Lift, Encourage, Inspire and Bless

Dear Sisters and Elders –

As missionaries, we are called and set apart to invite and help others to come unto Christ. Certainly, this includes investigators and the members in our assigned wards and branches.  We also have a responsibility to help each other come closer to the Savior.

In the Missionary Handbook we are asked to “lift, encourage, inspire, and bless” one another (p. 57). What does this mean?

• We “support each other” and “strengthen each other in times of difficulty,”
• We “love and respect” each other,
• We “look for the good” in each other,
• We “find ways to serve each other,"
• We “work in a spirit of unity,” and
• We “do not criticize” each other (see p. 30).

The Apostle John taught: “Let us love one another: for love is of God… He who loveth God love his brother also” (1 John 4:7, 21).  The Savior also explained: “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35).

I invite each of us to seek for ways to “lift, encourage, inspire, and bless” one another. Prayerfully ask God what you can do to help your companion and other missionaries to come closer to Christ. As a companionship, identify ways that you can bless other missionaries around you.

As we seek to “lift, encourage, inspire, and bless” each other, I promise that we will have increased spiritual power, more people will accept the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, and we will find greater joy in this work.  I hope that it can be said of us as it was said of the Nephites after Christ’s ministry to them: “Surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God” (1 Nephi 1:16).

With love and respect,

President Pingree

Katy Stake Women's Conference

P-day activity with West Zone I and II

English class taught by missionaries

Following College Station Stake Conference

Following a fireside organized by Conroe
missionaries (next several pictures)

Hermanas at mission home

Hunstville district meeting

Friday Forum at Huntsville Institute

Elder and Sister Lane in local newspaper

It's About Conversion

Dear Sisters and Elders –

What is true conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ? 

As explained in the Bible Dictionary: “[Conversion] denotes changing one’s views, in a conscious acceptance of the will of God. If followed by continued faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism in water for the remission of sins, and the reception of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, conversion will become complete and will change a natural man into a sanctified, born again, purified person—a new creature in Christ Jesus. Complete conversion comes after many trials and much testing. To labor for the conversion of one’s self and others is a noble task…” (p. 650).

Our purpose as missionaries is to help others become converted to Jesus Christ and His restored gospel.  We have an incredible purpose!

During specialized training, we identified the principles of conversion and discussed how we as full-time missionaries can work closely with the bishop and ward mission leader to help new members to remain active in the Church (PMG, pp. 213-214).  We also reviewed our responsibility to meet at least weekly with new members and to help them do things that will deepen their conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Several of these key actions include:

• Praying daily

• Studying the scriptures daily

• Sharing the gospel with family and friends

• Attending church and partaking of the sacrament

• Conducting weekly family home evening

• Receiving a calling

• Receiving the priesthood

• Preparing family names for the temple

• Attending the temple to do proxy baptisms

• Participating in the home teaching and visiting teaching programs

• Learning about and receiving a patriarchal blessing

• Learning how to access past conference talks on LDS.org

This week, please review the Plan for Full-time Missionaries to Help Strengthen New Members (to be sent out in a separate email).  Prayerfully identify ways to use the plan to support investigators, new members, and less active members in your areas.

In addition, please take time to study the process of spiritual conversion.  Prayerfully consider your own progress towards full conversion to Jesus Christ and His gospel.  As you deepen your own conversion, you will have more power to help others become converted.

It is a privilege to work with each of you.

With much love and respect,

President Pingree

Specialized Training

Great week!  Specialized training was held throughout the mission.  The training focused on ways to help lead investigators and new members toward real conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ.  We also discussed the importance of deepening our own conversion.  As James E. Faust said, "You cannot convert people beyond your own conversion." During the training, we viewed a talk by Elder David A. Bednar, Converted Unto the Lord and rolled out a plan for full-time missionaries to help strengthen new members, especially during the first ninety days after baptism.  Please find below a few pictures from each training. 

 

 

 

Phenomenal Finding

Dear Sisters and Elders –

One of the most important statements in Preach My Gospel reads: “Nothing happens in missionary work until you find someone to teach” (156). Finding is integral to the calling of a full-time missionary.

We are called to find those that will receive us (D&C 29:7; 42:8).  There are tens of thousands prepared to receive the gospel within the boundaries of this mission; we just need to find them.

Please find below six characteristics common to missionaries that regularly find people to teach.

1. They have faith the Lord will lead them to those He has prepared (PMG, 155-156, 169).

2. They talk with as many people as they can each day (PMG, 156-159).

3. They make working with members a priority (PMG, 160-162, 215-219).

4. They instinctively ask everyone, “Who do you know that…” (PMG, 159).

5. They use multiple (7 or more) methods for finding people to teach (PMG, Chap. 9).

6. They create an inspired finding plan every night (PMG, 97-98, 149, 150, 151).

As a companionship, please review the six finding principles above, as well as the associated references in Preach My Gospel.  Evaluate your own finding efforts and prayerfully identify opportunities for improvement.  Take steps to implement these principles more fully in your daily missionary efforts.  As you do, the Lord will help you find more people to teach.

Thank you for striving to serve the Lord with all of your heart, might, mind, and strength.  It is a blessing to serve with you.

With much love,

President Pingree

MLC

 

Matching bikes

Houston North II Zone Meeting

Musical number

Following Zone Meeting

Sisters get a ride with member after stake conference

Following Houston North Stake Conference on Saturday Evening

Cleaning up after College Station II Zone Meeting
in Madisonville, TX (next several pictures)