But there is a few big highlights of the week! 1: We have a investigator with a baptismal date for Aug. 13th! His name is Josh, he had met with missionaries before and is progressing oh so nicely! I am so happy, we are working with him on coming to church and reading the Book of Mormon on his own. He prays every night and tell us every time we see him how he feels the spirit so strongly when he prays. 2: We will have 5 new investigators starting the beginning of July. We have a Family here in Hamilton, that i basically the most redneck family you could ever met and well they are having 5 new family members moving in that want to start taking the lessons. So That will be exciting. 3: on the 5th of July my companion and I will get to go to the Palmyra temple with some wonderful member's!!! We will be doing a members family names! I am so excited to go to the temple!!!! Its been a little over a year and I cant wait to be able to feel of the amazing spirit there!!!!
So we had a amazing Zone Conference all about the Atonement and Finding people to teach. It was great being able to learn more about the power of relying on our faith when we find. I know most of ya'll probably dont really care about the importance of finding new people to teach, but all i can say is that finding is one of the most important parts of the Lords work. And if we dont find people to teach then we as missionaries are not fulfilling our purpose. So the AP's explained why finding is apart of missionary work, they explained it like a 3 legged stool. How each leg represent represent the importance for each of us. The first leg represents our commitment to our calling, the second leg is our Faith in the Savior Jesus Christ and his Atonement, and the Third leg is our skill and desire. As we have all three of these things we are able to see the Lords hand more abundantly in his work and we will be able to find those in which the Lord has prepared for us.
Finally i want to talk a Little about the Atonement for just a minute. I want to share with you a story about a 1 room school house in Virgina. This story was told by President Gordon B. Hinkley;
“Years ago there was a little one-room schoolhouse in the mountains of Virginia where the boys were so rough that no teacher had been able to handle them.
“A young, inexperienced teacher applied, and the old director scanned him and asked: ‘Young fellow, do you know that you are asking for an awful beating? Every teacher that we have had here for years has had to take one.’
“‘I will risk it,’ he replied.
“The first day of school came, and the teacher appeared for duty. One big fellow named Tom whispered: ‘I won’t need any help with this one. I can lick him myself.’
“The teacher said, ‘Good morning, boys, we have come to conduct school.’ They yelled and made fun at the top of their voices. ‘Now, I want a good school, but I confess that I do not know how unless you help me. Suppose we have a few rules. You tell me, and I will write them on the blackboard.’
“One fellow yelled, ‘No stealing!’ Another yelled, ‘On time.’ Finally, ten rules appeared on the blackboard.
“‘Now,’ said the teacher, ‘a law is not good unless there is a penalty attached. What shall we do with one who breaks the rules?’
“‘Beat him across the back ten times without his coat on,’ came the response from the class.
“‘That is pretty severe, boys. Are you sure that you are ready to stand by it?’ Another yelled, ‘I second the motion,’ and the teacher said, ‘All right, we will live by them! Class, come to order!’
“In a day or so, ‘Big Tom’ found that his lunch had been stolen. The thief was located—a little hungry fellow, about ten years old. ‘We have found the thief and he must be punished according to your rule—ten stripes across the back. Jim, come up here!’ the teacher said.
“The little fellow, trembling, came up slowly with a big coat fastened up to his neck and pleaded, ‘Teacher, you can lick me as hard as you like, but please, don’t take my coat off!’
“‘Take your coat off,’ the teacher said. ‘You helped make the rules!’
“‘Oh, teacher, don’t make me!’ He began to unbutton, and what did the teacher see? The boy had no shirt on, and revealed a bony little crippled body.
“‘How can I whip this child?’ he thought. ‘But I must, I must do something if I am to keep this school.’ Everything was quiet as death.
“‘How come you aren’t wearing a shirt, Jim?’
“He replied, ‘My father died and my mother is very poor. I have only one shirt and she is washing it today, and I wore my brother’s big coat to keep me warm.’
“The teacher, with rod in hand, hesitated. Just then ‘Big Tom’ jumped to his feet and said, ‘Teacher, if you don’t object, I will take Jim’s licking for him.’
“‘Very well, there is a certain law that one can become a substitute for another. Are you all agreed?’
“Off came Tom’s coat, and after five strokes the rod broke! The teacher bowed his head in his hands and thought, ‘How can I finish this awful task?’ Then he heard the class sobbing, and what did he see? Little Jim had reached up and caught Tom with both arms around his neck. ‘Tom, I’m sorry that I stole your lunch, but I was awful hungry. Tom, I will love you till I die for taking my licking for me! Yes, I will love you forever!’”
Sense our Zone Conference I have thought about this story again and again and one thing always comes to mind. Our Savior Jesus Christ took our licks for us so we dont have to feel those pains on our own. How merciful is he for going through all that he did just so we can be able to stand on our own two feet. Oh, how i love our Savior. I would like to leave all of you with a quote form a scripture and that is, " Pure love casteth out all fear."
I love you all and i am so truly grateful for all your love and support!!!!
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