Family!

August 9, 2010

¡Hola familia! Hopefully everyone is enjoying the last of the dog days of summer. Some of the tourism here is starting to wind down and the students are starting to show up. Anyways, this week went well, we were in a trio almost the whole week which is always different. It was good though because I learned quite a bit from the other missionary that was with us as he has 15 months in the mission. We were in a trio because this missionary’s companion, who is also our district leader, was at a training conference thing. He was able to teach us quite a bit of what was talked about at the conference. The new president is really stressing the importance of the Book of Mormon in the conversion process which I think is really good. We are supposed to stress the importance of reading and praying about the Book of Mormon as well as use more scriptural passages while we are teaching. Another of the focuses was teaching the people not the lessons. So we’re all excited to learn more about this tonight in district meeting. This week we tried a new tactic, because like Alma did: Alma 8:18, (“Now it came to pass that after Alma had received his message from the angel of the Lord he returned speedily to the land of Ammonihah. And he entered the city by another way, yea, by the way which is on the south of the city of Ammonihah”). Sometimes you have to enter the "city" by a different way. We realized that the city of Guanajuato has been knocked pretty heavily by missionaries of our faith and as well by the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the different Christian sects, and the people have been accustomed to just saying no before they even know who we are or what our message is. So this week what we would do is ask if teach a message to their family inside the home, and if they said no, we’d ask if we could give them a pamphlet about our message. Most people will usually say yes to a free gift so if they did we’d start explaining the pamphlet and just give a 5 minute lesson about prophets and how God has continued calling prophets in our day. Often times, we were able to spark their interest enough to set up a follow up appointment and go back later and teach the whole lesson. So that was pretty cool. Alot better than just knocking doors and being told no haha. As well, this week we were tracting and I saw some teenagers just sitting on the street so I went and starting talking to them and told them if they went to church, we’d play soccer with them today. One of them went to church yesterday as well as his 9 year old cousin and they committed to be baptized as well. They ended up not being able to play soccer today but it looks like something might come out of this. As well, today I had a good experience following the promptings of the Spirit. I was sitting there in my room and had the feeling that I needed to flip my mattress. When I took my sheets off, underneath everything, including the mattress pad, was a scorpion. So I don’t mean to worry you with that mom but just so you know, the Spirit is looking after me. I still have no idea how it could have gotten there but I’m glad I was able to find it because from what I hear, they are fairly poisonous. The scripture of the week this week is in D&C 100:15 “Therefore, let your hearts be comforted; for all things shall work together for good to them that walk uprightly, and to the sanctification of the church.” I actually owe Nicole for this one because she told me I should read this section last week. But anyways it says let your hearts be comforted, all things work together for good for those who walk uprightly before the Lord. So we know that whatever happens, if we are keeping the commandments, will be for our benefit. As well, Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” says all things work together for good for those that love God. And from John 14:15 “If ye love me, keep my commandments. We know those that love God, keep his commandments. So the point is be good so you can be happy like great grandma Longmore used to say! I love you all!

Elder Price