Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Mon 10/20/2014 9:31 AM


Well, where to begin!  So much has happened I will keep it short and sweet hitting some of the big stuff.
 
Last Saturday we had an open house with something that our mission started doing called the "Portable Visitor's Center."  It is sort of like the Visitor's Centers at the Temples, but with a little good ole MBM twist.  We have different stations with different posters and videos.  For instance, Families and Temples is one with videos where people walking through go up to an ipad and can learn more.  It is a very powerful experience going through all of the different stations.  Really in a sense, it takes the basics of how we as Mormons, or rather, as  Latter-Day Saints worship God.  It was overcast and raining and we were worried that it would be a really bad turn due to the weather.  We ALL said a prayer and started to set everything up.  Sure enough, about 30 min. before it starting the weather cleared up, stopped raining and turned out to be a pretty descent day; a little bit chilly, but good.  We had a descent amount of members helping out as well.  Elder Silva and I went on exchanges for a little bit with the Providence English speaking missionaries, so we could cover more ground and get out on the streets to invite more people to come in.  We had members at the doors as people walked by inviting them in and giving them Books of Mormon as well as giving tours through the Visitors Center set up.  We had one English speaking guy come in, go through everything and ask, "How do I get baptized? I want to change my life."  It was an amazing day.  We had inactives come, our Relief Society President brought her Non Member Husband as well.  It was amazing to see the members being filled with the missionary spirit as they were running people down on the streets with Books of Mormon, inviting them in and to hear the good word.  It was a great experience and as I was out with Elder Gunnel on the street we got some good potentials and even one return appointment.
 
In the branch we have been super busy striving to meet all the different goals we set as a branch; to go on splits with the members; going out and doing Home Teaching to make sure it gets done; having Family Home Evenings with members where they invite non-member friends to come join and visiting in-actives.  It has been great.
 
This last P-day we went to a session at the Temple that was amazing!  Then we went into Boston since it will be Elder Lopes' last p-day in Boston since he is going to be finishing his mission this week.  We ended up getting lost and so Elder Silva and I ran about a mile and a half to the car so we could get home on time for our appointments. 
 
This past week we have had a lot of cancellations, but it has still been a great week.  We received t-texts and Elder Silva is getting booted to New London, CT, which is one of my old areas.  He is going to love it there and I am going to miss him.  Time with him has flown by and we have had a blast working together.  He will do a lot of good in New London, so for that I am excited for him.
 
My new companion will be Elder Sanchez who has been out for about 6-8 months and is from Mexico.  That is all I know about him and I think I heard that he has learned English in the mission.   It looks like hopefully I will be able to smooth down those MANY rough edges in my Spanish...I'm hoping anyway.
 
We met with Oswaldo y Vilma yesterday and they won't be making their baptismal date, but they are still working on getting married. They are amazing though.
 
Time goes by way too fast and it seems like lately everything is starting to "crystallize in my mind" more about everything we have been taught since I have been here.  It is cool to see how the Lord prepares each and every one of us in order to become and fulfill the unique things he has in store for each and every one of us.  I love the mission and am so grateful for it and all that it has taught me and still is teaching me.
 
I know that this truly is Christ's church restored on the earth today, that as we but pray for the desire to share the gospel and then act out of faith in sharing it, we are blessed more than we can ever comprehend.  The gospel is easy. In short, turn your life over to Christ and strive to live worthy in order to receive promptings from the Holy Ghost in order to have him as our constant companion.
 
After seeing the change in the members who attended the open house I would like to invite all of you who are reading this to think of a few people who are not members, whether they be neighbors, friends, family or co-workers and invite them to a Family Home Evening with you and the missionaries.  Share with them your testimonies and I can promise you as you exercise your faith and do this you will experience an even more abundance of the Spirit in your lives and be filled with that same excitement that the members here in Central Falls experienced.

Elder Salerno

No comments:

Post a Comment