WHAT DID YOU DO FOR CHURCH YESTERDAY?
Just your normal average sunday in the hood! we only had a couple investigators show up, neither of which came to the gospel principles class.. we'll keep workin on em. one of our former Less Active guys that has recently been reactivated got called to teach the gospel principles class and did a great job on the Mission of the Savior. really good lesson. he had some questions and we'll be meeting with him tonight about them. 3rd hour just as opening exercises for priesthood were beginning, the primary president runs up to us and asks if we can help in sharing time with primary. hah of course we can help!! they were discussing the example Jesus Christ set for us.. (my favorite topic!) She assigned my companion and I, and 2 other adults from the ward, scriptural references where Christ set a good example for us. i got third nephi 17 when he counsels the people to seek the Lord for help when we lack understanding.. and it goes on to talk about how he was "full of compassion" towards them and told them to bring their lepours/blind/sick forth and He would heal them. anyway we got split up to teach our point to 1/4 of primary.. and then teach each group as they rotate from teacher to teacher. haha i loved being in primary! one of the primary workers mentioned that there were no birthdays this week and all the little kids are like " awwwwweeeee..... :( " hah we were dyin'.. the innocence of those little gems. it was fun though. it's always fun to get asked to do something right before you're needed. obviously stressful sometimes but when it's on the spot you just have to follow the spirit .. you don't have time to get in the way. :) it was a lot of fun!
WHAT SCRIPTURE(S) JUMPED OUT AT YOU? AND WHY?
There was a scripture i read in st John.. i wanna say chapter 15 or 16. It was Christ saying "greater love hath no man than this, that he laid down his life for his friends.." then it says " Ye are my friends... " pretty neat to consider the Savior of the world my friend. I really believe he cares for me, and for all of his people as a friend, and a Redeemer. what a blessing!
WHAT WAS THE COOLEST THING THAT HAPPENED TO YOU THIS WEEK?
we were out contacting people from our ward list (or attempting.. ) and we had been challenged to talk with everyone we see (not always easy, of course) and as we were going from house to house (on foot to save miles) we came across three people that we went out of our way to talk with, and all 3 of them are potential investigators now. one was spanish so we passed him off to the sisters, the other two were way random.. one lady was carrying a box out of her house with a patriots jacket on .. regardless of the fact that her team was playing mine the following day, we asked if we could help her with anything. hahah. she was from back east and was being evicted.. we helped her load her car with boxes and invited her to visit mormon.org. i didn't mention that i was a broncos fan.. :P she said that we could come by and see her in the new place she was going too anytime. after the weekend i'll definitely leave out the fact that i'm a broncos fan...
WHO DID YOU GET MAILBOX LOVE FROM?
grandma sue and grandpa monte, Kristin Rector and Marissa Christensen. :) <3
WHAT DOCTRINE DO YOU WISH EVERYONE UNDERSTOOD?
Well.. i've expressed this a little bit lately in emails.. but one thing about the gospel that i wish every person understood is that it's about love. Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ have so much love for us! adversarial forces lead us to think/feel otherwise. in short, The reason they have called prophets and restored the gospel is because it creates a form of elevated living that protects us from the temptations of the adversary. We all experience hardship and things that sometimes make us question whether or not someone is there or someone cares.. as a missionary my testimony has been strengthened that through the trials we become the people we are supposed to be. yeah it's hard most of the time.. but I know with a positive attitude we can learn and grow through it all. I truly believe we experience hard things because of the love that God has for us. it's like the term "nothing good comes easily" or "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.." all the hard things we go through are for our benefit in the long run. Everything that we have in the gospel is because of the love that heaven has for us. it seems restricting or difficult.. but it's the true way to be happy. i wish that was easily understood!
WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOUR MISSION PRES SAID TO YOU?
"That blessing was an amazing demonstration of you and Elder Mill's faith and the Lord blessed you as you followed the promptings you received. Thanks for your great service."
HOW ARE THINGS WITH YOUR COMPANION? bien! we get along pretty well.. having a companion at all can be difficult no matter how well you get along. i think about strings of days/weeks that Fox spent at my house.. after being around anyone for a long time you tend to notice little things that irritate you. I received some incredible guidance recently from an inspired person to "judge nothing that occurs." it's like my montra.. anytime something bothers me this comes to mind and it makes it so much easier to detach from it all!
DO YOU NEED ANY ITEMS OF CLOTHING?
Okay, i kinda do. i'm short on slacks!
WHAT WAS THE BEST THING YOU ATE THIS WEEK?
we had ribzzzzz at the ence's house this week and they were so dang good! we also had some yummy nachos with pork and avacado the day after that.. and the day after that we had smoked ham! talk about spoiled!!!
welp fam and friends. another week in the books! I love you all and i'm grateful for your love and support! i hope everyone is doing well . have a super good week, we'll talk to y'all real soon! :)
elder Sykes .. stoooz
