So this has been a great week with lots of
different experiences. We had some awesome lessons and had some sweet spiritual
experiences as well. This area is really
great. The work is always increasing
with the people here.
Monday we hung out with another District and played ultimate Frisbee at the local park. It was super hot and we were sweating a ton. After P-day, we had a lesson with a lady named Vennita. We just got back in contact with her and went over the Plan of Salvation again.
Tuesday we had a lesson with Olivia and Rebecca, the girls that go to UTC. We went over the Plan of Salvation and had a pretty good lesson with them. They had some questions that we are going to go over and answer at our next meeting. Then we biked out to a lesson with a guy named Jarvis near the Georgia border. On our way out there, I became a true “biking missionary.” We were riding through a traffic light, which was green for us, and some cars were parked in the turn lane on the other side. As I passed those cars, a dump truck did not want to be patient and wait for room to get by safely. He plowed on through and BARELY missed me. My front tire started to scrape the side curb and then it just caught. I went over the handle bars. I basically flipped over, landed on my shoulders, and rolled, but I never let go of the handle bars so my bike came up and over me as well. I bumped my knee and my ankle hurt after the adrenaline wore off. I might have hurt my thumb at some point as well, but I have no idea how any of those things happened. I also got a huge grass stain on the shoulder of my white shirt. Don't be mad mom. Luckily there was no sidewalk on this part of the road so I miraculously landed on grass. I was super itchy after that because of the mix of sweat and grass. I definitely was watched over with safety because it could have been a lot worse. Anyways, we got to Jarvis's house and we went over the Restoration with him. It made sense to him and he even accepted a soft baptismal invitation. We swung by the border to take a picture. We got back and went out with the YSA Elder's Quorum President whose name is Jared. He just got back from Indonesia on his mission about 6 months ago. We were going to a less-active member’s home for a dinner appointment. His name is Chris and he served a mission in Seattle. Before we got there, we told Jared that we were going to share a message about the Book of Mormon. He said he wasn't sure how Chris would take it because he is a little “iffy” on religious things at this moment in his life. Chris is a super cool guy and we had a great dinner. When it came to the message, I was trying to find something that I could share instead of the Book of Mormon message, but nothing was coming to mind, so we stuck with the original plan. Let me just say, when the Spirit directs you toward something and leaves no other thoughts in your mind except for that one idea, then make sure you follow through with it. That was one of the most spiritual lessons I have ever been in. It was so strong. He was involved and we asked him what he liked from the Book of Mormon. Jared gave a powerful testimony and challenged him and his girlfriend to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it. It was so cool.
Wednesday we had District Meeting. Then we had a lesson with a guy named Zack. He is the one that has been coming for a couple years. He wants to be baptized and so we asked him to pray about a date that would work for him. We then had a lesson with Jacqueline and Letia and taught the Law of Chastity. That was about it for today.
Thursday we mainly just tracted all day long.
Friday we met with Zach again. We taught him the Restoration. It was a pretty good lesson and he wants to make a change in his life. Then we tracted again for the rest of the day.
Saturday we tracted again all day and it was super hot. We knocked on a guy’s door and he gave us money to go get something cold to drink. So we rode over to the nearest “not sketchy” gas station to get a slushy. Well, it still was a little sketchy because we totally witnessed a drug deal go down. That was a first for me. We also had a couple people ask us for money. Well we saw the family again and went through the Baptismal Interview questions with them as they are getting closer to their baptismal date. They are doing awesome. We asked them to make sure to get their own confirmation that this is what God wants them to do.
Sunday we had a good day. We were expecting a few more people to come to church than actually did, but it was still a good day.
Well I just want to expound on my thoughts from earlier on the Spirit. I know that if I had not listened to that initial prompting to go forward with the lesson we prepared because of my own thoughts of wanting Chris to like us and be happy and not uncomfortable, then we would not have had such an awesome spiritual lesson like we did. We should always listen to the promptings which we receive and stick to them. If we are told to go do something right then, we should immediately act upon it no matter what the circumstance. President Monson, our living prophet on the Earth today, had an experience where he felt like he needed to go to the hospital, but he was in an important meeting. So he waited until the end and then ran over there. A man had been calling for him just before he died. Ever since then, Pres. Monson has never put off a prompting from the Spirit. He said that he wants to make sure the Lord knows that if He needs something done, he will run that errand for Him. We all should live our lives in that way and have that attitude so that the Lord can trust us with His errands that will bless His children. The promptings of the Spirit are very special and we should treat them as such and not put them off, even if it’s not good timing. The Spirit will never lead us astray and will always direct us in the ways of good. I know this to be true and I am very grateful that I can be guided by the Spirit at all times and that He can be my constant companion. I leave you these things, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Elder Ellison
Monday we hung out with another District and played ultimate Frisbee at the local park. It was super hot and we were sweating a ton. After P-day, we had a lesson with a lady named Vennita. We just got back in contact with her and went over the Plan of Salvation again.
Tuesday we had a lesson with Olivia and Rebecca, the girls that go to UTC. We went over the Plan of Salvation and had a pretty good lesson with them. They had some questions that we are going to go over and answer at our next meeting. Then we biked out to a lesson with a guy named Jarvis near the Georgia border. On our way out there, I became a true “biking missionary.” We were riding through a traffic light, which was green for us, and some cars were parked in the turn lane on the other side. As I passed those cars, a dump truck did not want to be patient and wait for room to get by safely. He plowed on through and BARELY missed me. My front tire started to scrape the side curb and then it just caught. I went over the handle bars. I basically flipped over, landed on my shoulders, and rolled, but I never let go of the handle bars so my bike came up and over me as well. I bumped my knee and my ankle hurt after the adrenaline wore off. I might have hurt my thumb at some point as well, but I have no idea how any of those things happened. I also got a huge grass stain on the shoulder of my white shirt. Don't be mad mom. Luckily there was no sidewalk on this part of the road so I miraculously landed on grass. I was super itchy after that because of the mix of sweat and grass. I definitely was watched over with safety because it could have been a lot worse. Anyways, we got to Jarvis's house and we went over the Restoration with him. It made sense to him and he even accepted a soft baptismal invitation. We swung by the border to take a picture. We got back and went out with the YSA Elder's Quorum President whose name is Jared. He just got back from Indonesia on his mission about 6 months ago. We were going to a less-active member’s home for a dinner appointment. His name is Chris and he served a mission in Seattle. Before we got there, we told Jared that we were going to share a message about the Book of Mormon. He said he wasn't sure how Chris would take it because he is a little “iffy” on religious things at this moment in his life. Chris is a super cool guy and we had a great dinner. When it came to the message, I was trying to find something that I could share instead of the Book of Mormon message, but nothing was coming to mind, so we stuck with the original plan. Let me just say, when the Spirit directs you toward something and leaves no other thoughts in your mind except for that one idea, then make sure you follow through with it. That was one of the most spiritual lessons I have ever been in. It was so strong. He was involved and we asked him what he liked from the Book of Mormon. Jared gave a powerful testimony and challenged him and his girlfriend to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it. It was so cool.
Wednesday we had District Meeting. Then we had a lesson with a guy named Zack. He is the one that has been coming for a couple years. He wants to be baptized and so we asked him to pray about a date that would work for him. We then had a lesson with Jacqueline and Letia and taught the Law of Chastity. That was about it for today.
Thursday we mainly just tracted all day long.
Friday we met with Zach again. We taught him the Restoration. It was a pretty good lesson and he wants to make a change in his life. Then we tracted again for the rest of the day.
Saturday we tracted again all day and it was super hot. We knocked on a guy’s door and he gave us money to go get something cold to drink. So we rode over to the nearest “not sketchy” gas station to get a slushy. Well, it still was a little sketchy because we totally witnessed a drug deal go down. That was a first for me. We also had a couple people ask us for money. Well we saw the family again and went through the Baptismal Interview questions with them as they are getting closer to their baptismal date. They are doing awesome. We asked them to make sure to get their own confirmation that this is what God wants them to do.
Sunday we had a good day. We were expecting a few more people to come to church than actually did, but it was still a good day.
Well I just want to expound on my thoughts from earlier on the Spirit. I know that if I had not listened to that initial prompting to go forward with the lesson we prepared because of my own thoughts of wanting Chris to like us and be happy and not uncomfortable, then we would not have had such an awesome spiritual lesson like we did. We should always listen to the promptings which we receive and stick to them. If we are told to go do something right then, we should immediately act upon it no matter what the circumstance. President Monson, our living prophet on the Earth today, had an experience where he felt like he needed to go to the hospital, but he was in an important meeting. So he waited until the end and then ran over there. A man had been calling for him just before he died. Ever since then, Pres. Monson has never put off a prompting from the Spirit. He said that he wants to make sure the Lord knows that if He needs something done, he will run that errand for Him. We all should live our lives in that way and have that attitude so that the Lord can trust us with His errands that will bless His children. The promptings of the Spirit are very special and we should treat them as such and not put them off, even if it’s not good timing. The Spirit will never lead us astray and will always direct us in the ways of good. I know this to be true and I am very grateful that I can be guided by the Spirit at all times and that He can be my constant companion. I leave you these things, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Elder Ellison
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| Bicycle Accident - A Few Bruises & a Grass Stain - Could Have Been A Lot Worse |
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| Missionary Life |
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| Livin On The Edge - Georgia Border |
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| Coolidge Park |
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| "Blue Boy" @ Coolidge Park |
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| P-Day with 2 Districts |
View From the Top of Our Church Building
jessica@mail.postmanllc.net
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