to handle earthquakes, but ya...over reaction. Oh the hurricane wasn't bad at all in my area either. Elder Hinze and I were actually way excited for it. We waited and waited and it never came...we ended up going to bed and left the window open so we wouldn't miss it. I guess we slept through the "worst of it" to tell you the truth I think the storms in Lake Powell were a lot worse, but by the time it reached us it was only a type 1 down from a type 3. I heard that North Carolina got pounded. Anyway sorry if this all sounds arrogant I can't really put emotion into my emails.
Love you :)
This week has been pretty sweet! Um I don't really know where to begin, or in what order these things go in so I'll just start. We have a way sweet investigator from Ghana that we went over to teach and luckily she loves us and feels the spirit when we go into her home and teach her. Because I completely pounded her with Baptism. We had a lesson plan to go over the Restoration. The spirit totally wasn't there and I went over it again and again Mosiah 2 about keeping Gods commandments and 3 Nephi 11 when Jesus commands us to be baptized and in what way. Then I committed her. My companion kept trying to get me to back off, but I wanted her on date. I realized afterwards that it was for the wrong reasons. I wanted her to get baptized for me and not for her. That is wrong. It totally got me to thinking that scripture that it talks about having the holy spirit. It says that without it you will not teach. I went with my own agenda and not with God's so it resulted in a pretty bad pushy lesson. I was bold, but not loving. That is OK though. I got to learn from it and I don't plan on teaching with the spirit ever again, and even though it was a bad lesson she knows what we expect of her if she gets an answer and she even asked God to tell her what day she should get Baptized. She make these covenants with her heavenly father it is only a matter of time. My job is just to get her to understand the truth by teaching plainly and showing her the path. The spirit does the rest. Samuel the Lamanite even says so (Heleman 15). So anyway I went on exchanges with my zone leader and you guys must know how prone I am to getting lost even with a map! It was really cool though because we talked to so many people that were just walking their dogs and stuff because of my lostness! God gives us weaknesses to make us humble and through him weak things can become strong (Ether 12:27) So ya really cool. We were able to teach a Hindu guy. He totally didn't want to hear anything we had to say about there being one true church. Hindus are really hard to teach. They understand the world so much differently than Christians and Muslims do. Not in a bad way it is just hard to see things from their perspective. We also are starting to teach Grand kids of a convert of like 10 years ago. They absolutely love us and I love them! Kids are the most fun to teach because they really listen and try to understand. Not with their minds, but their hearts. I think that is why Jesus said that we are suppose to be like little children meek submissive humble willing to submit to their fathers will. Anyway we will see where that goes. Their Mom and Dad are as far as I can tell uninterested, but they don't mind us teaching them and their Grandpa is all for it. "He says maybe we can turn them into Mormons yet!"
Our Bishops son just came home from his mission this last week. It was weird talking to him and exchanging stories. Serving in Utah would be pretty sweet I think...all teaching hardly any finding. I'm not sure they understand how blessed they are to have as many people to work with as they do. I'm not complaining I just have some envy I guess...is that a sin?!?! hahaha. Anyway Austin gave his homecoming talk yesterday and it was really weird because I could see myself in his shoes in a little over a year, and to tell you the truth I didn't think I would like it. The mission is such an easy way of life. I don't have to worry about myself at all. I am constantly focused on others and how I can help them and I never have to plan farther than next week. I get a monthly allowance that I can use to buy the things I need. I am able to study the scriptures that truly do enlighten my soul. I feel like Nephi when he talks about the words of Isaiah. I'm not quite there yet....but, I do truly love them. My understanding is added upon in each study session. A chapter in D&C talks about this as well as Alma 32 and one day all of our understandings will be as the perfect day. I think D&C 49...this is bugging me let me check.... Anyway ya I'm enjoying my mission more and more and really am able to start seeing that joy that the sons of Mosiah and Alma felt while bringing the truth to their brothers and sisters. Oh and Austin is moving back to Utah in like a week in the Salt Lake area...he likes the west coast better. Big surprise hahaha. The lifestyle here is way to busy for my taste. It is all about work work work and no fun. Everyone is busy constantly. I am pretty sure the only people reason people live here is 1. They don't know any better and 2. they are forced to work here because of their job. :)
Well I love you all I hope you are all enjoying the beginning of school. Remember knowledge is power! hahaha
Elder Cameron Zabriskie
P.S. The earthquake was week......huge over reaction on every ones part. We were actually riding out bikes to the library when it happened and the shocks on my bike must have absorbed it because I didn't feel anything. That is hows small it was. I do understand that the infrastructure over here isn't meant to handle earthquakes, but ya...over reaction. Oh the hurricane wasn't bad at all in my area either. Elder Hinze and I were actually way excited for it. We waited and waited and it never came...we ended up going to bed and left the window open so we wouldn't miss it. I guess we slept through the "worst of it" to tell you the truth I think the storms in Lake Powell were a lot worse, but by the time it reached us it was only a type 1 down from a type 3. I heard that North Carolina got pounded. Anyway sorry if this all sounds arrogant I can't really put emotion into my emails.
Love you :)
