Pivot Point to the “New New”
Dear Elders and Sisters:
Well the month is half over and we are half way
there! Congratulations! As we head into the final two weeks I
encourage you to stay focused on a few very important things;
1. Exercise your faith that your investigators will get
baptized! Remember, you are not alone in
this. You have a partner in Christ - the
Supreme Partner!
2. Exercise and live exactly obedient that the Lord will
be able to bless you as well as be willing to bless you.
3. In an inspired way, be sure to teach people, not
lessons so it will be what they need to prepare for baptism.
4. Keep them committed!
Not only to baptism but to the commitments that lead to conversion -
Prayer, Book of Mormon, Sabbath Day observance.
5. Keep focused on their progress and adjust to their
needs. You should track them on a
baptismal calendar that follows a plan to prepare them. You should be very honest with your BDA and
adjust as guided by the spirit.
6. Show your love for them. Help them feel loved. Bear testimony of the
Savior's love for them and how "well pleased" He is with them.
7. Find through them.
Remember, if they are becoming converted (and they are) they will have
friends the Lord is prompting them to share this great message with. Find as you teach and teach as you find! Now is also when we set up for June to be a
repeat performance of May!
8. Make sure they already have Member Friends - an
assigned Home and/or Visiting Teacher, a Family History Specialist helping them
find Family names to take to the temple, those who are fellowshipping and
loving them into the Kingdom. Remember
what President Hinckley taught: They need a Member Friend, a calling, and to be
nourished by the good work of God. You
cannot start this too early.
9. Study and role play for/to their needs. The spirit will guide you in this. Be a Complete Missionary and show up prepared
to be inspired as to what to teach if the needs change from what was role
played. Listen to the spirit!!!
10. Enjoy this time!
This is a pivot point in our mission.
It is the launch to the new, new!
This is historic and isn't it fun to be making history! Member Missionary Work is the best and being
called to serve in it full time is such a special privilege. Enjoy it and invest completely and fully in
it as it doesn't last forever and these will be some of the sweetest times of
you life. Hard, yes but the memory of
the difficulties and challenges pass away and you will be left with the sweet
memories of having "labored all your days to bring save it be one"
into the gospel of Jesus Christ this month and each month of your mission. The Power of One is amazing. Let's make it so this month and every month!
I want to promise you three things:
1. As you commit to and work in an exactly obedient way,
it will become who you are, the fibers of your being. You will not only bless your life but the
lives of those around you - companion, Members and investigators in your area,
District Members, Zone Members, this Mission (the Ripple or Butterfly Effect).
2. As you lose yourself in the work, you will find
yourself and you will really love who you have become. The Savior can make so much more out of you
than you can of yourself if you allow Him to.
The best way to do so is to lose yourself in His service.
3. As you live your Missionary Purpose, wonderful things
will happen in great abundance. Yes, we
will have 100 baptisms this month and 1,342 this year but most importantly, you
will become converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ in such a manner that, like
Jacob, your "faith cannot be shaken."
We are blessed to be in one of those very unique missions where baptisms
are a definitive barometer of missionaries living their purpose. Most importantly, they (baptisms) are a
barometer of missionaries' conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ. In many missions this may not be the case but
you have been blessed to be in the California Fresno Mission where living your
purpose, baptizing, and becoming converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ are
inextricably connected. What a wonderful
blessing it is to be a Missionary in the California Fresno Mission where....WE
BAPTIZE!
I was touched this week to receive a letter from a
recently departed missionary who simply signed it; "No Regrets,"
Elder ______. It
touched and impressed me. Wouldn't we
all want to be able to have that be our motto, our mantra - that we live and
serve with no regrets? Let's do it -
serve every minute of each day with No Regrets!
With much love and admiration for who you are and all you
have to offer,
President
Clark
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