So, this week went well. Courage, Mawuena, Gina, Mercy, and a new person, Sarah, came to Church this Sunday! It was awesome. Mawuena came for the first time, but he really liked it. Our Elder's Quorum President, Bro. Agyare, is already looking into his Home Teachers, and setting up fellowshippers! He's really following the Ward Mission Plan; it's awesome! I'm so excited for the Ward. They're really taking the Plan we made to heart! Also, Bro. Ruben explained the Home Teaching program we helped them make, which breaks the Ward into Zones, and puts Zone Leaders over the different companionships, to make reporting easier for the President. This way, the Zone Leaders get the info from the different Home Teachers in their Zone, and they report this to Bro. Agyare. This should save him a lot of time. The Ward took that, formed the Zones, and have officially put it into action this week! It's awesome. I credit Bro. Ampofo from Teshie Ward for that idea; I thought it was brilliant. It really helps the Ward keep track of everyone. It should also go into effect for the Relief Society with Visiting Teaching, as they get that up and going.
In other news, Gina is preparing for baptism, as is Courage. Mawuena is also, but later in the month. It'll be nice to have a baptism again! It's been a while, both for Kaneshie Ward and for me, personally. I also think it will really help E. Bies. It's always nice to see the fruit of your labors; something few missionaries get to see like we do here. It really is a blessing. But, as Elder Holland said, "Your blessing... is your burden." It can get very hard keeping track of everyone, and with so much being expected of you, it gets hard. But that's the brilliance of mission! You get stronger because you get tried, tested, and challenged in ways you can't in any other way. It truly is a great blessing from the Lord.
Honestly, that's about it for this week. There isn't much else to report, which is a good thing in some ways. We are teaching a brother who's wife is in North Carolina, so I got to send that referral in - he asked missionaries there to teach her and the family. He got kicked out of the US due to a problem with his visa or something, so he's been here since 2007. I pray that all goes well for him. I also pray that the missionaries there will be able to teach his family! That would be pretty cool; bringing the family into the Gospel from across the World. Awesome that the Lord's Kingdom is able to do that! I wonder what the early Saints would have thought if they heard of such a thing happening. Anyways, we'll keep working with our brother here, and praying for him and his family.
We have big news going on with the mission. I'll quote Pres. Judd here for that; kinda short, but awesome. I'll also give his story, because it's funny and I like it, and you won't understand his metaphor otherwise.
"In 1859, Jean Francois Graveletthe, a man known by many as "the Great Blondin" -- the man who invented the high wire act, announced to the world that he intended to cross Niagara Falls on a tightrope. Five thousand people including the Prince of Wales gathered to watch. Halfway across, Blondin suddenly stopped, steadied himself, backflipped into the air, landed squarely on the rope then continued safely to the other side. During that year, Blondin crossed the Falls again and again -- once blindfolded, once carrying a stove, once in chains, and once on a bicycle. Just as he was about to begin yet another crossing, this time pushing a wheelbarrow, he turned to the crowd and shouted "who believes that I can cross pushing this wheelbarrow." Every hand in the crowd went up. Blondin pointed at one man.
"Do you believe that I can do it?" he asked.
"Yes, I believe you can," said the man.
"Are you certain?" said Blondin
"Yes," said the man.
"Absolutely certain?"
"Yes, Absolutely certain."
"Thank you" said Blondin, "then sir, get into the wheelbarrow." (Professor Mark S. Lewis, Commencement Speech at University of Texas, 2000).
This story illustrates a simple point, it is one thing to believe something can be done, but exercising faith means we are willing to act upon our beliefs...
Elders and Sisters, are we willing to "get into the wheelbarrow"? Do we truly want to "exercise a particle of faith" (Alma 32:21)? Do we want to be "doers of the word, and not hearers only" (James 1:22)? While I am generally quite pleased with how we as a mission are exercising faith in the way we are striving to be obedient to what the Lord has asked of us, I continue to ask each of you to examine your lives and make a decision to be more obedient to the commandments and to the directions given by our leaders...
I pray that each of you will "govern yourselves" and live your life in such a way that you can devote all of your time, talents, and energy to doing the work of the Lord. Please do not give me or the Lord reason to lose trust in you. I love you, I trust you, and I pray for you.
President Judd
P.S. This transfer will include the opening of two new areas in Senchi and Oda. The next transfer will include seven new areas. Are we ready? I believe we are if we are willing to exercise faith in God by doing His will in His way. Let's all get in the Lord's wheelbarrow!" (Pres. Judd, Faith, Belief, and Wheelbarrows, Mission Weekly Letter, Feb. 27, 2012).
So, yea; two new areas this transfer, and 7 next. It helps that, in April (the next transfer) we'll be getting 22 new missionaries! That should help increase things.
I'm excited for the future of the mission! I just wish I could be here when it really starts to pick up; it seems that I'll be leaving just as it gets going. It's sad. Oh well. I'll just have to do my best to create a foundation upon which the future missionaries can build.
I love you all! I'm sending out letters this week, some next week. Well, this week, and some whenever someone is going to the mission home. All in due time; haha.
Take care! Read the Book of Mormon every day! Start and end your reading with a prayer.
--Elder Collings
In other news, Gina is preparing for baptism, as is Courage. Mawuena is also, but later in the month. It'll be nice to have a baptism again! It's been a while, both for Kaneshie Ward and for me, personally. I also think it will really help E. Bies. It's always nice to see the fruit of your labors; something few missionaries get to see like we do here. It really is a blessing. But, as Elder Holland said, "Your blessing... is your burden." It can get very hard keeping track of everyone, and with so much being expected of you, it gets hard. But that's the brilliance of mission! You get stronger because you get tried, tested, and challenged in ways you can't in any other way. It truly is a great blessing from the Lord.
Honestly, that's about it for this week. There isn't much else to report, which is a good thing in some ways. We are teaching a brother who's wife is in North Carolina, so I got to send that referral in - he asked missionaries there to teach her and the family. He got kicked out of the US due to a problem with his visa or something, so he's been here since 2007. I pray that all goes well for him. I also pray that the missionaries there will be able to teach his family! That would be pretty cool; bringing the family into the Gospel from across the World. Awesome that the Lord's Kingdom is able to do that! I wonder what the early Saints would have thought if they heard of such a thing happening. Anyways, we'll keep working with our brother here, and praying for him and his family.
We have big news going on with the mission. I'll quote Pres. Judd here for that; kinda short, but awesome. I'll also give his story, because it's funny and I like it, and you won't understand his metaphor otherwise.
"In 1859, Jean Francois Graveletthe, a man known by many as "the Great Blondin" -- the man who invented the high wire act, announced to the world that he intended to cross Niagara Falls on a tightrope. Five thousand people including the Prince of Wales gathered to watch. Halfway across, Blondin suddenly stopped, steadied himself, backflipped into the air, landed squarely on the rope then continued safely to the other side. During that year, Blondin crossed the Falls again and again -- once blindfolded, once carrying a stove, once in chains, and once on a bicycle. Just as he was about to begin yet another crossing, this time pushing a wheelbarrow, he turned to the crowd and shouted "who believes that I can cross pushing this wheelbarrow." Every hand in the crowd went up. Blondin pointed at one man.
"Do you believe that I can do it?" he asked.
"Yes, I believe you can," said the man.
"Are you certain?" said Blondin
"Yes," said the man.
"Absolutely certain?"
"Yes, Absolutely certain."
"Thank you" said Blondin, "then sir, get into the wheelbarrow." (Professor Mark S. Lewis, Commencement Speech at University of Texas, 2000).
This story illustrates a simple point, it is one thing to believe something can be done, but exercising faith means we are willing to act upon our beliefs...
Elders and Sisters, are we willing to "get into the wheelbarrow"? Do we truly want to "exercise a particle of faith" (Alma 32:21)? Do we want to be "doers of the word, and not hearers only" (James 1:22)? While I am generally quite pleased with how we as a mission are exercising faith in the way we are striving to be obedient to what the Lord has asked of us, I continue to ask each of you to examine your lives and make a decision to be more obedient to the commandments and to the directions given by our leaders...
I pray that each of you will "govern yourselves" and live your life in such a way that you can devote all of your time, talents, and energy to doing the work of the Lord. Please do not give me or the Lord reason to lose trust in you. I love you, I trust you, and I pray for you.
President Judd
P.S. This transfer will include the opening of two new areas in Senchi and Oda. The next transfer will include seven new areas. Are we ready? I believe we are if we are willing to exercise faith in God by doing His will in His way. Let's all get in the Lord's wheelbarrow!" (Pres. Judd, Faith, Belief, and Wheelbarrows, Mission Weekly Letter, Feb. 27, 2012).
So, yea; two new areas this transfer, and 7 next. It helps that, in April (the next transfer) we'll be getting 22 new missionaries! That should help increase things.
I'm excited for the future of the mission! I just wish I could be here when it really starts to pick up; it seems that I'll be leaving just as it gets going. It's sad. Oh well. I'll just have to do my best to create a foundation upon which the future missionaries can build.
I love you all! I'm sending out letters this week, some next week. Well, this week, and some whenever someone is going to the mission home. All in due time; haha.
Take care! Read the Book of Mormon every day! Start and end your reading with a prayer.
--Elder Collings
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