Week 43 - Motivation Follows Action

Once again, It's time for transfers. Elder Ezra and I will be staying in Hassall Grove ward.

One big miracle last week would have to be the results of a trade-off that we had. Upon returning to the area, I learned that the other elders had gone out on rescue visits with the bishop and had found a couple of part-member families that would be interested in us visiting them. One of these was the Mackey family. Brother Mackey was baptized years ago and has since fallen into inactivity, although he still has lots of church materials at his home. Sister Mackey is not a member of the church, although she has met with Elders before. We had visited them before, but had had a tough time in opening up conversations about gospel topics. This time, Sister Mackey asked us "So, what is your topic today?" We went on to talk about why life is hard sometimes and were able to leave a copy of the Book of Mormon with each of them (we even had one in Sister Mackey's native language: Tagalog). Brother Mackey wanted us to come back later on in the week so we could get him a triple combination as well. I'm excited to work with this family and help them come to full activity in the Gospel.

My favorite teaching experience actually comes from a teaching role-play that we did during 12-week study. We were talking about using the scriptures in teaching and so we focused our role-play on that. In this role-play, we would each have to teach a lesson to the other, using the scriptures as our companion. The spirit was surprisingly strong this time, and as I finished in the name of Jesus Christ, it was like a spiritual flood-gate opening. I'm not really sure how to explain it, but there was a distinct difference in the feeling of the room before and after I said the words "In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen".

If I could say anything to someone who was losing interest in serving a mission, it would be that motivation usually follows action. In order to want to do something, you need to see and/or experience its results. Therefore, in order to want to do something like missionary work, you've got to do some work in looking for the blessings that come from it. So look at people who have served full-time missions, see what they've gained from it, and then see if you don't want those things for yourself. Look for small missionary opportunities, use them, and look for the things you found in the other people. As you see these things, motivation to do more naturally follows.

Last week, we read in Alma 6-10. I love the story of Alma and Amulek. If you're looking for a powerful companionship of missionaries, you don't have to look much farther than them.

Next week, we'll read Alma 11-15. Now we'll see the story of a man named Zeezrom. You'll see his experience with the missionaries. First interrogating them, then listening to them, and so on until he finally learns the truth of what they share.

Hope your having a great week,
Thanks for everything!

Love,

Elder Clark

Elder Clark and Elder Afu - I met him in the first area (he served in Tongan ward) and now he's going home.