IMPRISIONED!!!

how do you like that blaring title???

So, not really, but Sister Landro and I felt a little bit imprisioned this week. Just to be on the safe side, our mission president had us stay inside unless we were with members or had set appointments with investigators. He just wanted to make sure that the people who gave our description to the police were not doing it out of dislike for missionaries or Americans, or anything like that. It turns out that we just happened to be in that area and, as we stick out like a sore thumb, they gave our discription. However, we did find things to do with the members this week and that was good. We didn´t really spend too much time in the apartment at all. The time that we did spend was very productive and we are implementing a new program to help the members give references in our area. It is a program of revelation, where the members have a sheet with 10 names of people/families that would like to hear the gospel and pray about which one the Lord is preparing. We coupled this program with my favorite four indicators that the Lord really has some people prepared: Birth/death, marriage, recently moved, rebellious children. Then, this week when we have a bit more time to spend with members, we presented basically the restoration section of the first lesson to invite the Spirit and then extended the invitation to make a goal when they will invite one of these people to their home for us to teach. It was really neat to watch the results. One family, we had only a short amount of time and the part about the restoration was cut short. The difference in the Spirit was apparent when they were reluctant to share. We are going back to follow-up with that family next week and will strengthen their efforts with the Spirit. It was a testimony to me that it really isn´t me that is doing the teaching, even with members. I don´t have any skills of my own. Even the few little statistics that we included on the sheet did nothing to convince them. Goes to show that we cannot even convince the members. The only thing we can do is invite the Spirit and that will have more influence than we ever can. I am just so greatful for the opportunity we have had to really put this plan into action. We also with some of the families tied it to the war chapters in Alma. (62: 3-5,14,33,38) and the influence Moroni (missionaries) and Pahoran (members) had when they joined forces. We´re really excited about it, and already we have teaching dates with three families (each with specific friends in mind). It really is neat.

Mom, I don´t really need anything, I´m just fishing for mail. It was a ploy, but if anyone would like to send anything, I wóuldn´t be sad, I promise. No, I´m really doing well and I love my time to study each morning. I´m also going to be done with the Book of Mormon again this week and that is always fun. Then I get to start over!!! I start getting anxious to read it some mornings and sometimes make a few minutes to read during lunch and dinner. What a great blessing we have in a textbook for life that is so small and compact, but so packed with counsel and wisdom from our Heavenly Father. I´m thankful that the prophets wrote down their revelations for my benefit.

Oh, happy birthday last week Nephi... I will sing you your song:
parabens a você, esta data quierida
muitas felicidades, muitos anos a vida
hoje é o dia de festa, canta as nossas almas
para menino o Néfi, uma salva das palmas

Also, happy anniversary Aaron and Bethany two weeks ago (time flies when you´re working hard). We are all amazed that one person could put up with him for that long. No, he´s nice, really, don´t know how we could live without him...

Love you all, keep up the great work Samuel. I couldn´t be prouder of a little brother.

ellen

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