Monday, January 3, 2011

Happy New Year!

Can you believe it's 2011? I just got used to writing 2010 on my planner and now I have to write 2011. That's just so weird. I hope you have all had a great start of the new year and have set some really wonderful new year's resolutions. If you can remember way back when I used to love setting resolutions. For 2009 I set the goals to learn to play the harmonica and to learn to cook some good foreign food. Well I did not accomplish those in 2009, but I did in 2010 thanks to Bro. Mitchell in Norfolk and Sis. Adaniya! My priorities changed in 2009 I guess! I think it was twice in my singles ward that I had to give a talk on the Sunday regarding the new year. I don't know why, but I just love the New Year. We have been sharing lessons with members about deciding on a 2011 Family Mission Plan. It's been really wonderful. Now we just have to follow up and see what they have decided to do. Pres. Perry teaches that mission plans should be 1-3 items. They need to be actionable items and ones that we will take accountability for. Yes, why set a goal and then plan to fail by setting too many or unrealistic goals. Some ideas that we are sharing is to use Preach My Gospel once a month for FHE, giving away 1 pass along card a month, go on exchanges with missionaries once a month, fast for missionary work once a month, 100% visiting/home teaching, etc. We are encouraging each family to decide what they think they can be accountable for and what they will actually make a point to do. There was this family in Norfolk and the first time I walked in their door I saw a small white board in the first room that had their family mission plan written on it. I liked that a lot! It's good to remind ourselves of our goals and track what we actually have done. Tracking could be done by tallying the number of pass along cards given away or by marking down the chapters in PMG that you have read. Doing this helps us to see our success and that we are accomplishing goals. We have been commanded to share the gospel, but the Lord has not limited us in how we do it. So whatever goals we set to help build the kingdom of God will be pleasing in His eyes! As a full time missionary, Sis. Stoehr and I set daily and weekly and transfer goals. I want to encourage you to establish a 2011 Family Mission Plan (if you haven't already of course!). Here are some missionary work scriptures that might give some inspiration and motivation to share the gospel: Mosiah 28:3, Alma 29:1, Alma 17:2, 3, 11, Moroni 7:37, Helaman 10:4-5 One thing that I have been thinking about lately is the sacrifices of people who have gone before us. We read of hundreds and thousands of people in the Book of Mormon alone who sacrificed their lives for the preservation of liberty and religion. We are not asked to give our lives, just some time and stepping out of our comfort zone. I know you will find more happiness as you share the gospel. And I would love to hear of experiences you have! There is nothing more exciting to a missionary than hearing of our family and the members having awesome missionary experiences.

We had to be in at 6pm on New Year's Eve and we had our weekly planning session. We had some custard nog (even better than egg nog!!!!) and cranberry Ginger Ale to celebrate. And Sis. Sanders provided us with some poppers. And we hit the sack before 11pm. Yep, we are exciting party people. And our neighbors downstairs are too. Not sure what time of the morning we heard them, but they were having a little too much fun! Haha.

This wasn't one of those weeks where anything huge happened, so here is a list of some of the little wonderful things:

Vernitta bore her testimony on Sunday

We had dinner at the Donahoe's house and were able to talk to their son in law about having the lessons and he is ready and actually seemed excited. I've been trying to set up a lesson with him for 2 months!

We had a dinner with the Henderson's (RS Pres) and it was so fun and we laughed till we cried with them. And then she referred her neighbor to us who we contacted the next day. He didn't set up a lesson, but said he would talk to Sis. Henderson some more and on Sunday she reported he came and talked to her and she invited him to learn more and so we will most likely get to teach him in a couple of weeks.

We had the Naylor's come to a couple of lessons with us this week and we got to be a quadruple companionship!

I got to do Julie's hair for the wedding/baptism the elder's had last Monday. It turned out cute and she looked good in the red flower.

Happy New Year!

No comments: