Week 81 – Git'r done

 

There is so much to be done! This has been a time of us feeling that we have been doing absolutely everything in our power just to find someone to teach, or to find someone that we can align our schedules with and we can meet with some of the investigators we have! Last week it was pretty well a week of hearing the phone go off and it was for sure a cancellation, this week we were really able to get the ball rolling! Not that we have done anything differently, just quite simply the Lord is blessing us! That is the biggest thing; all of this is simply a trial of our faith. "Now this was a great trial to those that did stand fast in the faith; nevertheless, they were steadfast and immovable in keeping the commandments of God, and they bore with patience the persecution which was heaped upon them." Alma 1:25. It does feel that as a missionary I have been called to go through some persecution! I LOVE IT! But seriously. Hindsight continues to prove that God is in charge, he was using whether it be a person or situation to help me become more fully a disciple and a more converted missionary. I am grateful for knowledge of how aware my Father in Heaven is of me and all that I do as I serve as a full-time missionary.

Story time!! There is a lot, I told you we were being blessed in a multitude of ways. First was meeting a lady named Haja, from Sierra Leone. We felt impressed to stay in the area after knocking a door to follow up with some old names on our ward list. Side note, where we were knocking we already knew it was going to be about 98% Muslim, so we could get bashed the whole time. We start going and yes, things are proving to be as we expected until we knock a door and this lady you can sense her desire to listen. It is interesting how you can discern that. Anyways, we start teaching about the Restoration on her doorstep and she just says that she has been looking for a church; she has been trying to figure out where to go to worship! Bingo! It was just a neat opportunity to be able to find someone like that with such faith. The next was with another potential investigators husband... I forgot his name though because he is also from Sierra Leone and I didn't fully understand his accent, at first. My bad. But we followed up and we got into this great gospel conversation right away and began talking about faith, the bible and truths it teaches, applications of these teachings our Savior brought us. I am grateful for one that I am able now to teach someone right from the bible, and help them immediately accept teachings from the Book of Mormon and how they support one another. He just started going on about teachings and things he believed that didn't match from other churches, the neat thing was as he said this it was all things that we do believe in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Teachings that upon him saying it, I wasn't sure if it was latter day revelation or not! He is so prepared to receive the restored gospel! He left us with something that really stuck. He was like, "you know when you got here I was tired, I had a meeting in a little while, I wasn't in the mood to really talk. But after talking to you I feel at peace, I feel light and happy." He went on to say, "you are changing people’s lives whether you realize it or not, in fact, you are changing the world." Well okay I am alright with that! It was really a great blessing for him to say.

Okay wow I totally forgot about our new investigator! Her name is Josefine! She is from the Philippines! She was a member referral. She is now a nanny for a member family and wants to learn more. She grew up reading the bible and attending a catholic church, but she never felt that peace when she went to church. When she went to our church for the first time she felt that peace she felt as she read the bible. We taught her, basically all in Tagalog, I only bore testimony and introduced the Book of Mormon actually in Tagalog, but I was trying my best! She is incredibly prepared to receive the gospel! There is more to come!

Okay I can keep going. We had a Canada wide stake conference broadcast from SLC this last weekend. The Saturday adult session was locally held though and shared via satellite (see photo). In that Elder Ustare and I were specially invited to bear our testimonies and share why we decided to come on our missions. It was really neat to be able to tell that broad audience the great blessings I have received and testify of truths I have come to know. It was definitely a cool opportunity!

Family & Friends! I love you! Keep the faith! Stay true to what you have obtained through your own diligent scripture study and prayer! And was was said by Pres. Uchtdorf, I add my own plea, "Doubt your doubts, before you doubt your faith"

Love, Elder McFall

Pretty cool eh? Buddy snapped it as it was via satellite up to Yellowknif​e