Week #17

Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening everyone!

 

 

This week was not easy, but it can always be worse.

 

 

For those unaware, as a missionary we are assigned an area AND within that area the local congregation. The members of that congregation are vital to our success as missionaries because they know what they need to strengthen themselves. One of our responsibilities therefore is to motivate them to support us and direct us as to how to help them. Our job is more so to find and teach, theirs is to minister to and strengthen the members already there. But, in this area of Poole England, that is not the case. Therefore, this week was spent integrating ourselves with the members.

 

 

Every single lesson fell through. We didn't teach once this week. We spent hours walking from house to house and knocking the doors of the members in the area so we could get to know them. If we didn't get an answer or they weren't home we left a note in the door. It was hard to see progress sometimes but I saw a few cool things:

 

 

1. The VERY first house we knocked on didn't have members that lived there. A man peeked through the window and asked what we were doing. Something happened and I felt the spirit burn inside of me as I started to testify of who we represent and about the Book of Mormon. I didn't feel like I was speaking, because everything came out so seamlessly. He took The Book of Mormon and promised to read it. We are doing our best to set up a lesson, but I know that the adversary will do everything he can to stop people from opening the book because once you start reading, he loses power over you forever.

 

 

2. Another house we knocked on (again for the first time that day) had a long since inactive member. She said that God had sent us to her specifically that day. She said she tried to call us that morning but the previous missionaries number was years out of date. I seriously did not realise that was the case, but just goes to show that we are on the Lord's errand.  She needed help putting a daughter on the temple prayer roll. We helped her and had a good chat with her. If it is the time we will continue to help her back to the fold, but everyone has their God-given choice.

 

 

3. I have been struggling with my companion. Just a personality indifference. He opperates with Logic>Emotion and I am the opposite. The needs of people become my problems and he can function without taking on any emotion. I needed help to humble myself and add his strengths to mine. I felt a weight taken off of me in Sacrament meeting at church and was able to work through the differences afterwards. Heavenly Father heard me.

 

 

Also I had a Kebab (the "a" is pronouced like the "a" in "apple") for the first time! Basically a huge Naan (An Indian flatbread thing) with lamb meat, some lettuce and onions and this yohgurt sour cream sauce. Interesting, but tasty. 

 

 

Thanks for keeping me in your thoughts everyone. Very administrative unentertaining stuff to put in an email otherwise. Things are improving and the whole congregation is coming together to help us.

 

 

-Onward and Upward-

 

 

Elder Berry

 

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My FAVORITE scripture right now: John 15: 18

 

 

"If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you."

 

 

I think of this verse all the time before I full send. I am representing Christ, not myself. And that is just that. It really helps me to work hard and not get upset.

 

 

Pictures:

1. Walking round and seeing members

2. ^

3. ^

4. Kebab's with the bro's

5. ^

6. The party stand blocking the road