NOW!!!!
#truedat
As of October 21, 2013, the missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints serving in the Illinois Chicago mission are officially
ONLINE!
SHUT THE FRONT DOOR.
Yup. So, District meeting comes along, just like any other week, and for the opening thought, one of the Elders was asked to read D&C 84:62 which reads,
"Therefore, go ye into all the world; and unto whatsoever place ye cannot go ye shall send, that the testimony may go from you into all the world unto every creature."
Blink. Blink. silence...
And then our little missionary wheels started turning: "waaaaaiiiiiitttt a minute..."
Click. Missionary Harlem Shake.
THIS IS HUGE!!
Apparently, the last mission president who was Bruce R. McConkie's son-in-law, asked him what this scripture meant. Elder McConkie at the time (like 20 odd years ago) said that it had not yet been revealed what this scripture meant.
Not any more!!! As announced by the brethren, this is the Intranet! Our testimonies will go forth globally into areas where missionaries cannot go!
Elder Perry, in a meeting discussing the use of social media in missionary work, said that it's high time we stop Satan from owning the air waves! Meaning....
We're on Google! We're on chat! We're on blogs! We're on Facebook! We're on SKYPE!
#makinghistory
And soon...we're each getting our own Ipad mini.
WHAT?!
Our presupposed understanding of the phrase, "hastening the work" just got blown out of the water.
We'll be online for at least an hour a day (!) for the remainder of our missions! There will be strict monitoring and regulations about the use of social media, and family and friends are encouraged not to contact their missionaries via social media--only weekly by email. While family will be able to view and/or like social media posts from their missionary, they are not to chat, message, etc. with them. We've been told that we're the ninth mission to receive online privileges and that incredible success has been the result of such access.
SO STOKED.
#missionarychristmas
The Lord is so trusting of His young missionaries, this is such a responsibility! But we're excitedly accepting the challenge and are anxious to see the ways in which He will further His work!
The Lord has also been SO good to us this week!
WE HAVE TWO BAPTISMS THIS SATURDAY!!! TWO!!
One transfer in, two baptisms down! Miracles! We cannot wait for J--- and E--- to receive this sacred ordinance!
We also have started teaching a new family, the M----'s. We ran into them as we were trying to contact a PNI who'd requested a BoM. We were wandering around a neighborhood, only to find that his address didn't exist.
No surprises there. Happens all the time.
Anywho's, I was trying to see if a particular house was a split apartment, while my companion kept strolling down the street. That's when I learned of the
Spirit Gravity Pull.
It's a real thing. It pulled me into the driveway, and a few seconds later, a woman came outside, asking if I needed help.
I do now:)
We got to talking and ended up giving her the Book of Mormon we had on us. She was very open to our message and we told her we'd stop by again to give her an invitation to the Halloween Festival hosted by the Church.
Later, when we stopped by, we discussed her impressions of the Book of Mormon and began talking about her relationship with God. We set up a return appointment to teach the Restoration, and when we came back, we got to teach both her and her husband.
They are the definition of GOLDEN INVESTIGATORS!
The Spirit was SO strong as we bore witness of the truthfulness of the gospel (first time teaching the Restoration for me!)! After we'd finished, they sat there, nodding, and as we started discussing what they were feeling, she kept saying, "I know this is an answer to our prayers. We always knew there was something missing in our lives that we couldn't find answers to in the Bible. And why wouldn't God communicate with all His children? You were meant to come into our lives!"
Floored.
They have truly been prepared by the Spirit (as Alma prophesied) to receive the gospel!
The rest of our investigators (we're up to 9 now!!!) are progressing well! AND, we have two new promising PNI's that are anxious to hear our message!
THE WORK IS BOOMING!
Snapshot of missionary life:
- Our kitchen faucet broke, so we resorted to washing our dishes in the bathroom sink. Gotta do whatchya gotta do.(See pictures)
- Fall is here!!! I'm wearing boots all.the.time. and loooovvving it! New England, don't worry, your fall scenery tops the top. #missinghome
- Funny story of the week: We show up to a teach one night, and as we're about to cross the road, a black car drives up and then reverses, window's down, to where we're standing "Ah, great. This doesn't look good." Then I notice the driver's wearing a black POLICE vest. "Ok, not sure if I should be more assured, or more scared now."
Officer: "Did you just pull up here?"
Me: "Uh, yes."Officer: "Well there were shots just reported on this street."AND THEN HE DRIVES AWAY!!!Thanks, dude. Appreciate it. Now I'm officially afraid for my life.#onlyinchicagoStayin' alive........Stayin' alive.
- As a missionary, you learn things about yourself you never knew you never knew. For instance, I apparently teach the Plan of Salvation and the Restoration in my sleep. Ask my companion.
#mustbeamissionary
True story: I woke up one morning with my pillow tear-soaked, because I'd been rehearsing Joseph Smith's First Vision, over and over and over again, crying a river each time. Awky awk.
- We got to hear Clayton Christensen speak!! He came out from Boston to give a seminar on missionary work! Soooooo good! Every member of the Church needs to read his book! Dad, I was inspired by your "Visit mormon.org to receive answers to life's most important questions!" written on the outside of my last letter from you! THAT'S the kind of missionary work I'm talking about! Get creative, people! This is the most important work, ever!
The thing that stuck out the most to me from his talk, was that every investigator, every less-active, every member, needs to feel needed. Extend an opportunity for them to serve, to help in the church! Get to know their skills and abilities, and find use for them in a church/spiritual setting! Ask them to help you prepare a church talk, decorate for an event, bake goodies for a function, teach a youth night activity, do handiwork for a needy member, or even come with you visiting teaching to someone they'd connect with! Get them involved!
All in all, the work is going well. We're staying positive, basking in the goodness of the Lord. Every day, trying a little harder, to be a little better.
All week, Joseph Smith's words have been resounding in my mind, "The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done” (History of the Church, 4:540).
I plan on being enlisted in His service, until then! The God of Israel leads this camp, and with Him, we cannot fail!!
Onward and Upward!!
Sister Anna Parker
