Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Hello fam! How is everyone?
We had a baptism this week of Jenny Urbina. She is the daughter of an awesome family in the ward. We had the opportunity to go over a lot to teach her and make sure that she was ready to make a covenant with God. We always have FHE at their house too. Their other daughter is married to Aaron Hatch who served in the Ogden Utah Mission. We get along very well, our personalities match up perfectly. Our ward would be weak without that large family.

We have been teaching Nelson more and more. He has a strong desire to be baptized and come closer to God. He canceled his first date because he had some questions he wanted answered first. I am happy, I don't want to baptize anyone that isn't ready. What is the point if they just fell away right after?
We teach him English all the time too. Haha he brought up the subject the other day about racist words. Haha. he wanted to know so if anyone called him it. The entire lesson he was laughing and saying Beaner a lot after that.

Our friend with the drinking problem has progressed. I have found that with addictions it has to be a one time decision to quit. White/Black.. drink or don't drink. You can NOT ease out of it. BUT.... It is very hard to build up that courage to make that decision. You can dose down before that big step. Mosiah 4:27- And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it isnot requisite that man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done inorder”. Jump to soon. Our investigator, he has changed little at a time and now he is saying that a lot of things that he would do before don't even look desirable. We have helped him find his why. We asked him to pray about it and that date to stop drinking and the strength to do so. I know once he stops his whole life will turn around.

I have been writing and filling up a notebook of my studies pretty fast. I have been filling a book about How to begin teaching and how to teach and find people. I can definitely say that my teaching and finding has increased a lot. I have also found that simply, If you do your little part then the lord does the rest.

I Wrote this.
The parable of the meat cutter.
At home from time to time I would have my friends dad that was a meat cutter sharpen some of my knives. He had the sharpest knives I have ever felt. He sharpened them very frequently and with precision on a stone. This got them sharp knocking off rough edges to make the blades perfect.
Now... it is obvious that you need a sharp knife for this job so that you can do it right, cutting meat the right way, in the right sizes and within the right timing. With a sharp knife it is safer, more precise and you can do your job with more swift effectiveness than a dull knife.
 
The lord is the meat cutter... and we are his knives. Are you sharp? Do you do the necessary repeated actions everyday to be sharp? Such things as prayer, reading the scriptures, and going to church? Are we kept by the lords side going to and from the job so that he can use us for his great work?
(related to any life situation) A meat cutter Prepares meat to be cut just like the lord prepares people to learn and be taught, he prepares life situations, trials etc... The question is though.... are we sharp and ready to cut and be effective in that time of need? Are we effective tools in the lords hands or dull knives that need to be worked on? (the beautiful thing is that the lord will spend personal time on each person to make them and keep them sharp)

As a missionary I have noticed that all of the success that I have had was simply by me just being personally sharp. The lord Uses us as Instruments in his hands. (A tool doesn't do anything accept take the shape that is needed) I felt like I didn't have to do anything accept for simply being there and doing my part. Doctrine and Covenants 4- the field is white and ready to harvest. If you have the desire then you are called to the work.

If you have the desire to do something (this pertains to anything in life) then you will get sharp... And if you are sharp then the lord will use you to cut. Where are your desires and where are they taking you? Are you putting in the necessary amount of repeated actions to become what you want.. to be used for what you want to do?

Love you fam... I hope everything is well.

Elder Cooley

No comments:

Post a Comment