Friday, August 28, 2015

Email received August 3, 2015

Hello everyone!

Hope all is well! We had an interesting week. It was surprisingly kinda slow compared to the last few weeks. We think it was due to losing focus while planning. However, it was still a great week! Nicki’s roommate got baptized this and Elder Spragg and I were asked to sing our song at her baptism. One of the sister missionaries recorded it and I’ll try and see if I can send it home. The baptism was great. The girl’s name is Brianne and her grandma is actually in the family ward. Even more crazy, is that her grandma is the lady that one of our investigators, Chris, is living with. Chris has been meeting with missionaries since March and we’ve been meeting with him since I got here.

It’s been a long process with Chris. So many times we thought we would have to stop meeting with him, because he would just make so many excuses to not change. In just the past 2 weeks there’s been a night and day difference. We were wondering what the difference has been, and we realized that the change came once he got lost in the Book of Mormon. He’s been flying through the Book of Mormon, and ever since he has been on fire. The only word I can think to describe it is just conversion. He’s going to get baptized on Monday the 10th. Right before Elder Spragg goes home.

While we were planning and thinking about one of our investigators, Xing Hua, who has been an investigator of sorts for over a year, we realized that he doesn’t really have any friends in the ward. We came up with this awesome idea to have him and Charles, our Chinese recent convert, to take us out to a Chinese restaurant. Charles brought another friend as well and it was so fun! They were all at church! As well as another Chinese friend that Xing Hua brought! I love Chinese people haha. They are the best.

So in a lesson this past week we were teaching an investigator that lives with a less active member. We were going to be teaching the Plan of Salvation. She (the member) didn’t want to join in on the lesson because she “already knew the Plan of Salvation”. She may have already known the doctrines or components of it, but as she expressed where she is in life she clearly doesn’t understand or have a testimony of it. This is why it’s so important to teach the WHY of the gospel and not just the what. While she was expressing her doubts and feelings of hopelessness I came to the following conclusion:

How does the Plan of Salvation actually help us to be happy no matter what? Everyone says that, but how? There are so many unfair things and trials, how can we have hope or true happiness? Jesus Christ is our ultimate example. He lived the most unfair life ever! He had the most pain ever, yet, He had the most fulfilling life ever. Why? How is this possible? Because He knew EXACTLY who He was, why He was here, and He had COMPLETE confidence that He could fulfill God’s goal through obedience. So, when we have pain and suffering, if we remember who we are, what our goal is, and have faith enough to obey, we can have confidence that we will fulfill God’s goal for us! If we are to become like Him, is it any wonder that we have to have pain and suffering? If we remember that, then we can be happy no matter what. I know that this is true. I know He has not only plans for us, but a goal for us. The plan that He has made for us to get that goal is perfect. But we need to do our job in understanding the WHY rather than just the what.

Sorry for preaching. Love you all! Have a great week!

Love,
Elder Steed

 Squirrels at A&M

 BDubs! Classic photo

  Excited to be done with 1 Tie July! 31 days straight wearing the same ties!

Excitement may have been an understatement

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