I Cut A Good Hour Out Of Their P-Day...DON'T CARE!!!

HAHA there is a kid next to us in the Library playing some computer game yelling "OH NO YAYO, OH NO YAYO" 

• I got both packages, thank you so much. Oddly enough they both came on Monday, so I was pretty excited. I love the new shirts! I'm wearing one now!
• Hey ya wild bill sweet

Our stake conference this weekend was very spiritual and uplifting. I am so surprised by President Lambourne every time he speaks! The LORD has taught him a lot. I was especially excited that we had 3 out of four people with a baptismal date there at sacrament. We Had Esmerelda, who is going to be baptized this Saturday, and we also had Felicia and Margie, who have been set with a date for the 7th of July!!! Rajan, the Branch mission leader in the YSA branch, sat with Margie and Felicia it was cool they loved it. We sat with Esmerelda and her kids and that was crazy but fun. Their little son kept wanting to draw and I didn't want him to draw while I was taking notes so I gave him a bunch of addiction recovery program handouts to decorate haha.

      We met with Margie and Felicia, and Felicia's boyfriend Josh was there. It was so perfect!!!!! We had the branch mission leader there with one of the sisters in the YSA branch named Amanda. The spirit was so strong and we went over there planning to teach about prophets but it was cool to see that the subject of Prophets brought out their real concerns. Josh and Felicia already told us they want to make it to the temple, but it's a weird situation because he had never been taught. We started our lesson with testimony and then watched a talk by President Monson. Margie asked some great questions to Rajan (bml) about if he had ever met the prophet. Then the lesson turned on us and we were teaching about baptism and read the story of the man who sold everything he had to buy the plot of land with the treasure in it. We talked about how being baptized and following the prophet for life correlated with enduring to the end and how the gospel was a process. Margie and Felicia are really scared to commit because "then we have to go every week for the rest of our lives" haha well, at least they understand. The spirit was there and they knew it was the right thing to do. Then we transitioned right into the invitation. To be honest, it surprised me. We had not intended on setting them with a date, because we don't know when Bruce (dad) will be ready to baptize or if he can yet, but We turned to Josh, who has only ever heard of Prophets, and invited him to give up all he had to buy the treasure, to be baptized and claim all of the blessings that are available to him. He said yes. This surprised Felicia and Margie because they were like hey, I thought this lesson was for us haha it really opened their eyes to the reality of the gospel. Even Josh, 20 years old and Catholic, can feel how true this is. I am so thankful to The LORD for making it possible that we could teach that lesson. The hammer doesn't pound the nail, just as the missionary does not convert. But the hammer has to be there right? The thing is, who made the hammer? Who planned it out and pounded the hot metal into place? Then who picked it up and used it to build something beautiful? I am so humbled to be in the hands of the Almighty GOD, and I am striving to be the moldable metal. Obedience is so KEY!!!! I am so thankful to be here it's overwhelming.

     We also had another lesson with Esmerelda, who is to be baptized this Saturday! We had it at a member's home, and it was very inspired. I don't know if I told you this, but we followed the council of Brother Thomas and prayed to see who would be good to fellowship Esmerelda, and we did it RIGHT after partaking of the sacrament. We felt like Sister Justesen would be good. No reason but the feeling. After our first lesson at the Justesens, we left Esmerelda there to talk to them and her kids stayed and played. We saw sister Justesen (single mother of 5) at a ward activity and she was so excited. She said "it must have been inspired!!" She went on to tell us all of 5 or 6 things that they have in common and she was so excited about missionary work. I want to bare you my testimony of hand picking members, by the spirit, for investigators. We, as missionaries, experience real growth and progression in the gospel, because we are teaching it. "missionary work is the edge of the sword, the tip of the spear" as Brother Thomas puts it. When you are a missionary, progression happens exponentially, and when we allow the members to come into the process in an inspired way and to participate in teaching and fellowshipping investigators, we lay on the altar a blessing that will change their life. We are allowing them to experience the spirit and protection of missionary work. They will see blessings immediately, as will their families, friends, and the investigator. I believe that by doing so we get to the root of the word edify.

     I love this. I am grateful to be here and to see this work being accomplished. HIS work. HIS glory. HIS spirit. HIS credit. HIS Sons and Daughters choosing Him through His son Jesus Christ. And we are just puppets, bystanders, the little guys. 

I thank you for your council and for the interest you have helped spark in Jesus Christ in MY life. I love you all! Happy Fathers Day again Dad and have a great week.

     Sorry I can't share more I'm an idiot. I forgot the numbers binder today, so we had to go all the way back home to get it. Then I did the numbers and saved them but the computer logged me out so they got lost. Now Elder Narramore is doing the numbers because I can't do it right. Needless to say everyone is mad because I cut a good hour out of their Preparation Day. But I know this isn't my errand, this is The LORD's errand. :) DON'T CARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
Love,

 

Elder Skyler Mark Andreasen

p.s. I choose Christ