August 10, 2015

Month 1 down!

Wow it feels like it's been forever but it flew by at the same time. Nothing really crazy this week like last week. But there were some pretty cool experiences still. I got to help some people out in some pretty inspired ways. The week actually started off really slow and unproductive because Monday is preparation day so we don't do much teaching on that day. Tuesday was good though, we got some decent work done on that day. And then Wednesday we drove up to Bozeman and had district meeting and I had some interviews. We were there pretty much all day, so I hardly got anything done that day either. Then, on Wednesday night Elder McMahon got sick so we couldn't go out, so we did nothing Wednesday night. So I'm thinking that I'm useless and 'Im not working enough. So then Elder McMahon wants a blessing, so I gave him one. The blessing was a great experience for me. I said, what felt like, were some inspired things. I mentioned how the Lord would heal him so the sickness wouldn't hinder the work and that he would only be healed if he had faith and if he had a desire to work. So basically he had to have real intent behind it. And I said some other things that were good too. So the next day he's still sick. So I'm like, well my blessing didn't help... But then he was like, no it helped, you said something that was in my patriarchal blessing. That made me feel soooo much better about my blessing I gave him and it strengthened my testimony on revelation and the priesthood power. Even though he wasn't healed physically at the moment, I helped him somehow spiritually. So he was still sick all Thursday which sucked, but my blessing came true on Friday. He woke up and was like, let's get to work! And I was pumped that not only I could actually get back to work but that my blessing had now taken effect. He was healed and now that he was healed he went to work. And that's what we did. We drove around all day and contacted as many people as we could and set up as many appointments as we could and we came up with some ideas and lots of other stuff too. It was such a good day. So I can say that Priesthood power is real. It does take some faith on your part, but the power is real, I can promise you that!

Saturday was a little less busy but still a good day and there is not much to tell about that. But Sunday was awesome. I always love Sundays because I get to go to church and be around loving people and get uplifted. Then we get a little study time after or whatever we want to do, so It's like my happy day haha. And I can see the blessings coming to us more often now. For example, this random family comes to church and were like who are these people? Let's go talk to them. We assumed they were members because they looked like them. But we find out that they weren't! These random people who have lived here for a year just decided to come to our church today! These people were literally sent into our doors. Those little things just strengthen my testimony so much.

My Testimony on revelation grew this week even more from another experience I had. So on Friday I got a call from the zone leaders. They called to just check in and give us some info. Then one of the zone leaders asks to talk to me. Im like oh what did I do? So Elder Kennedy (one of the zone leaders) was like, Elder Schneider Im having a hard time staying pumped about the work and having a hard time to keep that excited optimistic attitude that new missionaries have, what is your advice? And I'm thinking, why is he asking me? I hardly know anything!! But somehow and somewhere, an answer just popped into my head. I was like, well Elder, I think the best thing to help with that is goals. Like little tiny specific every day goals. Just for everything you do, pray to God to help you accomplish your little goal you have. So that way you have something to work for and a drive for everything you do, and it can be personal this way too. So I said that to him, just thinking not much of it. And then he was like I think that's an answer to my prayers! I was like whoah, that's awesome! So this happened on Friday right? So Sunday night we get another check up call from the zone leaders and they had a couple more announcements. And then Elder Kennedy asks to speak to me again. He asks me how I'm doing and stuff and then is like, "So I took in what you said to me about goals and I did what you said. Me and my companion were out tracting and then we decided our little goal was to hand out one Book of Mormon to a random person and to teach them right then and there. So we saw a random guy and walked up to him and gave him the Book of Mormon and started teaching him and we got into his home and taught him the whole first lesson. The lesson went great and we committed him to baptism. All of this done from our little goal we set." (that was a very summed up version of it) So I'm like what?! No way that's so cool! That is so rare! And that's awesome that my advice helped!

So… My testimony on personal revelation to help others has been strengthened so much this week. It felt good to help people in inspired ways and to listen to the spirit. That's all I have for this week. I'm writing you all letters too so those will come to you guys in not too long. Probably like a week and a half. But thank you guys for the letters you sent me, I really appreciated them! I love and miss you all so much! I hope you all are doing good and that you are all settled into your new life style now. Just know that I miss you and that you guys are in my prayers. Stay awesome and don't forget about me ;) Farewell until next week!!

     -Elder Schneider