So, big thing for this week was Elder Sitati doing a mission tour. It was pretty awesome. He stressed on the importance of being exactly obedient to the White Handbook. He said that the White Handbook helps prepare us to receive the greatest blessing of eternity: eternal life. As such, we have to learn to abide by it now. He then proposed a challenge to all the mission: for us to be "100% Missionaries" for 6 months. If we do that, he promised, we'd be so much happier, have so much more success, and feel the Spirit so strongly in our lives that we would never want to go back - ever. He talked about a bunch of other stuff too, but that was my favorite. The rest is in my Study Journal thing; haha.
The next day was Zone Interviews for Christianborg - and as such, for me. I really enjoyed it. It went well, and when doing roleplays, the APs used my roleplay as an example of how to listen and follow the 5 new Teaching Principles ( 1] Ask Inspired Questions 2] Listen to the Spirit/Investigator 3] Discern Spiritual Direction 4] Teach Doctrine Small 5]Check for Comprehension). It was nice to know that I'm doing well in how I teach; I've been kinda butting heads with other missionaries - silently, anyway - because they want to just teach a specific point and get it done with, but I don't really play along. I dunno. But it was nice to know I'm doing well. Always room for improvement, of course, but doing well; haha.
We also had two of the greatest lessons I've had so far on my mission. We met with this one guy, named Albert Amartey, and when we asked him how he felt about the Book of Mormon, he said "I know it's true. No man can tell me different; they'd be wrong." He then asked us what he needed to do to be baptized, and how he should go about it. We were so excited we just wanted to jump for joy! You could feel the Spirit so strongly there; especially when he asked to be baptized. We then invited him to pray about it and ask God (for a rock-solid testimony); during the next visit, he said he woke up in the middle of the night and had a burning sensation in his heart, and just had the thought that "the Book of Mormon is True." So he got his answer from God, and is thrilled about everything he's learning, and is just soaking it all up.
The other lesson was with a man named Emmanuel Dzotefe (he's Ewe; good luck with the last name; haha). We contacted him with a member we were proselyting with the day before (Wednesday). We gave him a pamphlet and then got his number, and moved on. On Wednesday, we called him at about 1900 (when most people are asleep here) and he told us he wanted us to come and meet with him. When we got there, he started by saying "I'm so glad you could meet with me. Normally, when people like you call and ask if I'm home, I say no, 'cause I don't want to deal with them. But when you called, I wanted you to come. When we met yesterday, there was something about you guys. I felt such a strong... Spirit, or something, about you guys, and I want to know why. Please, tell me, what do you guys do?" (Note that it's been 'translated' so you can all understand it; Ghana English would be too hard). It was absolutely amazing! We taught him about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, and how the Church is Christ's Church once again established on the earth. He asked us how he could worship with us, and we told him he can come to Church and continue to meet with us to learn more. He then asked "How can I follow Joseph Smith?" I couldn't help but laugh at that question - inside myself, of course - and then responded "Joseph Smith was only a prophet, called by God and Jesus Christ. He taught that we need to follow Christ in all things. So, Brother Emmanuel, will you follow the example of Jesus Christ, and be baptized by someone who holds the Priesthood Authority of God?" After thinking for small, he responded with a resolute "Yes." Later, during another visit, he explained that he was having family issues (don't need to go into it more than that). He asked us how he could use the Book of Mormon to:
1) Build his Faith in Christ
2) Pray to help support, protect, and strengthen his family
3) Comfort him when he's having a hard time
He listed them just like that. We gave him some scriptures for that, and then read some other ones with him. He's truly finding the wonderful blessing of healing that comes through Christ, and how the Book of Mormon helps us to have that in our lives.
If all goes well, both will be baptized in February!
We also have a guy named Luis Owusu. He says his greatest fear in life is that he'll join a church, and at Judgment Day, he'll stand before God and God will ask him "Why didn't you join My Church? You went to the wrong one." As such, he's so far decided not to go to any church until he can figure it all out. He is friends with a member, named Evelyn, and she got him to come to Church last Sunday. Upon meeting with him, he said he's investigated the Church before, came 3 times, and prayed, but never got an answer. After listening to him, we found out he never read the Book of Mormon. We explained to him that the Book of Mormon is truly the keystone of the Church. If he wants to know if the Church is true, he has to read it to gain a testimony of it. We left him Moroni 7:41 to read (go read it yourself! It's a great promise), and promised him that if he reads, prays, and comes to Church, he will know for himself, from God, that this is His True Church, and that at the last day, God will welcome him with open arms, and say "Well done, My faithful son."
This is the promise to all. If you but Read the Book of Mormon, Pray and ask God, in the name of Christ, if it is true, and then Come and See for yourself at Church, you will know that these things are true, and you will have nothing to worry about, so long as you follow the council found therein, and keep His commandments.
The Book of Mormon is True! It brings us all closer to Christ, if we but read, ponder, and pray about it! Try it yourself!
I love you all! Take care, and God bless!
This Gospel is True! The Work is Great!
--Elder Collings
The next day was Zone Interviews for Christianborg - and as such, for me. I really enjoyed it. It went well, and when doing roleplays, the APs used my roleplay as an example of how to listen and follow the 5 new Teaching Principles ( 1] Ask Inspired Questions 2] Listen to the Spirit/Investigator 3] Discern Spiritual Direction 4] Teach Doctrine Small 5]Check for Comprehension). It was nice to know that I'm doing well in how I teach; I've been kinda butting heads with other missionaries - silently, anyway - because they want to just teach a specific point and get it done with, but I don't really play along. I dunno. But it was nice to know I'm doing well. Always room for improvement, of course, but doing well; haha.
We also had two of the greatest lessons I've had so far on my mission. We met with this one guy, named Albert Amartey, and when we asked him how he felt about the Book of Mormon, he said "I know it's true. No man can tell me different; they'd be wrong." He then asked us what he needed to do to be baptized, and how he should go about it. We were so excited we just wanted to jump for joy! You could feel the Spirit so strongly there; especially when he asked to be baptized. We then invited him to pray about it and ask God (for a rock-solid testimony); during the next visit, he said he woke up in the middle of the night and had a burning sensation in his heart, and just had the thought that "the Book of Mormon is True." So he got his answer from God, and is thrilled about everything he's learning, and is just soaking it all up.
The other lesson was with a man named Emmanuel Dzotefe (he's Ewe; good luck with the last name; haha). We contacted him with a member we were proselyting with the day before (Wednesday). We gave him a pamphlet and then got his number, and moved on. On Wednesday, we called him at about 1900 (when most people are asleep here) and he told us he wanted us to come and meet with him. When we got there, he started by saying "I'm so glad you could meet with me. Normally, when people like you call and ask if I'm home, I say no, 'cause I don't want to deal with them. But when you called, I wanted you to come. When we met yesterday, there was something about you guys. I felt such a strong... Spirit, or something, about you guys, and I want to know why. Please, tell me, what do you guys do?" (Note that it's been 'translated' so you can all understand it; Ghana English would be too hard). It was absolutely amazing! We taught him about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, and how the Church is Christ's Church once again established on the earth. He asked us how he could worship with us, and we told him he can come to Church and continue to meet with us to learn more. He then asked "How can I follow Joseph Smith?" I couldn't help but laugh at that question - inside myself, of course - and then responded "Joseph Smith was only a prophet, called by God and Jesus Christ. He taught that we need to follow Christ in all things. So, Brother Emmanuel, will you follow the example of Jesus Christ, and be baptized by someone who holds the Priesthood Authority of God?" After thinking for small, he responded with a resolute "Yes." Later, during another visit, he explained that he was having family issues (don't need to go into it more than that). He asked us how he could use the Book of Mormon to:
1) Build his Faith in Christ
2) Pray to help support, protect, and strengthen his family
3) Comfort him when he's having a hard time
He listed them just like that. We gave him some scriptures for that, and then read some other ones with him. He's truly finding the wonderful blessing of healing that comes through Christ, and how the Book of Mormon helps us to have that in our lives.
If all goes well, both will be baptized in February!
We also have a guy named Luis Owusu. He says his greatest fear in life is that he'll join a church, and at Judgment Day, he'll stand before God and God will ask him "Why didn't you join My Church? You went to the wrong one." As such, he's so far decided not to go to any church until he can figure it all out. He is friends with a member, named Evelyn, and she got him to come to Church last Sunday. Upon meeting with him, he said he's investigated the Church before, came 3 times, and prayed, but never got an answer. After listening to him, we found out he never read the Book of Mormon. We explained to him that the Book of Mormon is truly the keystone of the Church. If he wants to know if the Church is true, he has to read it to gain a testimony of it. We left him Moroni 7:41 to read (go read it yourself! It's a great promise), and promised him that if he reads, prays, and comes to Church, he will know for himself, from God, that this is His True Church, and that at the last day, God will welcome him with open arms, and say "Well done, My faithful son."
This is the promise to all. If you but Read the Book of Mormon, Pray and ask God, in the name of Christ, if it is true, and then Come and See for yourself at Church, you will know that these things are true, and you will have nothing to worry about, so long as you follow the council found therein, and keep His commandments.
The Book of Mormon is True! It brings us all closer to Christ, if we but read, ponder, and pray about it! Try it yourself!
I love you all! Take care, and God bless!
This Gospel is True! The Work is Great!
--Elder Collings
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