All Mission Meeting

How's everyone doing?!?

This past week we had the amazing opportunity to hear from President Ballard at an all mission meeting! This doesn't happen very often, usually once a year so I was incredibly lucky to be in the field at this time. President Ballard's message was so inspiring and so helpful that I want to share one of the major things he talked about.

We are at war for the souls of all mankind!! He emphasized this about four times within his talk so you know it's important. This was somewhat of a rallying cry for us missionaries. This is a war and so we should treat it as such. We should be actively, anxiously engaged in the work we should do. We need to treat every moment as an urgent need to save as many people as we can. We need to be bold. We are past the point of gentle pleasantries and proddings. The Lord has assigned us here because it is time to HASTEN the work. Not do the same work that has always been done.

And how do we hasten this work? Members. It is our job to lift, strengthen, and encourage the members to friendship every person they come into contact with. No one has an excuse not to love their neighbors. I understand that there are plenty of busy people, and it's easy to say "oh I'm too busy to go over and meet the new neighbors" or "I have to watch my kids, I don't have time for this and that". Its times like those that Satan is winning this war. There are so many people who don't know the truth because they simply know not where to find it.

Now I don't mean to chastise anyone in this email list hahaha. No, I'm sharing President Ballard's message so that all of you will rally behind a good cause. Each member needs to be missionary minded... that is the only way missionary work will progress. President Ballard said that the world is so different now than it ever has been. Because of this, and because Satan is throwing everything he has at us, it is now that we must rally behind what is the second greatest commandment. Love thy neighbor.

This love includes missionary work for if you truly love someone, you will want them to experience the great overwhelming peace and joy that only the Holy Ghost can bring. If your ward is not missionary minded, talk to the bishop. If your stake is not missionary minded, talk to the stake president. This is God's greatest work on the whole Earth today. Love your neighbors whether they be members, inactives, or nonmembers. 

My goal isn't for everyone to go out and boldly proclaim to all their friends that they need to go to church and repent of their sins hahaha. No, my goal is that you will continue being faithful later day saints but that you will pray earnestly and with real intent for missionary opportunities each day. I can promise you that every needful thing, anything that you are struggling with, whether it be finances, family issues, health issues, anything, God will bless you for putting other's souls first.

Remember, we are at war. It is not time for us to work ourselves so that we may prepare for the war... no. It is time for you to take up your sword and trust in God that any of your weaknesses will be made into strengths with his power.

Alright hahaha, now that I've given my spiel, I finally found someone new to teach who might actually have potential of progressing!!! I am so excited!! And guess what, we got it from a member referral! Hahaha all of the knocking on doors and member visits haven't been in vain!! Well... most of them haven't yielded any success either... but I trust that Heavenly Father will bless me for my hard work even if it is not as efficient as I would like!

I hope you are all doing great and know that I love every single email I get and that, if I don't respond, it's not because I hate you but that I just don't have enough time to write everyone.

With best wishes,

Elder Francis 

St. George is hot!

Hello all!

This past week has been rough Haha! We had two of the people we are teaching move out of our area and they were on date for baptism so that was pretty sad. We are teaching about 7 people now but only one of them is progressing... it's pretty frustrating Haha. We've been spending around four hours each day just trying to find new people to teach and have so far found no one. I know that the Lord is currently softening their hearts and that someone will be willing to listen to us.

Utah is very different from every other mission out there. All of the non-members we run into have either had all of the lessons before and are not interested in having them again, or have very firm beliefs in a different religion. It's interesting how many part member families there are where one spouse is a member and the other is a Baptist or Protestant. I've found out that it is nearly impossible to progress, or even get people to want to progress, without the help of the ward members. They are essential in the conversion process.

If I can give all of you one word of advice, help the missionaries more. The Lord has revealed a new way of missionary work, at least in America, and it involves the entire ward being missionary minded and looking for what they can do.

We visit a lot of members homes, just trying to get to know the leaders and with dinner appointments. I always try to share a scripture or a spiritual thought wherever we go because I realize how important it is for them to help us and how they usually need a little prodding Haha.

I'm working hard, harder than I have ever worked in my life. It feels good to be constantly doing something but it is easy to get discouraged with the lack of progress we have made. We have been promised that the field is white already to harvest, but I'm pretty sure my field is still a little green and needs some more watering hahaha. I'm praying daily, no, multiple times a day, to try and find more people to bring into God's loving arms. I want so desperately to help everyone, but so few are actually accepting my help...

In a more personal sense, I've nearly finished the Book of Mormon for the first time on my mission! I have a lofty goal of finishing it 12 times while I am out... the math adds up to about 10 pages a day, which is doable but not easy. I don't want to abandon the other works though so I begin my personal study by reading a chapter of the New Testament and D&C. I absolutely love the scriptures! I don't know why I didn't read them more in my free time back home because they are so amazing! I encourage everyone to set aside even 15 minutes a day to devote to studying the Book of Mormon. The wisdom and truth in that book will help you find the answer to any question you have been looking for.

I want to share a scripture that I love sharing with members. D&C 18:10-16

10 Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God;

11 For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him.

12 And he hath risen again from the dead, that he might bring all men unto him, on conditions of repentance.

13 And how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth!

14 Wherefore, you are called to cry repentance unto this people.

15 And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!

16 And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!

How great will be your joy if you continue to help the missionaries and bring others into God. I Love you all and I encourage you to stay faithful and remember how important you all are. Each of you can make a difference. Each of you have already influenced my life so much that I know you are already influencing so many more.

Elder Francis

Hello from St. George Utah!

I'm finally here!!!

So we took a shuttle from the MTC to the mission office in St George... it was long hahaha. But, once we got there, things happened fast! So we had about an hour of orientation and then they gave us our trainers.

I am in the Washington East area which covers the whole stake here and is in between Washington and Hurrican (we are just East of St. George)... there are 11 wards. Hahaha each ward is about as big as my ward back home so about a hundred to two hundred people. That means that there are 11 ward mission leaders I need to know, 11 bishops, 11 elders quorum presidents, and 11 relief society Presidents. And that is on top of learning the names of all the people I am teaching. Hahaha it is a lot to take in and I don't know if I'll have it all down with this transfer.

Anyway, so when I got my trainer, we went right to work. We had a dinner appointment and then three lessons. I later realized that this was busier than we usually are. We are only teaching about 8 people and so we are trying desperately to find some more. This meant that the last week has been mostly going to members houses (mostly the before mentioned leaders) and seeing if they can give us any information or referrals. It's a lot of talking and so my people skills have been put to the test! Turns out, I'm not great at talking to people hahaha but I'm not terrible either. We were able to get a lot of information that should be helpful in finding some new people to teach.

Utah definitely has a different culture when it comes to missionary work. We are either treated like angles sent to bring love to everyone or treated like the plague and avoided at all costs. It's funny though because the first group of people not only sees us as angles but expects us to be angles... meaning they expect us to be perfect basically. It's kind of a lot of pressure at times to not disappoint their extremely high expectations, but then I remember that I only care what God thinks of me and I've been trying my absolute best so he shouldn't be disappointed.

One thing that's been hard for me is that we are not allowed to teach inactive members. The first presidency told my mission President, President Smith, that we can only teach non-members or part member families... it makes sense because if we were to teach inactive,  members that is where all of our time would be spent. Plus that should be the members responsibility with the ministering program. It's hard for me because I want to invite all to come unto Christ but I feel like I am being limited in that sense.

Another thing that's been hard for me is how many children we teach. My mission is one of the highest baptizing in the nation and that is because we teach and baptize so many kids. Once they turn 9 they need the missionary discussions to become baptized, so a lot of part member families or inactive parents want their kids to be baptized and so we have to teach them. It's been hard for me because I have a lot of trouble teaching complex doctrine to little kids and because it's way harder for me to assess their needs and get them to open up.

Other than those it's been pretty good! I feel like I am more in tune with the spirit and I have a better understanding of the Gospel than I ever have in my life! I am still so far from perfect and that is blatantly evident when I try and teach lessons.

My companion is Elder Greenwood and he is pretty great! He is hard working which makes me extremely happy, but there are still a few things that I've decided I'll try not to do when I am no longer a trainee. We have plans for every moment of every day, but I feel like they are not the most efficient use of our time sometimes. I'm still new though so I'll have to see how it turns out. He is a little quieter which means there are some awkward silences at times and then I feel like I need to take charge and guide the discussion which then I feel like I'm stepping on his toes as the trainer. It's a hard dynamic that I still need to get used to.

Our mission President is fairly lenient rule wise. He goes by the white handbook which doesn't give very specific rules at times which means pretty much any music that invites the spirit is good.

So I am doing great and everything is good! I am working hard and get super tired but that is normal. Have a great week!

Elder Francis

Week 3

This week has been crazy! I've learned so much and felt the spirit so much and struggled so much and excelled so much! It's crazy how so many things can happen in a week and that when I come to type them all out, I forget literally everything hahaha.

So I started out the week still sick from my cold, but it slowly got better and I was able to focus again which was such a blessing. However, I started getting so sleepy during class! It was so frustrating because I was going to bed by 10:30 and getting up at 6:30 so I should have had enough sleep, but I kept falling asleep in the middle of class and I would have to get up and do jumping jacks in the hall whilst earnestly praying that I could stay awake!

I feel like I was far too prideful and self-centered this past week. Ever since Friday, which was when I had my last teaching appointment at the MTC, I have run out of things to do. I got about 3 hours of personal study in because there was a lack of things to go to and plan for. I tried my best to stay diligent all the time, even when we didn't really have anything planned, but the rest of my district did not. They would goof off and play games while I tried to study haha. I should have helped them realize that they should study or work too, but I was too focused on myself. I also was getting to prideful in my teaching. I have been blessed with a great ability to talk to others, and I started thinking that that ability would help me excel in lessons. I was wrong. It is not I that excels in lessons. It is the Spirit that helps me teach so that the Holy Ghost can witness the truth. I still have a lot to learn about my pride and giving glory to God. He has blessed me with so much, yet I still feel so imperfect. It's easy to get discouraged when thinking like this and I was thoroughly humbled in my class last night, which didn't help with the discouragement.

Whenever I get discouraged though I think of this scripture: "For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do."(2 Nephi 25:23)
I know that God will make up the difference as long as I am trying my hardest, and, for one of the first times in my life, I can honestly say, I am doing all that I can and trying as hard as I can try.

I am excited to go out and serve people! I want so desperately to be able to have real people who I can get to know, love, and teach. I want to work with the Bishop and members as well as working with non-members and less actives. I've been learning about the incredible importance of missionary work within the ward. Basically, there comes a point where the missionary has to rely on Members to help foster in and care for new people.

Speaking of real people, the sisters have invited Jose to be baptized!! And he said Yes!!! He was so excited and he was saying how he wants to know what he needs to do next hahaha. I love that guy so much and am so happy that he is accepting the gospel!

Next week I will be out in the field!! Wish me luck!!

Elder Francis

Week 2

Hello all you beautiful people!

Since last Wednesday, I have gotten more and more sick... I have a bad chest cold which, with my asthma, kinda really sucks haha. I get tired so fast. And, even though I want to run and keep in shape but it is so much harder when I am sick hahaha. Slowly the cold moved from my chest to my head and so now I've been getting super bad headaches. But what can you do hahaha.

Today, I want to talk about Jose (pronounced ho-zay). At the MTC we get to practice teaching real people (they are mostly actors but a few of them are real non-members). These people work at the Training Resource Center, TRC for short. Anyway, as part of the training we have to go and "find" the person we teach which really just involves us walking into a courtyard full of people who are trying to act casual. This was all last week by the way.

The first person we say happened to be Jose and so we went up and talked to him. We had an instant connection and he shared some of the struggles of his life. He is an amazing person who has been struggling with insomnia and severe anxiety. Planning lessons for him was so hard because both me and Elder Harper felt very little inspiration from the spirit except to tell us to not teach something haha.

The first lesson we decided to teach him about God's love for him and it was good. We ended up showing him a video and he told us that the video was exactly what he needed. The second lesson we felt impressed to teach the plan of salvation, but as we got in there, we felt wrong about it and so we taught about forgiveness. He told us that that was exactly what he needed. He had been hurt by so many people in the past and he really needed to forgive them. The third and last lesson for the training was the hardest to prepare... We had absolutely no idea what to teach him. We ended up feeling that we should talk to him about patience in our trials.

When we started the meeting, after the Prayer, I simple asked "so from what I know about anxiety there are triggers, so what are some of your triggers?" And he started to get emotional and said "You are the first person to ask me that and to truly care" we abandoned the lesson and just talked to him for the whole 30 minute time that we had. He explained to us that each time we've met with him we gave him exactly what he had needed most and that we taught him that there are people that truly care about what him. He explained that he's been able to open up to us better than any therapist he's ever had.

It was heart renching because it was our last lesson and both me and Elder Harper wanted to stay and help him more... but we had to tell him that this would be our last meeting and that he would be getting some new missionaries and they would pick up where we left off. He was visibly distraught but we assured him that it wasn't us that had helped him but the Lord that had guided us to him. Before we left, he asked if he could take a picture with us so that he would always remember the people who had helped him so much.

During that last meeting, Jose had told us that his insomnia had gone away and he was now off most of his meds because he didn't need them anymore. He told us that he had been looking forward to talking with us each day.

This week, the sisters in my district were able to snag him as their TRC person... they have been telling us that he has been able to open up to them and he actually asked them if they could get him a book of Mormon which means that the work continues and that he wanted to followed our final invitation for him which was to read the book of Mormon. Jose might have been one of the actual non-members And we were able to help him.

I know that God loves all of his children and I'm so glad that he was able to use me to show his children of his love. It really reignited me desperate want to get out into the field and teach God's children. Sure, I am still far from a perfect teacher, or a perfect anything for that matter, but I'm putting in my best and I know that he will be able to make up the difference and use me however he sees fit.