Week 89

Monday night: We had our FHE (Family home evening, but in YSA just a get to together to do activities) and played a live game of guess who. We were expecting our investigator to be there but nobody could cover him for work. Later at night we taught an investigator Jon and he was agnostic but said he would join our church except he doesn’t think he can pay tithing. He said he wanted a sign from God to know that he is real for him to fully investigate the church. He jokingly said if I somehow got a raise at work or applied for and job even though I'm not qualified and get it, I would believe in God and get baptized in your church. We promised him that if he would exercise a particle of faith and read and pray daily God would bless him with a new job or pay raise. He offered a prayer for the first time in his life and felt really good. 

Tuesday: We had district meeting in the morning and we went to Elder Alarcon’s district meeting. It was a really good district meeting even though it was his first district meeting as a district leader. His meeting was all focused on obedience and when we are converted to help other people and their testimonies. After the meeting we made We went by Herriman High school seminary to see if there were any seniors who have seminary in their schedules but aren’t members of the LDS church. There was only one but we are waiting to see if that goes against the schools policy to give us the persons info. Our thought process is that they would be graduating in a few days and then they could go to the YSA ward.

Wednesday: We had a lesson with Sabrina in the morning again and we talked about the gospel of Jesus Christ mixed with tithing because she was a little confused on the atonement and gospel of Jesus Christ and she wanted to know what tithing was. She is pretty solid to be baptized but she is just waiting for more of a confirmation by the spirit that this is what she needs to be doing. She has had great strides in her investigation of the church and knows that there have been a lot fo good things come to her from learning about the church. In the afternoon we started exchanges with Elder Alarcon and Westover. I went to their area with Elder Alarcon to help him because this is his first time serving in an English assignment and being a district leader. We were able to see some good visits and contacts. While we were waiting for a ride there was about 8 kids playing basketball on a 8ft hoop and we jumped in and played with them for a few minutes. They were in awe when we started throwing down one handed tomahawk dunks. 

Thursday: We ended exchanges in the morning and then went to our ZLC (zone leadership council) it was all focused on following up on invitations we have with our investigators and missionaries we work with. Not following up on an invitation is like buying a ticket and not going to the concert. The assistants Elder Gehrett and Henley came to our meeting and they both absolutely love Riverton. It was great to see them there and for their closing remarks to help inspire the members of RN Nation. We met with our ward mission leader at night who is over the Tongan YSA ward that we cover. He is new to his calling so we figure out what will be best to have some work going on in his ward. We came up with some good ideas and it looks like activities will be our best bet to find people who are interested in the church so that means more basketball! We ended up going to sports night after our meeting with Lala our ward mission leader. We played some volleyball but sadly parley couldn’t make it out. 

Friday: We had our accountability meeting with President and Sister Lansing and the assistants. It was a good accountability meeting because we realize that every missionary in our zone is doing well in their missionary work and RN Nation is doing the best its ever done. At night I did two baptismal interviews for Benjamin and Anderson Vaca. One is 12 and the other is 10 and they are getting baptized on May 26th. While we were eating dinner we got a text from our investigator Jon and he said, “Elders you have yourselves a convert.” Talk about exercising a particle of faith!!! He tested his faith and trusted in the promise we left him and God provided for him! He will be baptized this trainer for sure! 

Saturday: In the morning we had to give a sister missionary a blessing in the morning because she wasn’t feeling too good. We had a lot of success in our area this week so we dedicated most of our day to visit members in the Tongan YSA ward to get to know them and how we can assist them in their member missionary work. I am super pumped to work in the Tongan YSA ward and I have only heard great things about it. 

Sunday: It was an interesting day because we didn’t have church since the Jordan River Temple was being rededicated so we watched the dedication of that instead. However we got tickets from our stake president to go into the temple for the live session of the dedication. It was a really neat experience and will probably be a once in a lifetime opportunity! Afterwards all the Elders in our mission helped take down chairs in the temple and let’s just say we all moved around 1000 chairs!!! We had some snacks and then they needed a few missionaries to stay and help them move furniture in the temple back to its proper place and that took us up till the end of the night! We were at the temple from 1pm-9pm for the dedication and service! It was an amazing opportunity to serve in the temple and to have that experience. 

 

Have a wonderful week!

 

Love,

Elder Aaron Ashby

Pictures from the Temple Dedication