Weekly Post - 2/27/2012

Well this last week was good.

 

Richard and Patty accepted a baptismal invite, and that was cool given the fact that Patty was very opposed to Baptism by Water at first. But the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine of Christ turned that around. It was sweet when she said "I've been reading your book!" that she admitted her views and beliefs were changing. She was learning truth. :)

 

 This last week we got to go with the Zone Leaders on exchanges. I realized as I was talking with Elder Moses I am old in the mission. Think about it. I've been on my mission 17 months, and I have 4 or 5 transfers left. After this group goes home there will only be 4 groups older than me! I don't know anyone in the mission anymore because everyone is going home! It's terrible. Is this what death is like? If so then it's weird. In 7 months I will fly home, and be in a completely new world. It really will be different- the tabernacle is gone, apparently roads have been changed, the Bishopric is pretty different in my home ward, I actually like the Church again. It's just going to be weird. It's going to be fun though.

 

Apparently there was something to do with Jews and baptisms for the dead recently. That's lame. People are stupid sometimes. But the Church is not responsible for their actions, and will improve because of their mistakes. That's all people can do when it comes to that kind of stuff. They repent, and be better. That was my favorite thing that Elder Shayne M. Bowen of the Seventy told us when he was here. "Just repent and be better. We all need to, so just do it!" He was way cool. I could've sat there and talked to him all day, but I got to talk to him for like 5 minutes personally, so that was good enough, I think. You can just tell the difference between a person who is truly ordained of God, and person who is not complying with the Gospel. The righteous are just happy! That's something I want to be is happy. And these last 17 months have definately been the happiest of my life. I don't want them to end! A person in Fairfield told me that he was going to go and experience pure bliss when he meditated. But I can testify pure bliss comes from following Christ's example, and embracing His Doctrine. That is why my mission has meant so much to me. It's helped to find who I am, and what is most important to me.

 

Anyways, I don't really know what else to write. I don't really feel like writing about my week for some reason. So I won't! But you can all have a good week.

 

Elder Prows

Weekly Post - 2/20/2012

Well, this last week was good. I feel TONZ better. Yes, that is a z. I typed it on accident. Or maybe on purpose. I just realized I put it there though. I feel alot better from that ailment I had those last 2 weeks. I ain't sick! I am a healthy LD Saint!

 

anyways, we had alot of appointments fall through this last week. It was hard, but I am grateful for my Zone Leaders when I was in Fairfield, who taught me the importance of back-up planning. If something falls through, you have something there to do! AMAZING! It's genius, which suits me nicely since I am one. But I do know that if you are not stopping to wonder what to do, then you can know you are planning effectively! WOO HOO!

 

I have thought alot lately on my mission. It's really a crazy thought. 17 months have passed. I have 7 months left. 5 transfers left. That is 30 weeks. I just did the math. I had to do my 5 times table stuff- two or three times too, because I suck at math. I'm not as good at math as I am at making people who try to make me look stupid, look even more stupid. But anyways. Time has FLOWN by, and I feel like I have no time to waste. I only have time to make worth every while. That's the beauty of everything though, is I know I am working hard. President Jergensen recently came out with a rule that Weekly Planning has to be at most 3 hours, and that's way hard for me. Because I like to plan way in depth for my investigators. But we're working on it, because President set the standard- so it is possible.

 

By the way Elder Bradshaw is awesome. He reminds me somewhat of my friend Cameron. Only slightly different. I think it's that he isn't as mellow as Cameron. But equally as awesome. Ah, Cameron. I miss that kid. He's awesome. Just like Elder Bradshaw.

 

I got mail this last week. That was cool. US Postal playing with my heart.

 

Anyways, it's Zone P-Day and our Zone is going to Nauvoo and I'm excited so I'm done.

 

I love you all. I pray for you all day and night, and I hope you're all doing well! Find happiness in Christ!

 

Elder Prows

 

Mormon.org is cool

Weekly Post - 2/13/2012

Well, I do not have too much to report on this last week.

 

We spent a bit of time in our apartment this last week. Randomly on Monday I got sick. I caught some kind of virus and spent the first 2 or 3 days coughing up some sort of mucus. It was by small amounts, but I called President and Sister Jergensen and they gave me great instruction. I also got a prescription, and it helped alot. But at the end of the week when it just seemed like I was getting really better, I got the flu. That was a bummer. So we spent the weekend indoors.

 

We did get to go and teach some lessons though!

 

We had an awesome lesson with our investigators Richard and Patty. Patty is really into Grace alone and we were super worried about how this lesson was going to go because of how she believes that baptism by water is unnecessary. We were kind of unsure what to talk to her about in that case. We wanted to help her clear up the whole baptism deal, but we absolutely did not want to bash with her. When we were parked outside their house before the lesson Elder Bradshaw and I both felt prompted to teach her about the Doctrine of Christ. So we went in and read 2 Nephi 31 and bits of 3 Nephi 11 with her. She was able to see how the Savior taught baptism after He was resurrected, and glorified, and what it means for us. Amazingly, she seemed to accept it. That was a shocker, because we didn't expect that. Unfortunately we only got halfway through the Doctrine of Christ, but that was all she needed at that lessson, and we are excited to finish it on tuesday, and help her to understand that Baptism by Water and of the Spirit are BOTH needed. Neither is needed more than the other. Without Baptism of the Spirit, then Baptism of Water is pointless. Without Baptism by Water then Baptism by the Spirit is not possible. They are a two part process, and we grow tremendously from both. I am grateful for that knowledge!

 

Patty is also a Nurse Practitioner, so she did a free check up on me and wrote out the prescriptions that I got. I had those prescriptions approved first before getting them of course, and I am now doing very well health wise.

 

I plan on finishing up a full recovery and getting back to work! I'm so excited to work! AH! Elder Bradshaw is awesome by the way. He's been so good to me this last week! He's been so patient, and charitable in taking care of me, and nursing me back to health. Good man. He's a good man.

 

Anyways, I'm done. That was my whole week.

 

Elder Prows

Weekly Post - 2/6/2012

Man, I love Keokuk.

It's a little hard going into homes where the people either have been or are smoking indoors. But one thing I've learned to appreciate on my mission is the love of God. Everytime I walk into a home, and I get frustrated with somebody, I just ponder on how much I do that frustrates the Lord too. I do alot! I am very imperfect, and so when I see people who I feel a little uncertain about, I've learned to just look at them how God sees them and to love them how He loves them. I've come to appreciate what people do, and who they are for that purpose. I am grateful for my Father in Heaven and all He does for me.

Sometimes life is hard. But that's the blessing of the Atonement. No matter what I'm going through, He knows what I am going through. I feel at peace, because I know he knows me, and trusts me enough to do what is right. And as long as I do what is right, I feel at peace. I love my Savior.

This last week, we got ahold of alot of the people I was working with previously, when I was in Keokuk before. It's so cool to see how the Lord has worked. Lots of these people are so prepared to hear the gospel, and commit. So we are going to work with them on that. One thing I've learned is good in missionary work is to never be pushy with people, and to just love people. Some people really have to work to make promises with God. You can't force anyone into the water, you have to do what you can to help them get there. You want to draw them to the water, and have them walk in themselves. That is the biggest blessing, because you know that when they have done all they can do they truly are prepared.

Elder Bradshaw and I had a REALLY long weekly planning session on Friday haha. We were very thorough. We know that there is alot of work to be done in Keokuk, so we can't just rush through everything. We have to make sure that we really are planning to the needs of our investigators, and helping them to prepare to make covenants, or promises with our Father in Heaven; and to keep those covenants too. Everytime I think about how much a covenant has blessed my life, I learn about how important it is to keep that covenant. If we aren't true to our covenants, then that is when we are damned. Our progression stops, because we don't have the spirit! That's the beauty of the Atonement, is that we can repent, and we can recieve the spirit again, as we worthily partake of the sacrament each sunday. I am a witness of that. I experienced it yesterday, the sunday before, and I will again this next sunday. I love the Gospel. It's the coolest.

I was going to say something inspirational, but I forgot.

I love being out here in Iowa. The members are so sincere, and it's just different. In Provo when I was normal, I always disliked how during there were these LONG pauses of people just sitting there in sacrament meetings, waiting for someone to get up and bear their testimony. There are times when you have some really good fast and testimony meetings. But there are those big pauses. Here in Iowa, I have never had a fast and testimony meeting where there was a pause longer than a minute. I know the people in Provo have testimonies, and all that. They obviously do. But in Iowa, I just love the hurry the people are in to share their testimonies.

Everyone should have a goal to share their testimony with at least 1 person a week. If you don't bear it, it just weekens. I'm a witness to that. So bear your freakin testimonies! If you can't get the guts to do it, call bravery and do it. Because you can do anything when you call bravery.

Elder Prows