Sunday, August 3, 2014

Email received July 14, 2014

Hello everyone,

Today is a very good day. It started off by playing pday volleyball at the chapel with some priests and some sister missionaries. We started at 6:30 and played for about 5 hours. I am so dead. haha. Here's another reason why today is so great. I found out that Laura, from my first area, is progressing and has a baptismal date for Aug 2! I've been so hyper ever since. haha. I can't wait for the day of her baptism. I feel like after that day I will be completely satisfied with my mission, even if I never teach anyone ever again! Wooo I'm so happy!

So sad to hear about the family in Spring. Many missionaries, including one of my old companions Elder Pongi, were very close to that family. I can't even imagine the pain that comes from that. It just strengthened my testimony of the Atonement and how enormous and infinite it is. He has felt that pain that we all, and especially the young girl, have felt. He went through that for all of us. So that he may know "how to succor his people". Amazing.

Well, things still are pretty slow. He haven't been able to meet with Anthony. We have started sharing a message with members to help them in their missionary work. We call it "Accomplishing Things With God". Here's some of what it entails:

1. Qualify for His help- we do this by keeping the commandments and being able to have the Spirit with us.
2. Find out what He wants us to do.
3. Do everything we can to achieve it.
4. Ask for the blessing and help that we need.
5. Thank Him for his help.

We then share how the Brother of Jared used these steps in doing what God needed him to do. First off, he was qualified. Then he prayed to know what he needed to do. He started to build barges but they had no light. He then asks how they will have light and all the Lord says in reply is, "What will ye that I should do that ye may have light in your vessels?" I think sometimes He answers our prayers that way and He wants us to figure it out. The brother of Jared then goes and molts 16 rocks with the intent of asking the Lord to SOMEHOW make them light. We need to do everything in our power to accomplish what He has asked us to do. This may just be my opinion, but I wonder if the brother of Jared felt pretty silly molting those rocks. Maybe his thought process was "uhhhh I have no idea what I'm doing but uhh sure yeah I'll molt some rocks and the Lord will make them light." He did all that was in his power and then asked God for the blessing to accomplish the task that he could never accomplish by himself. The Lord then touches the stones and makes it possible for them to travel to the promised land. It's important to thank Him for his help so that he will help us again in the future. We are challenging the members to use this same process in their efforts to share the gospel. We need their help. haha. Have a great week everyone!

love,
Elder Steed


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