Busy Week

The work is going well. We are in n out with investigators, progressing to not progressing. We aren't teaching like crazy, but we are planting seeds everywhere we go. We have the Spirit with us.

You know, the success in a mission can be measured a lot of ways, one of those being teaching and baptizing. I haven't had a lot of that. But people have their agency and decide, I do my part when I invite and try my best to teach people about the joy this truth we share offers (Elder Vogt taught me that one). I am successful, I just don't think I realize it. First, I've changed a lot, I am not who I was. I have a broader understanding, more love for people and for what I believe. I have a stronger testimony. That in itself is success to me, my development. I'm the most important convert on my mission. 

The second thing is the fact that I don't realize how much good I actually do. And I don't mean that pridefully, but a lot of times we just don't realize the good we do. I read a talk by Gordon B. Hinckley that talked about that. That's totally me. I don't see the fruits of my labors too often, and that is really hard for me. But that doesn't mean I'm not doing good. You know, days out here can get tedious and sometimes I feel like I'm just doing things and they aren't going anywhere. But I know I'm making a difference somehow. In the way I teach people, in the way I talk to them at the doorstep while tracting, in the way I treat them at dinner or in lessons, in the way I joke and am myself, even in the way I smile and speak may help someone. I just don't know.

This was made apparent to me in sacrament meeting yesterday. A couple of days before, we had visited a Less Active/Recent Convert. Nothing exciting, talked about some stuff in the Book of Mormon and talked about Christ. I thought nothing of it, if anything, I felt like it was just blahh. But in sacrament meeting I got a tap on the shoulder from an older lady behind me. She passed me a note and it said something like this

"Dear Elders,

I visited (Less Active/ Recent Convert) this week. She said how much she enjoyed your visit and could feel your love. She felt edified by the Spirit and was grateful for the stop by. You truly are making a difference."

The Lord magnified us even when I didn't think anything of it. We were instruments to the Lord in touching her life. I know the Lord IS doing something, even when I don't recognize it. We do not work alone out here.

Elder Wold

A pretty good week!

It's been a pretty good week! We are still having lots of fun! Here are some brief highlights from the week:

-went on Spanish exchanges with the zone leaders. I got Jamaica too (that one drink the people in Guatemala drink a ton).

-Had to clean out an old apartment that missionaries forgot to close completely down. Someone dropped the ball so we had to take care of it. Kind of hard, it took like 7 hours, but we got an inactive member to help because he has a truck!

-had a district council full of role plays. That was cool

-had another exchange with the Clinton elders, it was fun and we met a ton of people to teach. We also had a cool lesson with Bishop at a PM/inactive members home

-Set up a time to teach our investigator, Autumn for tomorrow!

-met a non member family who came to church and who are really interested. we are going back today to teach them, it will be awesome! Rachel and Alfonso are the parents and then their kids are Jada, Adrianna, and Leonardo! all under 7.

-Got a ton of members out with us after church.

-Had dinner with an inactive family and the non member dad! that was awesome! We're trying to get them back to church!

Those were the main miracles this week! It was fun!

Love you,

Elder Wold

Visiting Elder Wold’s 3rd cousin in OKC

8 months out now, wowza!!!

The mission is going well, 8 months out now wowza!!!
I’ve been reading more about Jesus than anything, I've been looking over Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Great stories and ways to teach. I've also been going through Alma. Those sons of Mosiah are great teachers! It's cool how they first make common ground, address concerns and then go by the Spirit for the rest!

On my mission, it's interesting how it can be so hard but so awesome at the same time. I've noticed as I've been myself, I've not only loved it more, but I've accomplished more. It's hard sometimes to not just be a missionary robot, just do what you’re here for and just teach everyone effectively. But the Lord will at times not work in the most "effective" way we see. That's a simple testimony for me.
Check out Alma 37:6-7. Good stuff there!!

Elder Wold

My week was awesome!

My week was awesome! Here is a brief summary of the week!

-We dropped a ton of people who weren't progressing. 🙁 but it was necessary

-got a new district with two new missionaries. The Spanish sisters are actually both from AZ! One went to Basha and the other went to Highland high school! Small world.

- We had a day full of lessons this week with a woman who wanted a Bible and then we gave her a Book of Mormon

- a lesson with Shontay, another person who wanted a bible but ended up getting that plus the restoration

-a lesson with a less active member who is returning back. We brought another returning member who we've made really good friends with to the lesson and he did great!

-We taught Brenda, the lady who hadn't been to church in 30+ years and she wants to get back. that was fun

-Had food from Ghana with a family from Ghana. that was soooooo good.

- And just had a lot of fun

Lately, I've been getting overwhelmed with all the things that I need to work on. From teaching skills to being a leader to loving people more to this this and that, I find myself getting worried over dumb stuff. But I've decided to be smart and to try to identify one thing to just focus on. And it's been charity, the pure love of Christ. The scripture in Moroni 7:45 really hits it home. I desire to have those traits in order to become better at all those other things I worry about, for "charity never faileth". It'll take some work and I won't ever be perfect, but I can try, and sometimes I think that's all God requires of us.

Elder Wold

 

Celebrating Elder Vogt’s Birthday at the Montes’ Home 

A visit from Uncle Mark who was picking up cattle in Oklahoma. He took them to sonic for a quick lunch!

   

P-DAY!!!!!