So there's a wee problem with the
voice recorder.... I can only send 15MB via email. Now I was able to record a
message for each one of you last night as well as a group message for all of
you. However, due to the restrictions imposed upon me, I am unable to send them
all. Sort of. In reality, the only ones I can't send is the group recording and
the recording to Mom and Dad. So, sorry Mom and Dad! Maybe next week! Everyone
else gets a recording!! Yay! I'm going to try to make the recording in a lower
quality so I can send more to yas, cuz right now I can't send 5 minutes ha!
Hopefully it works!
So anyhow, I now have to do the
EXHAUSTING work of typing out what I said in the recording! Shame.
Well, basically, you remember that
new rule we got from President the other week? Well I mentioned it in my email
to President. On Tuesday, on our way to District Meeting, we got a phone call
from him!!! He had never heard of it!!! So until further notice, we're going to
forbear dropping our Less Actives.
Okay, so Monday was a great day!
That evening was, in the words of Elder Schippers, the Best evening on my
mission!! We found a LA from Portugal (luckily we have several Ward Members who
speak Portugese), we GQ'd a lady who invited us back the next day, and a guy
actually came up to us and asked for our number because he'd read the Book of
Mormon twice already!! Unfortunately, the guy never called us back and the lady
wasn't at the appointment. But still! We're meeting with the LA, M,
tomorrow.
Now I have to give you some really
sad news. It's been quite the blow for me.
H got back from his holiday in Paris
this week. We called him on Friday and he told us that he didn't want to go
back to church. He said "a church should be like a family, full of love
and friendship. It's not the case." We asked if we could meet with him the
next day and he was fine with that. We brought Brother H along, who's always
been good friends with H, as well as N, a member from Newtonabbey who's come to
some of H's lessons. H told us that he didn't feel welcome at church, that
nobody from the Bishopric has even approached him, and that the people are
unsociable. But, in all honesty, he's only been to church a handful of times
since he's been baptized! He's been gone visiting family in Paris most of the
time, so the ward hasn't had a lot of time to give him Home Teachers, for
example. Regardless, he was feeling hurt by all this. It turns out that
bringing N along was literally a God-send, because she is a convert herself,
and she had the exact same experience when she first joined the church! She
told H that she actually left the church for several years, but she deeply
regrets it now. Anyhow, to make a long story short, we got H to commit to
fasting and praying about church. He still believes in the Book of Mormon, and
has been faithfully reading it. But I think some of his previous Protestant
beliefs are intermixing with what we've taught him, because he kept saying that
"I have the Book, so I don't need anything else." Anyways, please
send some prayers his way. I know I am!! He didn't come to church yesterday,
but I didn't really expect him to. He's still fine with having us over, and
like I said, he still reads. So he hasn't turned anti or anything. He just feels
uncomfortable in the ward.
Okay, so on a more positive note: F!!
Circle September 5th on your
calendars, because she's agreed to be baptized on that day!!! :D
We've had an awesome week with her!
We started the Stop Smoking Program with her on Thursday. Do you know what that
is? If you don't, I refer you to Elder Nelson (sorry, it's President Nelson
now) "Ask the Missionaries, they can help you!" Literally, the next
day when we called her to check up on how it's going, she told us "I don't
have any desire for a cigarette! It's so weird!" I was on an exchange on
Tuesday, but Elder Schippers was able to teach her how to use her new Quad and
also how to study the scriptures. She hasn't been using a Study Journal, but
she's been doing everything else from what I've heard. Yeah, everything's going
great. I'm really looking forward to her baptism.
Which reminds me! I haven't told you
what's happening yet!
DRUMROLL PLEASE!!!!
We're staying together!! Yep, I'm
getting another transfer in Belfast!! We are literally the only ones staying
the same in our entire Zone! The entire face of the mission is changing!
President Donaldson is actually adding a new zone! It's over in Scotland, and
it's just the Chinatown Missionaries, but still!! Add to that the fact that
half the mission is training/being trained!! Things are never going to be the
same!
So happy that D has been going to
church! Just be careful not to pressure her. She should investigate because SHE
wants to investigate. Not because her boss wants her to. Still, great news!
I will be fasting for Becky on the
24th. I have written it in my planner.
As for the Titanic
Exhibit, yeah they gave us tickets. Unfortunately it's out of our area, and
we're not allowed to leave our areas, so no we haven't gone. I was really
bummed. You know me, big history guy. :(
Anyhow, love you all! Hope everybody
(except Mom and Dad) enjoys the recordings! :)
Luv ya!
Elder Bates
No comments:
Post a Comment