May 27th, 2013

Dear Family,

How are you? I hope your memorial day goes well! I miss being with you especially when I see so many families getting together. Our family parties are way funner than the ones here though :)

This week has been good. It's always ups and downs. But last week I felt like I got severely chastised for not being a better missionary. Not by anyone here, just by the Spirit. Which makes it even worse... But this week has felt so much more effective. Even though our numbers were waaay lower this week (which always makes Sunday nights depressing) I felt so much better for how much effort I put into the work this week. There were some days where Sister Thompson and I joked that we really really were giving all of our strength as we were biking up and down hills all day from both ends of our area.

We had a lesson with Keith on Wednesday. It went pretty well. He still struggles with the desire to know. We haven't found what his motivation is yet. So pray for us to have the Spirit of discernment this next Wednesday so we can understand and meet his needs to help him accept the gospel. He only wants to meet with us once a week. That always drives me nuts. The gospel is more important than a once a week hour lesson!! Okay, I'm over it :)

On Wednesday we had zone conference. Man it was good. We had some very powerful trainings about how to be better missionaries. Pretty much the sum total was that we don't have time to be ineffective. Heavenly Father is hastening His work and if we want to be worthy servants we need to get going and be so much more effective than we have been. We have had the goal in our mission for each companionship to bring one in (Baptism) and bring one back (reactivation) every month. That seemed like a rather hard goal for me. But this last zone conference he told us that that goal has been changed. Coming from the 1st Presidency that goal is not fast enough. So our mission goal is now to bring one in and bring one back every WEEK. Wow. It seems impossible if you try to think through reason and logic, but we know that it is a goal set by a Prophet of God and because of that we know that it can be reached. We are trying so hard to have increased faith, to work harder, and to pray that we can meet that goal.

A few days after zone conference I was reading in the Book of Mormon (have I mentioned how much I love personal study? ;) and I found a verse that really gave me perspective. "I would that ye should behold that the more part of them (Lamanites) are in the path of their duty, and they do walk circumspectly before God, and they do observe to keep his commandments and...the more part of them are doing this, and they are striving with unwearied diligence that they may bring the remainder of their brethren to the knowledge of the truth; therefore, there are many who do add to their numbers daily" (Helaman 15:5-6, emphasis added ;) ). And I thought weekly was hard! What an amazing principle though. It can be done. It is a reachable goal. But we need all the help of the members to succeed. So we are really trying to help the members catch the vision of this. We need them to do the finding. I was reading in John 4 and I loved this scripture: "Lift up your eyes and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together...I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men (JST-the prophets have) laboured, and ye are entered into their labours" (John 4:35-37). We are sent to reap. We need the members help to find. And that means you guys too!

This is amazing work. I am so grateful that I have the blessing to be part of it. But it isn't just for full time missionaries. It is for everyone. It is a covenant we make as we enter into the church-to share the gospel with all those around us. We need to strive with unwearied diligence to bring the remainder of our brothers and sisters to the knowledge of the truth. And we have been promised by Pres Eyring that the Lord puts prepared people in the path of His prepared servants. You are prepared servants! Now just look for those prepared people.

So that is my challenge to you this week: Find someone who is either less active or not a member that you can invite to a church related activity, whether that be church, Young Womens, a ward activity, or a family home evening. Sister Thompson and I challenge members here to do it within two weeks. And we thought, why don't we invite our own families to do this? So set a date and pray about it. I can promise that if you truly have the desire to do it and you pray for it daily, it will happen.

This week we had a manifestation of the power of prayer. Our WML had asked one of the families that he home teaches to pray for the missionaries in the ward to find a family to teach who had young kids. The missionaries didnt' know about this and he had forgotten about it. But on Sunday we went to Gospel Principles and there was a young family who were investigating the church. They have 3 young kids. And they have set a date to be baptized at the end of this month. The woman who was challenged to pray for that came up to Bro Walk and told him that she and her little 6 yr old daughter had prayed for that every night. And a miracle happened. The elders received a referral of a young family who is so ready and who has committed now to join the church. Man I almost cried :) Miracles can and do happen when we have faith.

Thank you so much for your prayers! I hope you have a beautiful memorial day and an awesome week!

Okedoke. I need to go. I love you!

Love,

Sister Andelin