Well I thought California was bad, but nope.... Haha Jk.This week was pretty fully on. On tuesday we had Zone Conference and combined with the English zone in New Orleans. President came down and it was a long day but I definitely learned alot. The main focus was how to be better teachers. Our big focus is not teaching at all but having our investigators teach. And one way that we can do that is just using the pictures in the pamphlets and asking certain specific but inspired questions. It has definitely shown how much more effective we can be as missionaries. This week we have picked up a few more investigators.. We were taught little things to change in approaches which have inspired huge differences throughout the mission.
Instead of "Hey we are the missionaries." We have been encouraged to say "Hi, we are YOUR missionaries. We are here to serve YOU in whatever way we can. What can we do for YOU."
Little things like that are creating some huge differences.
So Earlier in the week we ran into a man on the street by the name of Ashton. A man that has grown up here his whole life and is looking for the truth. He seemed very very excited to see us. He was busy at the time and so we set up a return appointment. He said "Please Come Through, Please. I need you guys."
Well the next day we went to his house.. He was called in to work as an emergency backup for another worker.. Well at his house were his three best friends. We started teaching and doing the things we had just learnt. Asking Questions and Testifying. Using the pictures and asking what they see.. They started asking some real good questions. Questions about Authority and False Preachers and Why there were so many churches. Next page, we share the first vision. They were pumped. We asked them if they found that the authority was truly again restored to the earth would they be baptized with it? They said "Of Course, Because Our Baptisms would've meant nothing."
It was really powerful. We finished the lessons and one of the guys was joking with me and asked me about basketball. I said "I'll Play you 1v1 for your shoes." He just looked at me and just stared me down... He was like "Nope... These are some foams." I said "But I thought you were gonna beat me??" Hahahaah I love joking with the guys down here. They are so down to earth I swear.. Well then I said "Ok if I beat you, then you and all your friends will come to church sunday." They all said "Yeah." He said "In Fact, If I win I'll still come to church. That's how interested I am."
It was pretty sweet not gonna lie. That game is about to go down!
Our Investigators are progressing each and every day. Little Edwin who had the Borrador en his ear got that removed and he is all good. We had a great lesson with his father about the sacrament and about how that is the most important part of church, and really the only important part. The problem is that he works on sundays which is a little of a Struggle. But He is progressing and reading El Libro De Mormon here and there. It truly is awesome seeing the change in people.
Our ward mission leader said some really touching things last night. Well, here and there a missionary goes through his struggles of maybe him not feeling successful, or maybe his companion thinks he is better and pushes it on him, or he is just going through a tough time. Well these past few weeks, as I soon approach my year mark(Yeah I know.....) I have been pondering and thinking over the things I have accomplished and the changes that I have seen in myself on these past 11 and a bit months. A lot has happened. I have grown alot, I have learnt alot and I have definitely learnt to put up with alot. Needless to say, the thing I can honestly say I have learnt the most on my mission is Patience alongside with love. And If that is the only thing I will gain from my mission, then I will be good with that because they are both great things to have. I am at the point where I am looking back and looking forward and just thinking to myself....Oh my Goodness... How did time fly this quickly. How have I come this Far? How have I grown this much? The coolest thing is looking at other missionaries who came out at the same time as you and recognizing how much they have grown and that really helps you to realize your own personal growth... Well I guess this past week I have been a little down on my self.. But I always am Lifted up in one way or another.. Earlier in the week we stopped by a previous Investigator of Elder Brosnahan.. She is honduran and as soon as I heard her start speaking I was like "Oh no, I better be on my spanish game.." Well My Comp starts speaking and she rips him to shreds... I felt horrible.. She said that he needed to practice because his spanish sucks.... At that point I was nervous out of my mind...I started speaking because he was done and things went were going good.. Just basic convo, getting to know here and what not.. How her family is, how she likes america, what kind of things she likes to do..throwing in a little honduran slang here and there to show her I cared. Well after that she turns back to my companion and asks... Why doesn't your spanish sound like his? You need to study like him... I felt horrible for Elder B, but i'm not gonna lie, I needed that.. I needed that confidence boost. Well she keeps going and told me I sounded honduran and all this good stuff. It really pumped me up! Well like I said about my ward mission leader. He also said some kind words yesterday. Well we had coordination and he began talking about the most successful missionaries.. He turns and looks at me and then back at everyone else and says "Look, I don't want to offend any of you but I am talking about Elder Whitmarsh right now." He starts telling a story about how he had invited us over for easter sunday for conference and a crawfish boil. He said "Elder Whitmarsh walks in the home and introduces himself to everyone. He finds connections with everyone. He makes everyone feel like He is their friend. He looks for little things here and there of how he can relate to them, and he is real. He isn't a Missionary who just teaches lessons. He is a missionary he Interacts and creates them connections and trusting relationships with everyone he talks to. His heart is there." He then talked about how his brother who has been less-active for years had said something to him about how I had touched his heart, by just being real and loving towards him.
This brother in the ward is probably my favorite. Bro Brown. He is a stud. He served his mission in Texas and he has THE biggest heart. Previous Ward Bishop and Currently ward mission leader. His son is in Ghana on his mission and His other son is preparing to go to Duke for a year and then on his mission. I love that family to death. I really appreciated what he said that day because it definitely gave me that sense of accomplishment. Prayers definitely are answered in the coolest ways, and definitely not the ways you expect.
Love you guys so much and Hope you have a great week!!
And to the fam, I'll be seeing y'all in like 3 weeks verdad???
Cheque Pues,
Elder Whitmarsh
Instead of "Hey we are the missionaries." We have been encouraged to say "Hi, we are YOUR missionaries. We are here to serve YOU in whatever way we can. What can we do for YOU."
Little things like that are creating some huge differences.
So Earlier in the week we ran into a man on the street by the name of Ashton. A man that has grown up here his whole life and is looking for the truth. He seemed very very excited to see us. He was busy at the time and so we set up a return appointment. He said "Please Come Through, Please. I need you guys."
Well the next day we went to his house.. He was called in to work as an emergency backup for another worker.. Well at his house were his three best friends. We started teaching and doing the things we had just learnt. Asking Questions and Testifying. Using the pictures and asking what they see.. They started asking some real good questions. Questions about Authority and False Preachers and Why there were so many churches. Next page, we share the first vision. They were pumped. We asked them if they found that the authority was truly again restored to the earth would they be baptized with it? They said "Of Course, Because Our Baptisms would've meant nothing."
It was really powerful. We finished the lessons and one of the guys was joking with me and asked me about basketball. I said "I'll Play you 1v1 for your shoes." He just looked at me and just stared me down... He was like "Nope... These are some foams." I said "But I thought you were gonna beat me??" Hahahaah I love joking with the guys down here. They are so down to earth I swear.. Well then I said "Ok if I beat you, then you and all your friends will come to church sunday." They all said "Yeah." He said "In Fact, If I win I'll still come to church. That's how interested I am."
It was pretty sweet not gonna lie. That game is about to go down!
Our Investigators are progressing each and every day. Little Edwin who had the Borrador en his ear got that removed and he is all good. We had a great lesson with his father about the sacrament and about how that is the most important part of church, and really the only important part. The problem is that he works on sundays which is a little of a Struggle. But He is progressing and reading El Libro De Mormon here and there. It truly is awesome seeing the change in people.
Our ward mission leader said some really touching things last night. Well, here and there a missionary goes through his struggles of maybe him not feeling successful, or maybe his companion thinks he is better and pushes it on him, or he is just going through a tough time. Well these past few weeks, as I soon approach my year mark(Yeah I know.....) I have been pondering and thinking over the things I have accomplished and the changes that I have seen in myself on these past 11 and a bit months. A lot has happened. I have grown alot, I have learnt alot and I have definitely learnt to put up with alot. Needless to say, the thing I can honestly say I have learnt the most on my mission is Patience alongside with love. And If that is the only thing I will gain from my mission, then I will be good with that because they are both great things to have. I am at the point where I am looking back and looking forward and just thinking to myself....Oh my Goodness... How did time fly this quickly. How have I come this Far? How have I grown this much? The coolest thing is looking at other missionaries who came out at the same time as you and recognizing how much they have grown and that really helps you to realize your own personal growth... Well I guess this past week I have been a little down on my self.. But I always am Lifted up in one way or another.. Earlier in the week we stopped by a previous Investigator of Elder Brosnahan.. She is honduran and as soon as I heard her start speaking I was like "Oh no, I better be on my spanish game.." Well My Comp starts speaking and she rips him to shreds... I felt horrible.. She said that he needed to practice because his spanish sucks.... At that point I was nervous out of my mind...I started speaking because he was done and things went were going good.. Just basic convo, getting to know here and what not.. How her family is, how she likes america, what kind of things she likes to do..throwing in a little honduran slang here and there to show her I cared. Well after that she turns back to my companion and asks... Why doesn't your spanish sound like his? You need to study like him... I felt horrible for Elder B, but i'm not gonna lie, I needed that.. I needed that confidence boost. Well she keeps going and told me I sounded honduran and all this good stuff. It really pumped me up! Well like I said about my ward mission leader. He also said some kind words yesterday. Well we had coordination and he began talking about the most successful missionaries.. He turns and looks at me and then back at everyone else and says "Look, I don't want to offend any of you but I am talking about Elder Whitmarsh right now." He starts telling a story about how he had invited us over for easter sunday for conference and a crawfish boil. He said "Elder Whitmarsh walks in the home and introduces himself to everyone. He finds connections with everyone. He makes everyone feel like He is their friend. He looks for little things here and there of how he can relate to them, and he is real. He isn't a Missionary who just teaches lessons. He is a missionary he Interacts and creates them connections and trusting relationships with everyone he talks to. His heart is there." He then talked about how his brother who has been less-active for years had said something to him about how I had touched his heart, by just being real and loving towards him.
This brother in the ward is probably my favorite. Bro Brown. He is a stud. He served his mission in Texas and he has THE biggest heart. Previous Ward Bishop and Currently ward mission leader. His son is in Ghana on his mission and His other son is preparing to go to Duke for a year and then on his mission. I love that family to death. I really appreciated what he said that day because it definitely gave me that sense of accomplishment. Prayers definitely are answered in the coolest ways, and definitely not the ways you expect.
Love you guys so much and Hope you have a great week!!
And to the fam, I'll be seeing y'all in like 3 weeks verdad???
Cheque Pues,
Elder Whitmarsh