Week 9/104 Transfer 1/17

May 9, 2016

Hello Everybody!

Happy late Mother's Day! I hope everyone had a wonderful day, and took
good care of their mothers. :) Elder Hemsley and I had a pretty cool
opportunity this Sunday: As usual for Mother's Day, the men stood in
for the women who usually teach the kids, and allowed them to go to
their own class. Because both the wards we cover were short on people
to cover classes, we were asked to help. We were assigned the CTR 6
class, which has kids who are turning seven this year. They are all
just bundles of energy! And, of course, when they saw that the
missionaries were teaching their class, they got even more excited and
crazy. We were able to get something through to them, though. We
showed them one of the latest Mormon Messages, called "It Was Mom",
and then read Alma 56:47-48, which talks about the 2,000 stripling
warriors who had complete faith in the things they learned from their
mothers. We even got a cute video of them saying "Happy Mother's Day"
to their moms. Of course, we didn't leave without some battle scars;
one of the girls attacked us both with chalk. I only have a picture of
Elder Hemsley, but it was basically the same damage done to both of
us. He got the worse of it, though. :)

I can't believe I'm already done with my first transfer! By this time
on Wednesday, my district will be reorganized, and there will be some
new faces in the district and zone. It's crazy that we have been in
this area for six weeks. I most likely will still be with Elder
Hemsley for this transfer, since I still have six weeks of training to
go through, and this is his last transfer in the mission. It will be
sad to see him go, but I've learned a ton from him. He's the best
trainer I could have been given.

A couple days ago, we had a new missionary meeting, which gathers all
of the missionaries in the mission who have been in training for the
past two transfers, and we get to hear from President and Sister
Toone, as well as the AP's. We talked about managing stress, where to
look in Preach My Gospel for answers to specific questions, and played
Chutes and Ladders. For every card we drew, we would have to answer a
question, such as "what is the fourth point in the first lesson? Teach
it." Or "bear your testimony on the Atonement." All of these things
are important for us to be able to do in our lessons with
investigators, but no one thing we do will bring them to complete
conversion. It takes time, effort, and most likely, multiple
missionaries and members bearing witness together of the truthfulness
of the gospel. Even then, conversion will not happen unless the person
being taught takes steps for it to happen. Once they "[partake] of the
fruit thereof it [will fill their] soul with exceedingly great joy . .
. For [they will know] that it [is] desirable above all other fruit."
(1 Nephi 8:12) I know that this Gospel is desirable above all else,
and those who partake of it will come to that same knowledge for
themselves; they will receive a fullness of joy that cannot be found
anywhere else. I promise this is the case.

I love you all, and again, I thank you for all your love and support.
I can feel your prayers lifting me up!

Love,
Elder Grover