Week 62... Many More Miracles and Sabbath Day

January 9, 2017

Alright! This week has been a really good week! We have seen many miracles in this past week and we are excited to see more the next week. I am grateful to be able to serve in Singapore. We are excited to continue to serve those around us, to invite others to learn about the gospel, and be able to continue building our own testimonies of the Gospel.

One way my faith has been able to increase this past week was on exchanges with Elder Marsh this past Wednesday. We had had a good day contacting, then calling some people and then later that night we had an appointment with our investigator W**** who we were excited to be able to visit. W**** does not speak much English at all and so I knew it would be hard for Elder Marsh to share his testimony because he is an English speaking Elder. As we started our discussion with her, we started talking about some questions that she had, and then we were able to bear a simple testimony to her. For the first time she just listened to what we had to say. She was also intrigued on why we serve a mission. She asked us, Elders, why do you want to leave your home for two years and come to Singapore? We answered that we come here because we want to be able to serve families and others around us. We come here because we know that the message we share is true. We come here because of our testimony of the Book of Mormon which has been able to be such an influence in our own lives. As we were able to share with W**** our testimonies, we pointed out that as we learn and as we apply the principles of the Gospel, we are able to feel the spirit testify to us through our hearts and our minds that what we are learning is true. We were able to help her recognize the spirit as we shared with her. We know that the next time we share we will be able to help her understand a little more of how our Heavenly Father communicates with us and helps us to know for ourselves that these things are true, that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored and that the Book of Mormon is another Testament of Jesus Christ. I am grateful for the Lord Jesus Christ and for all that he does for me. I'm grateful that I'm able to be a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

We wanted to share a miracle that happened just a couple of days ago on exchanges. As we were walking to lunch, we noticed a man who was sitting across the street on a bench and the thought came to us to go and talk to him but we were hungry so we continued on. After lunch we were walking back and saw the same man still sitting there, we knew that we had to talk to him. We went over there, said to him "Happy New Year!" We asked him where he was from and got to know him a little bit more. As we did so we learned that he wasn't sure if God existed. We asked him if he had ever tried praying before. He said, no, I have never tried to pray and ask before. So we sat down with him and taught him how to pray and how to ask Heavenly Father if he is really there. As we did so, he started to become more excited and more happy. We gave him a pamphlet and invited him try praying tonight. A few days later, we called him and asked if we would be able to meet with him again. He told us, actually I did not know how to go about this but I really want to come to church with you, how can I do it?

He texted us again later on and said, "after talking with you guys, I want to start believing in God."

We have a testimony that there are people who are ready to listen to the message of the restored gospel, people who are looking for God and his guidance in their life.

"And ye are called to bring to pass the gathering of mine elect; for mine elect hear my voice and harden not their hearts;"
Doctrine and Covenants 29:7

#calledtoserve

The members in our ward are amazing and awesome. Something that we are starting to do with our Ward is text out a miracle every Friday afternoon just to help the ward members become more excited about missionary work. As we did so this past Friday one of our ward members later that night told us that he contacted someone while traveling somewhere and referred them to meet with us. I have a testimony that every member is a missionary and members have just as much of an influence as a full-time missionary does. Another thing that we've done with our ward is at the start of February we are going to be teaching the young men's and share with them a message about missionary work. We hope as we do so that we may be able to take them out on splits with us for part of the day or all day and to help them have a good experience with doing missionary work. We are definitely getting fed and are continuing to do our best to serve and lift up the numbers. I am grateful for the ward I am serving in right now for all that they do for me and for helping me to become a better person and helping me to become more aware of their needs and do my best to help them. Right now three of our young adults are on missions and we miss them a lot but we know that they are doing what they need to do. In the next few months we will have two more of our young adults go out on their missions. Right now they are filling out their paperwork and getting ready to go. I want to share my testimony that having a member help teach investigators is key in both of their conversions. As the investigators are able to befriend a member it really helps the investigator to feel that connection to the whole ward and the member is able to have a reassured testimony that the Gospel is true. In the next month or two we hope to be able to have two or three baptisms in our Ward, we are really excited! They are some really good people.

This is a quote that I have been pondering and as I have been able to apply it, I have a  solid testimony that it is true.

"There is a power in the book of which will begin to flow into our lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book. You will find greater power to resist temptation. You will find the power to avoid deception. You will find the power to stay on the strait and narrow path."

-President Ezra Taft Benson

I am grateful for the Lord Jesus Christ, and His love for me. A principle that I have learned this week was how to make the Sabbath day a delight. I love this quote from President Russell M. Nelson:

"The Savior identified Himself as Lord of the Sabbath. It is His day! Repeatedly, He has asked us to keep the Sabbath or to hallow the Sabbath day. We are under covenant to do so.

How do we follow the Sabbath day? In my much younger years, I studied the work of others who had compiled lists of things to do and things not to do on the Sabbath. It wasn’t until later that I learned from the scriptures that my conduct and my attitude on the Sabbath constituted a sign between me and my Heavenly Father. With that understanding, I no longer needed lists of dos and don’ts. When I had to make a decision whether or not an activity was appropriate for the Sabbath, I simply asked myself, “What sign do I want to give to God?” That question made my choices about the Sabbath day crystal clear."

I know that as I think about what sign I want to give to God, my choices will become clear. I know that God is our Heavenly Father. He wants the best for us. I know that as we turn to Him, remember Him, and continue to follow the counsel He has provided, we will be happy and have joy. I share these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Love,

Elder Shirley