You
ever have one of those weeks where everything is just so hunky dory
that it seems too good to be true. It was one of those weeks. For
example I am serving as a missionary! That statement is enough to make
my day not to mention that I am serving with 2 of the greatest
missionaries in this mission, in the greatest area, with a unique
culture, the greatest members, and the greatest geography. What more
could there be? I feel closer to God and Christ then ever before, I have
an eternal family, I have a view of God's plan for me and us, I have
True Happiness. I have the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
"How great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth (2 nephi 2:8)"
Part
of me really wanted a general authority to stand and boldly tell people
that they need to get out and preach the gospel. I mean look at Elder
Ballard. He extended a commitment last conference and how many people
followed it? Apparently not too many according to him. What will this
church have to do to get members to realize what they have and how much
they can give. Let me explain one of the greatest frustrations on my
mission, and that is the members of the church. Now it is true there are
members out there (whom we refer to as kingdom builders) that are the
greatest at helping the work of salvation, but there is also a large
majority whom go to church every week and "sleep through the
restoration." They just simply do not realize that they have been given
everything! It is like Elder Ballard said. It is time to replace fear
with faith "Have the faith to do what our Savior has asked us to do" . .
. share the gospel. Now there are many members in the church who will
be willing to give a friend a Book of Mormon and will explain a few
principles. I have had many members come up to me and say "Hey I had a
friend who was asking some questions so I answered his questions and
gave him a Book of Mormon." Now this is surely a good thing, but, there
is a better way and I am not speaking to be an arrogant missionary or
because as a missionary I feel that members need to step up their game.
But when someone has questions about the church and a member presents
them with a Book of Mormon in many instances that is the end of it.
However the greatest thing a member could do for their friend is not
just give them a copy of the book, but invite them to learn from the
missionaries. The missionaries hold the authority to preach the gospel
as personal representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ. Statistically
speaking, when a member of the church invites a non member to their home
to hear a lesson from the missionaries, there is a 60% chance that that
person will join the church. This is how members and missionaries work
together. When a member hands out copies of the Book of Mormon and teach
friends many times they do so independent of the missionaries. If
members would work with us a little more then things would literally
explode. Now I am not speaking from this area's perspective because of
all the areas I have ever served in the members here know what they are
doing. These Amish families are phenomenal. But I speak for
missionaries as a whole when I say that when the Prophet and Apostles
speak of hastening the work of salvation they are not saying that
members need to step up their game and share the gospel more, but that
members need to invite people to hear about the gospel from the
missionaries. There are a huge amount of missionaries in the field right
now, and it is for a reason. Members must use us as a tool to hasten
the work of salvation.
Now that I have been on my soap box for a while, . . .
Elder
Segle. That man is a champion. From Tucson, Arizona. I sent out a letter
late last week and apparently it did not reach you in time. We have so
much hardworking fun in our companionship. I really enjoyed General Conference this last week, cool story. . . .
We were watching conference in an investigator's home
(he could not come to the church due to health problems) We watched the
first talk of the first session (Elder Holland). We paused it right
after to expound and the topic of our discussion moved towards the
question "what makes our church different from other churches?" We
explained priesthood authority and that the same authority Christ held
and the Apostles is on the earth today in the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints. We told them that we teach about being re baptized
because we have that authority. Well, after we said that, they rebuked
us and told us to leave their home and never come back. So, it was
probably the first time on my mission (so far) that I have been
legitimately cast out but it was worth a good journal entry.
My favorite sessions were probably Saturday morning,
Sunday Morning, and the priesthood session. I loved Elder Bednar's talk
about "the load" and Elder Uchtdorf's talk on gratitude. Elder Holland
was great too besides the point that we were cast out after his talk. I
am not going to lie though I struggled and fell asleep many times in the
Sunday afternoon session.
Planting the garden finally! You will have to tell
Uncle Eric that Slab is always running through my mind. My Slab shirt is
my favorite p-day shirt.
The Amish people are
awesome as usual but we are having a hard time finding people to teach
among them. I don't think I have ever seen a people more "Anti-ed" in my
life. But I know there must be a way and it is constantly on my mind. I
view it much like Ammon and the sons of Mosiah going to teach the
Lamanites who were raised in the "traditions of their fathers."
I am picking up little phrases in Pennsylvanian
Dutch (what the Amish people speak). I want to get to the point where I
can bear my testimony in their language. We are actually called to do
Amish work in this area and I have never felt so close to an area or
people before.
Well, long email this week, sorry if I have been
bold in my calling out members, but I love this work, it is not my work
but the work of my God. It is the work of True happiness, and I know
that all members can feel that too. What a grand message we have to
share, that our Savior has restored his church, his blessings, his
happiness. That God speaks to us today, that families are an eternal
unit, that in the days of our probation we can find true joy.
"How great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth"
I love you, I love this work, and I love my Savior.
Elder Beutler
digmia is vua! (the church is true, probably spelled
incorrectly since Pennsylvanian Dutch is not a written language but is a
form of German)
