By the way, It's starting to get cold
and a polyester coat just doesn't cut it, the cold just rips through
it. I broke down and bought a down parka this week. I checked a few
places and with a few members and I got a pretty good deal. It will
keep me warm in -40 if it hits me. And one of the missionaries broke a member's guitar string so I spent money to replace that. Just as
kind of a fun side note. Just about all my dreams at night have to
do with missionary work and I'm always a missionary in my dreams.
Last night I had a very fun time playing basketball in my dream. I'm
getting pretty good. =)
I think that's everything. =) Talk to
you next week.
Love, Elder Record
Hi President Beesley:
This week we had a couple of awesome
miracles. On Sunday we went to a lesson, but they canceled. As
backup we had planned to go see a less active member and also to
tract a nearby street to look for a less active member who just moved
in and showed up at church a few times. Anyway, we’d been looking
for them for like a month. We knocked to the house of the member and
Brother [Name Withheld 1], who’s not a member, answered the door. It was
amazing! We were surprised when he answered the door because that
was the one place we didn’t consider looking. He said his wife
would really like to meet with us and that they would have us over
sometime. It was pretty cool to see how the Lord put us where we
needed to be when we needed to be there.
Speaking of being where we needed to
be. We had another lesson cancel later in the evening and Elder
Beirne had the thought to go see the [Name Withheld 2]'s, but didn’t think that
was a good idea because it was getting late and it’s getting darker
and darker. Usually when I feel that way it’s the devil tempting
me not to listen, so I listened to Elder Beirne and we knocked on
their door. They’ve been expressing desires to come back to church
and this night just before we showed up they started talking about it
again. Sister [Name Withheld 2] said our timing was uncanny because we keep
showing up right after they have been talking about coming back. It
feels so good to know that you are being guided by the Lord to help
those in need. We had a very good conversation about how the Lord
can strengthen us in times of need. We just need to wait on the Lord
and be patient with his timing. Her and her boyfriend, Brother [Name Withheld 3] from 2nd ward, really
opened up and trusted us as servants of the Lord. I love it when
people open up like that and allow us to help them because that’s
all we want to do is help. The first time I was able to relate to
them through family history, this time I was able to relate again
because she has a special need child and I used to work at a nursing
home before my mission. We also know quite a few people in the ward
whose children are special needs. [Name Withheld 4] is my favorite. He has
Down syndrome and is the nicest guy you’ll ever meet. He is so
funny and could laugh with you all day. Anyway it’s just neat to
see how the Lord places us where we need to be as we are obedient to
him and how he prepares us to be ready to help them.
We had another lesson with [Name Withheld 5] and she is praying to know that everything is true. It’s
so nice that she listens to us and wants to find out for herself.
Since I know that she will get an answer that it is true if she puts
the effort into studying it out, I can see her getting baptized this
year. She is a very nice lady. We take Brother and Sister
[Name Withheld 6] with us to the lessons.
There is a sister in the ward is kind of stranded here in
Fairbanks, Alaska right as winter is starting. She needed some help
splitting wood. We had the opportunity to help her Saturday morning.
I love splitting wood =). Some people talk about getting a
“runner’s high”. Personally I’ve never run that far, haha,
but when I split wood… It feels great =).
There are many more people we see, but
these were the ones I was most excited about this week.[Name Withheld 7] is doing well, and so is [Name Withheld 8]. They both seem interested
and are starting to progress.
I like Mormon 8:34-35 in the Book of
Mormon. He saw our day and took out of the records of the people
those things that he thought would best help us. This week has
really shown me that our Father in Heaven loves his children. He
knows us and knows what we go through. He knows how to help us, and
if we trust in him and lean not to our own understanding he will show
us what to do and give us that comfort that we need. I know he
lives. I know that Jesus Christ lives and atoned for our sins. I
know that “the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom
he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto
the power of deliverance.” I know the Book of Mormon is true. I
know it was written for our day and to testify that Jesus is the
Christ. And I say that in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
“34 Behold, the
Lord hath shown unto me great and marvelous things concerning that
which must shortly come, at that day when these things shall come
forth among you.
35 Behold, I speak
unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus
Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing.” (Mormon
8:34-35)
I hope all is well with you and Sister
Beesley. Your advice in interviews in response to my question about
listening to the spirit and focusing on others really helped. When
you prayed for me that I would be able to discern the spirit and be
guided by it was very much appreciated and is proving to be quite
prophetic. It makes sense that to have a testimony of Christ is the
spirit of prophecy because as we understand and gain testimony of the
savior and his teachings we begin to recognize and understand the
consequence of actions. As we have the spirit with us and are in
line with God’s will, we then begin to see as he does and can know
how the Lord will respond to us. Anyway it’s pretty cool to think
about. I had faith that I could learn and be guided and since I
asked for that help from my father in heaven and did my best to learn
and understand he has been helping me. Stake conference was really
good and I gained a lot of insights that I could distinctly tell came
from the spirit.
Thanks for everything.
Love, Elder Record
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