Monday, January 19, 2015

January 19, 2015 "Do whatever it takes to be a member"

Another week of driving around! Life is crazy here but things are great.  We went up to tzaneen for monday and tuesday and I was able to go on exchanges with elder Smith-holley.  He is doing so well and it is just great to see how mission has change him in an amazing way.  When people say mission is not for me then I think to myself they really don't know what they are thinking....  I see all these missionaries together and some who have made major mistakes in their lives but yet have changed through the atonement and are now disciples of Jesus Christ.  Without mission I know that I wouldn't have the perspective on life and my purpose here on this earth if I never came out. 
As far as missionary work this week it was really difficult.  I am still learning the area yet trying to lead it with my new comp.  Also school started back up this week so we had to cancel a lot of lessons due to not being able to have a male with us when we teach females.  But we had a great miracle this week!! I see this kind of miracle after a week with little success but with a lot of diligence.  We were at church and a new face showed up and we introduced ourselves and he said that he came to visit and that he wasn't a member. we were so excited at this and so we were right next to him the whole time.  In our investigator class he said that the night before he started thinking that he needs to change and start living the way that God wants him to live so he call his brother who is a member and said that he needed to take him to church tomorrow.  So his brother picked him up and he told us that he will do whatever it takes to be a member of this church and that he would like help in changing his life.  This is such an amazing miracle and I know that it would not have happened if we would have decided because things weren't going our way to quit.  I am just grateful the Lord trusts me and my companion enough to bring such a prepared person into our lives! 

LOVE YOU ALL!!! 

Thursday, January 15, 2015

January 15, 2015 "Saying goodbye to my best friend"


So this week has been an interesting week to say the least.  I had to say goodbye to my best friend Elder Reed... I really have never had a friend that close in my life.  It was bitter sweet but I have a new comp! His name is Elder Johnson and he is a sweet dude! He is from Kaysville and only has 6 weeks left of mission and was just called as a ZL.  He is a great guy and I am learning so much from him and his experience that he has on mission. We finally got into our area on thursday and definitely made the best of it! We are really working hard and we never really sit down.  Elder Johnson said that I need to make sure he finishes strong and so that is exactly what we are doing... haha and he hates working out so I drag him to the gym every morning.  Also I am in this competion with Elder Farnes (the guy from woods cross) and Elder Worton from Idaho who can gain the most weight in 3 months.... haha so far I think I am winning I went to put on a shirt the other day that used to fit me comfortably and it was so tight I couldn't even get it off..... Elder Reed had to cut it off with scissors...... but so I will be fat again!!!! 

We only really have one promising investigator right now and his name is Freddy. He is doing well but he is having a hard time giving up all of his tv prophets and stuff.  So he can't find an answer if this is true because he doesn't have that real intent to know.  God will only give us an answer if we will act upon it and use our faith.  It took me a while to realize that and now I know why it may have taken me such a long time to get an answer because  even if I did get an answer I wasn't willing to change or act upon it.  Oh by the way I had interviews with president and I am getting home on the 8th of december.... He won't let me extend so thank him for that..... ((Suzi is very happy.  I (Jim) asked if he could stay an extra year.))