Keep The Commandments

This will be a quick post as we are headed out to a family reunion!  I just wanted to thank all of the class for their participation.  Thank you to those who came prepared and shared and taught us!  We felt the power of your spirits as you shared about how the commandments help us increase faith and help us come closer to Christ.

Next week NO CLASS- fast sunday.

The following week:  So you will have 2 weeks to do this- Please read the entire chapter 10 in preach my gospel.  Come prepared to share any new ideas you had about teaching from this chapter.  It is inspired and should help you a lot as you prepare to serve.

Chapel Tour

Today class started off with sharing any missionary experiences they have had lately. When we feel comfortable sharing the spirit comes so much quicker, so thank you for many that made comments today and offered their ideas.

Brady Anderson has spent some time in Mexico and met someone that was ready and prepared to hear about the Church.  They gave him a Book Of Mormon and put them in contact with the missionaries.  He commented on how easy and natural it was when the people are ready to hear our message.

                                                 
This was Adam Packers last week with us.  He has been attending class since we started and we have come to value his participation and leadership skills.  We will miss him.  More about his assignment later...
He wanted to just share his testimony with the class on his last day.  What a great memory we will have of him. He knows the church is true and has a testimony of the restoration and the Book Of Mormon.  This will be a great blessing to him as he enters the mission field.

Here is some of the class as we gathered in the foyer of the Stake Center.  We discussed how to help investigators become familiar with our buildings and what happens inside them.  Some important points are: 1. Always have a member present as you tour the building that can also offer them a ride or sit by them at church.

2. Use the pictures on the walls to teach the gospel.

3.  Help them recognize the spirit they feel in the House of the Lord.

4.  Invite them to arrive10 minutes early to Sacrament Meeting and sit close to the front where they can see the sacrament table.  Explain what the sacrament is. Have an empty bread and water tray on the sacrament table and talk about this ordinance.  Explain the cleansing power that comes as we partake of the sacrament. You can ask, would you like to feel that?

5.  After the meeting, walk them up to meet the Bishop.  The bishop is a key person in helping you gain the trust and help of the ward council members.  You can also help gain the trust of the bishop when he knows you are doing your part.

6.  Have them meet other ward members when they visit.

7. Walk around the building and explain what we do in each of the rooms. This is a great opportunity to  answer any questions or concerns they might have.

8.  There are 3 reasons why investigators don't come to church.  1- They don't know the people, 2- They don't know the place, and 3- They don't know the procedures.  Help them with these concerns so they will feel comfortable and welcome in our meetings.  Show them the procedures that are listed in the back of each pamphlet and discuss any questions they have.

Here we talked about the fun ward and youth weekly activities we have in the cultural hall.  Invite them to participate.  

And now we say goodbye to Adam.  He will leave for the England MTC on wednesday and be learning German.  He will be serving in the Alpine german speaking mission that includes Munich, Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. You can tell by the light in his countenance that he is eager and ready to serve.  We know the Lord will bless you in that wonderful part of the world!

NEXT WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT

Each of you prepare a short 3-5 minute lesson from any of the topics in Lesson 4: the commandments. Preach My Gospel, Pg 71-81

Answer the questions we talked about last week and be prepared to teach the class the lesson you prepared.

1.  In what situation do I picture myself teaching?

2. What are the basic points I hope to cover?

3.  What scripture references will I use?

4.  What questions will I ask?

5. What is the testimony that I want to share?

Study With Your Investigator In Mind

This week we handed out a paper with the following information on it:

 Use the information in Preach My Gospel to prepare a 3-5 minute lesson.  

The questions below will help you with your preparation.

In what situation do I picture myself teaching? (Think of a specific person)

What are the basic points I hope to cover?

What scripture references will I use?

What questions will I ask?

What is the testimony that I want to share?

Once again we see the power of the spirit directing the thoughts of each person.

Trevor and Troy wanted to teach about the commandments. Agency is a gift from God.  His commandments are not restrictions but the way to live to be the happiest.  They shared 2 Nephi 2:26-29.  Way to go guys!  The power of the scriptures testified the truth of your message.

  

Kim Josse- a new comer to class- welcome- we are excited to have you here!!!, and Makelle related this exercise to someone that needed to receive personal revelation.

Adam on the right thought of a person he met and first thought that they should teach the plan of salvation, or the restoration, or the atonement, but felt impressed to talk about prayer.  They shared James 1:5 and the story of Alma the younger.  The question they wanted to ask was "Will you pray about the Book Of Mormon?"

This is Mike Martin.  He has been home from his mission for a few months and has volunteered to come to class and help however he can....Once a missionary....always a missionary!  We love and welcome all!

He shared that this process of studying with the investigator in mind is done every day on your mission.  Every morning you study with the spirit to know what you are going to teach your investigators and then the spirit will teach you how and what to teach them.  Make sure you write down what you prepared in your daily planner.  

We also got to hear the testimonies of 3 newly returned missionaries.  This is Brendan Neider.  He returned from Fiji and has been home only about 10 hours.  If you notice he is wearing a skirt and flip flops :)  This is the missionary uniform in Fiji and he said it only took him about 5 minutes to get used to it!  He shared that the mission goes really really fast so use your time wisely.  Don't waste any time.  Your mission is basic training for the rest of your life.  Even though you help many other people you also help yourself.  

This is Taylor Lewis,  He served in Anaheim California and Utah.  He explained that through Christ anyone can be helped.  There are people with lots of struggles out there and the advice and knowledge you give them helps them have a better life.  They will have problems you think you can't help them fix, but the Savior can fix anything.  

This is Aaron Wilson.  He served in Wahaca Mexico.  He said you will have a lot of joy seeing converts come unto Christ, but he felt so much joy when he saw youth get their calls to serve on missions and leave.  He met and started to teach a young man in his second area, at the end of his mission he was transferred back to that same area and saw that this young man had been baptized as well as his whole family and he had received his mission call and he got to attend his farewell talk right before he came home.  The Savior is in charge of His church and it is such a blessing to assist in this great work.

Thank you Elders for you wonderful service.  Bro Hooker asked them, now how do you stay strong once you get home?  We could tell they all knew the answer and were committed to the Savior.  Aaron suggested to never throw the good habits away that you learned  on your mission.   Taylor said we need to always do CPR- Church, Pray, Read.  That is how converts stay active, and it applies to all of us as well.

Here is Talon Miller.  He leaves this week to the MTC to learn to speak Russian.  He will be serving in the Russia Novosibirsk Mission- I think?  It is the coldest mission in the world and includes Siberia and all of Kazakhstan!  Talon has a powerful testimony and the Light of the Gospel shines in his eyes.  Hard work is ahead of him but we know he can do it!  We will be praying for you and wish you the very best!

Next Weeks Assignment:

Please read or re-read Pres. Monson's Conference talk on pg 66.  

We will be demonstrating how to do a chapel tour next week so please don't miss it. 

Also here is the link to the Worldwide Leadership Broadcast: Hastening the Work of Salvation

If you missed it you will really want to watch it.