“Going” to Church

This week was good, stressful but good. We met with S our eternal investigator of 10 years, he’s been making progress, reading in the scriptures and coming to church, we talked about baptism, and he showed me a page in this old evangelist book, talking about how you’re damned if you get baptized twice. (He left the evangelist church) I asked why he was baptized the first time, and it was because his grandma told him he had to. Then he just kept bringing it up so I gave it to him straight with “is THAT the work of God? Or is that? (pointing to the Book of Mormon), that is the question!” I was trying to follow the spirit so hard… hopefully something got to him, he seemed a little unhappy with me after, and then he didn’t show up to church the next day like he said he would so we will see what happens, after thinking about it I gave him the simplest answer I could, so hopefully something happens.

We’ve been going through a GIANT less active list. So far we found 5 people that have moved and 2 people who have died… like their neighbors told us they died we didn’t actually “find” them. We’ve also been able to make some contacts out but when it comes to meeting again, people find it super weird… so we’re working on that, it’s always hard to tell if someone really has interest, then they give us their number, when we contact them later they realize who we are and block our number… but we’ll get it, with the help of the Lord ANYTHING is possible!

This week trying to contact less actives, I’ve thought about church quite a bit and why we want them to come!

I really like what Elder Bednar said in this talk about “going” to church.

“In our customary Church vocabulary, we often speak of “going” to church, “going” to the temple, and “going” on a mission. Let me be so bold as to suggest that our rather routine emphasis on “going” misses the mark.

The issue is not going to church; rather, the issue is worshipping and renewing covenants as we attend church. The issue is not going to or through the temple; rather, the issue is having in our hearts the spirit, the covenants, and the ordinances of the Lord’s house. The issue is not going on a mission; rather, the issue is becoming a missionary and serving throughout our entire life with all of our heart, might, mind, and strength. It is possible for a young man to go on a mission and not become a missionary, and this is not what the Lord requires or what the Church needs.”       Elder David A. Bednar      “Becoming a Missionary” (October 2005)

I’ve been so grateful for church here on my mission, it is where we can help our investigators feel that spirit that is there, I heard a statistic that an investigator is 80% more likely to be baptized if they’ve attended church, and I fully believe that.

This week don’t just GO to church! Enjoy it, embrace it. It is a place of refuge, if it’s not, then take a moment and ponder, the spirit will embrace you and you will feel at peace.

Elder Winkel

News from Minden: the woman from Ghana, and her 10 year old daughter that Elder O’Keefe and I found are going to be baptized on the 28th! On Wednesday an 18 year old girl that had to wait until she was 18 will be baptized, and on Saturday a 2 year investigator that we helped teach will also be baptized! SUPER EXCITING!

Photo of the District