Before transfers We had to make sure all of the area from Polson to Eureka had bikes in their areas since its that time of year, so we drove all over our zone moving bikes around and such. It is getting to the point where driving long distances doesn't really seem that long. While Elder Burnham was packing and such I was cleaning up our living quarters and getting things ready to move to the Wehrli's. It was sad to leave the Ciks, they are so awesome and I was so glad I got to live there with them. I love their family. I was super sad to leave but the Wehrlis are a great family. Brother Wehrli is our ward mission leader so it will be good to correlate more things with him. They have 4 kids 2 are moved out, the others are a little bit older but still live there. Transfers came and it was good to see a couple familiar faces and talk with them. I heard Townsend is doing great and good things are happening there, so that was fun to hear. I love that town.
Every transfer day the zone has a dinner with President Clark, the Stake President, and our ward mission leaders and go over the vision for our stake and things we want to do to help the work move forward. One of the biggest things we are doing is family mission plans, which I am pretty sure I have already explained. It's pretty sweet. President Clark is a great example and there is tons of work here so I am excited I get to be here in this stake another transfer. The Irwin family is doing great there is an assigned fellowship family who we are going to go to their house and have the lessons and FHE so that has been going great! We are teaching another YSA girl, Taylor, her friend is a member and started talking about church and so she wanted to learn more. The lessons with her have been going well.
We had Stake conference last weekend. We went to all of the sessions so it was a lot of meetings but it was really awesome. Elder Hilliard, from the 70 came and spoke. During the Priesthood/leadership session they talked about the Priesthood power and authority, that the authority is always there but the power comes from our obedience and worthiness. I really had my testimony reaffirmed of the power and reality of the priesthood.
It is awesome that everything we do in the church is the exact same things we do on a mission, I wish I would have realized that before so I would have been more excited about doing it (collecting fast offerings, home/visiting teaching, serving others, talking to people) you do that on the mission and after, and what a good opportunity to prepare for before as well.
The YSA branch sung in the evening session and asked us to sing with them. It was a good opportunity. The chorus was really powerful as the congregation sang with us in the fourth verse. "Hope of Israel, rise in might, With the sword of truth and right; Sound the war-cry, “Watch and pray!” Vanquish ev’ry foe today. " sound the war cry watch and pray. We are as the army of Heleman. We are all missionaries and on the Lord's side. Great song.
President and Sister Mecham spoke and it is always good to see and hear them. I love them. They talked about, yet again, another principle that we do on the mission that we do after as well, which is working on councils. As the mission leadership council works together, the work moves a lot better, just as ward councils work together the ward runs a lot smother. I just love that everything we are doing on the mission is preparing us for the rest of our lives, physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Which is what we talked about at our zone conference this past week as well. It was on Tuesday and we talked about companionship and loving more. Which we can do through praying and reading our scriptures together, which is (I'm not sure I've never been there but I've heard) what best strengthens marriages. It was pretty cool the night before I had been praying for direction and a vision/goal of where I needed to be and I didn't feel like I got any direction right there. But during the meeting I felt like I really got an answer, I think I have a vision of what I want to do. I just need to love everyone more and forgive always. Like Elder Klebingat said "Forgive everyone, everything, all the time, or at least strive to do so, thus allowing forgiveness into your own life. Don’t hold grudges, don’t be easily offended, forgive and forget quickly, and don’t ever think that you are exempt from this commandment." Love and forgiveness will bring more happiness.
President Mecham also said something that was neat that I liked, "Discipleship isn't about doing its about becoming" it's not just a checklist to get things done, but it is the change that we make everyday.
We had MLC the next day and those are always good. Helps me want to help me in my companionship and by doing so help our zone.
We had a lesson with someone but it fell through and the priest that was with us, he is going to start his papers to go on his mission, was like I'm free tonight, so he went out tracting with us ha, it was pretty sweet we also felt like we should contact a media referral we got, so we did and it was two teenage less active boys and it was cool to see this priest testify of the Book of Mormon and importance of missions. Good experience for us and him.
It was a neat experience when one morning my companion and I studied a talk from the new Ensign something about weakness vs. sin. And then that night we were able to share it with a less active we went to visit, it was truly inspired and great how the Lord prepared us.
Now a couple tracting experiences that happened this week haha
One day we were out for a bit and the neighborhood we were in everyone we talked to was being so rude and we were like well good thing we have an appointment we are going to we don't have to keep talking to these people. So we were walking back to our car not really in the mood to teach at our next lesson when this lady behind us shouted hey at us. We glanced at her but assumed she wasn't talking to us so we kept walking, then she said it again and knew she was making eye contact and looking at us. So we turned around and talked to her and she was super nice asking us what we were sharing. she was wearing a hat that said "forgiveness" and "I love Jesus" we were like sweet hat! And she asked us if we wanted, we said of course and she gave us some I love Jesus hats, turned our not so good day all around. I love nice people.
Then last night we were tracting and the same thing happened, no one was super interested and we were going to go back to the car to try some other people, but I felt we should go down this street, so we did, the first guy opened it up and saw who we were and said oh! And shut it haha then the next guy watched the video we were showing and was super nice, talked about his church and we talked about ours, just a great exchange of beliefs. Then we knocked on one more door and the lady was like who are you and we told her and she said oh you're mormon! I am too come in! Haha she is 87 years old and in way good health, she was baptized when she was 8 and wasn't really ever active. We talked to her and showed her the Easter video and invited her to watch general conference next week. She said she would and we are going to watch one of the sessions with her and she said she wants to feed us lunch.
It is so awesome how the the Spirit can direct us where to go. There are good thing, better things and best things. The best thing to do was keep tracting and we had a lot of success. The joy as we talk about the gospel to people and how I feel is indescribable. I love it so much.
I am thrilled to listen to General Conference this weekend, to hear the Prophet's voice and other leaders of our church. What a great opportunity we have.
The Easter video I have been talking about it on helives.mormon.org such a great website that shows the video, talks about the saviors last week and ways to share it, I exhort you to go there and share the video and post a #heishere pic (you'll understand when you go to the website)
I love you and hop you have a superb week and a great Easter.
Love,
Elder David Witt
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