Greetings from the Great OCM!
yes, we are awaiting transfer calls and it can be a little nerve racking.
So first off, an amazing thing happened this last Sunday. Elder D. Todd Christofferson gave a CES Devotional (which we were not able to watch due to our missionary duties) however we have looked it up today because during this talk he spoke of Danville Ohio! He told the story of the three Amish families and their conversion! He even shows pictures of the families. IT IS AWESOME! You have to watch it. He begins talking about them about 30 min into the broadcast and it is one of the first links that pops up on lds.org. I can't believe that my area was talked about by an Apostle to the Lord, in a broadcast to the church!
It has been a biter-sweet week and a half, we have focused a lot on finding some new progressing people and we have found some as we have exercised faith and got to work. Last week we were finding in a wealthier part of our area that is known to be less receptive. However, we knocked on a door and an older woman answered who has a sister that is a member in Colorado. Plus she used to attend church with her sister, and she needed help moving in. We offered our service and came back yesterday where we were able to help her move a lot of her furniture. She then fed us lunch and without us even bringing it up she asked, "Are you guys going to be at church on Sunday?," of course we said "yes," to which she replied, " I will see you there." She pretty much believes the church is true already! Super blessing for this area! She also took us and a friend of hers out to lunch. We are now teaching both of them.
yes, we are awaiting transfer calls and it can be a little nerve racking.
So first off, an amazing thing happened this last Sunday. Elder D. Todd Christofferson gave a CES Devotional (which we were not able to watch due to our missionary duties) however we have looked it up today because during this talk he spoke of Danville Ohio! He told the story of the three Amish families and their conversion! He even shows pictures of the families. IT IS AWESOME! You have to watch it. He begins talking about them about 30 min into the broadcast and it is one of the first links that pops up on lds.org. I can't believe that my area was talked about by an Apostle to the Lord, in a broadcast to the church!
It has been a biter-sweet week and a half, we have focused a lot on finding some new progressing people and we have found some as we have exercised faith and got to work. Last week we were finding in a wealthier part of our area that is known to be less receptive. However, we knocked on a door and an older woman answered who has a sister that is a member in Colorado. Plus she used to attend church with her sister, and she needed help moving in. We offered our service and came back yesterday where we were able to help her move a lot of her furniture. She then fed us lunch and without us even bringing it up she asked, "Are you guys going to be at church on Sunday?," of course we said "yes," to which she replied, " I will see you there." She pretty much believes the church is true already! Super blessing for this area! She also took us and a friend of hers out to lunch. We are now teaching both of them.
Miracle
number 2: about a month ago, at the beginning of the transfer, we met a
lady and her husband who live in a small town at the border of our
area. The woman seemed genuinely interested in the Book of Mormon, and
after working through some of the common misconceptions, we gave her a
copy. When we returned for the appointment she was feeling ill, and
when we stopped by another time she was not in. SO all in all we lost
contact with them. However, recently a less active member moved into this
small town and decided to attend church on Sunday. Being friends with
this woman we had met, she invited her as well and they both came. It
was a very pleasant surprise to see her there. When we asked her why she
came she responded, "I have been praying about it and it lead me here,
and my husband really likes you guys and has been not attending church
in years. He told me that if I would join this church that he would come
as well." We were shocked. The Lord opened ways for us to find these
prepared people this last week.
However, there never
seems to be a perfect week. My recent convert Sean is struggling again
and did not come to church this last week. He told us he feels like he
is done, that the Book of Mormon is not true. The night that we learned
this information became the hardest night of my mission. I poured out my
soul to God that night wondering why I have had to watch so many of my
friends fall away. In time the Lord comforted me, and today I am
stronger. Sometimes I just want to take people's agency away, but
someone else tried that once and he ended up being cast out of God's
presence along with a third of the hosts of heaven. It is just a hard
principle to swallow, one that has either great rewards or great
punishment depending on choice.
So that is my week. I
would love to get an address for Bro. Clayton, and Joe Holland. I want
to write my young men's leaders who have made a big impact on me. Please
send me those addresses if you can.
I love you all and will let you know where the Lord calls me, whether here or somewhere else. I will go where I am called.
Elder Beutler
Elder Beutler has been in this area long enough to grow some amazing watermelon!
