Another Week in the Broadlands

This week was kind of a crazy one, but it was an awesome one. We had two leadership training meetings--one on Tuesday, and one on Thursday. Those meetings are from 9 to 4, and we do a lot of training at them. Elder Young and I each had about an hour to train. Elder Young's training was stellar. He trained on Preach My Gospel chapter 2. Study and Lesson Preparation. It was great. I have felt the need to train the missionaries on Faith. It was a great day, and (unlike a lot of times) I felt pretty good about the training I gave. I know the Spirit was directing me. We studied for preparation, but really all I did as far as an outline goes or notes was write down one story I wanted to read, a few scriptures I could draw on, I had Kenna's and my call letter opening videos, and a list of questions that I thought would be good to ask. It was great discussion and great training, but I think the best part of it was the role play that happened in each meeting. As I talked to the group, I said, "I know we have the faith to go tracting, but do we have the faith to find?" I asked two Elders to get up and role play in front of the group knocking on a door and having the faith to find, and having the faith to make something happen with the person behind the door (Elder Young). I told the missionaries to talk together before they "knocked" and decide what they wanted to do and how they wanted the door to go. It was some of the most powerful testifying and witnessing I have ever seen, especially in a role play. What a blessing! The first time had Elder Young, President Toombs, and I all in tears. Amazing!

So we taught Mickey again this week on Thursday. It was an ok lesson, but not as good as we would have wished. Mickey started off our lesson by saying she would never read The Book of Mormon because of the language it was written in. The rest of our lesson was testifying of how important the Book of Mormon is, and inviting her to pray about the Book of Mormon. We invited her to read 3 Nephi 11, and it was good, it just wasn't a great lesson. We came out feeling almost like she's just having us over to be nice, and not to really investigate. But we will pray for her and do more.

We talked to Jeff Worlton this week, and it went pretty well. Jeff is such a great guy, but there's something holding him back, and I don't know exactly what it is. We talked to him about teaching his kids. They were there, but right when we got there his wife said it was time for them to go to bed. They were super excited to see us, but they had to go to bed! It stunk! So we told him our goal is to have his kids baptized, and to have HIM do the baptizing. He told us how great that would be, but then said we have to take it slow and easy with that  because his wife isn't LDS and he doesn't know how supportive she would be. I think that's some sort of excuse but I'm not sure. They are such an amazing family, but they just need a push. They're in Florida for spring break this week, so no updates on them for another week, but we'll be praying for them.

The last great thing that happened this week was last night. Doesn't it always seem to be Sunday night? It's that sense of urgency I think. So we went over to the Zuments' house. Sis. Zuments is a member, but George is a Catholic. It's both of their 2nd marriages, and they're an older couple, but we went in determined to invite George to investigate the church. We shared several Mormon Messages on the DVD we have and they brought in the Spirit strongly. Then we asked George, "What would it take for you to be baptized a Mormon?" He laughed and said he'd never even really thought about it, and we said, "Well think about it then." We then testified of the importance and crucial point of reading and praying about the Book of Mormon to know if it's true. If he knows it's true than he knows which church he needs to be a part of. It was clear none of the other missionaries who have ever visited George invited him to do that (or maybe they had, but not very effectively). He committed to do it, and we're super excited! It was a tender mercy for sure.

Well I don't have much time, but I have a testimony of this work. It is the work of Almighty God, and He allows us to be a part of it. What a blessing. The work of God will go forth! How grateful I am to be a small instrument in his hands to help it move forward. 

Love,

Elder Logan Bryan