Earn Them

Dear Sisters and Elders -

Two stake presidents shared the following about how we as missionaries can build trust with the members. The first one said, “They need to act and speak like men and women of God. They need to have the Spirit with them.” The second mentioned, “Missionaries should be friendly with the members, but not casual. They need to maintain a level of dignity and respect because they represent Jesus Christ.” To me, these suggestions were very instructive.

While members do have a responsibility to help find people to teach, we as missionaries must earn their trust so that members will be comfortable giving us referrals. 

I received an email from someone living outside our mission. In the email, he explained, “My friend had a girlfriend that was investigating the church while she was in high school. She attended church every week for months, went to firesides and even seminary. Everyone anticipated that she would be baptized at some point. For six months he and his family watched as missionaries would get transferred into the area. They would meet the missionaries and think, ‘No, these aren't the ones we want to trust with this special referral.’ Either the missionaries were not serious enough, not sincere enough, or didn't seem to carry the Spirit. Then one day, a new missionary arrived and they knew he was the one. They gave the referral and she was soon baptized. Others in their ward also gave referrals at the same time. There was a whole supply of latent referrals in the ward waiting for people to feel like they could trust the missionaries.” 

This story reminds me of a statement made by Elder Russell M. Nelson to missionaries, “Don’t ask for referrals, earn them.” 

“Strive to represent the Lord according to the highest standards of obedience and conduct. Keep your words, thoughts, and actions in harmony with the message of His gospel” (MH, 7). “Do everything you can to build their confidence in you as dedicated, powerful servant of the Lord" (MH, 35). As missionaries of Christ, let’s carry ourselves with dignity, sincerity, and the Spirit so that members will trust us enough to refer their friends to be taught the gospel. 

I am grateful to be serving with dedicated, capable missionaries and know that we can find the “tens of thousands” as we continue to build the trust of the members. Thank you for your devotion to the Lord and His work.

Love,

President Pingree

Our Unique Message

Dear Sisters and Elders –

I have loved reading about your experiences with the Book of Mormon challenge. Many of you have shared significant insights about the Atonement and how we can access it more effectively in our lives. Thank you!

This week I received a letter from an investigator who is scheduled to be baptized in the very near future. Please find below an excerpt from his correspondence:

“God has moved and has spoken to me so deeply. I know that I have found the Church that I have been seeking my entire life. … With all my heart I do believe that God established His kingdom on earth through Jesus Christ, His Son and our Savior. I do believe that after his ascension to Heaven that…man lost sight of the path set before [him]. In the 1800s, I believe that God and Jesus Christ appeared before Joseph Smith and re-established the true church, the church that we have come to know as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.”

After reading this, I could not help but think of the following passages in Preach My Gospel:

When talking with others, “refer quickly and simply to the Restoration of the gospel” (159) and “no matter where you serve or whom you teach, center your teaching on the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ” (6).  The Restoration is central to our message.

WHY must we “refer quickly to” and “center our teaching on” the Restoration of the gospel? Because, the Restoration of the gospel “is our unique message to the world” (PMG, 159).  “The Church is not just another religion…. It is a restoration of the ‘fullness of [the] gospel’ (D&C 1:23), the same as was revealed and taught from the beginning” (PMG, 7).  

HOW do we help others to know the truthfulness of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ? First, “pray that you will be led to those who are prepared to receive the message of the Restoration. Pray that you will recognize them” (PMG, 94).  The investigator who sent me the letter referenced above had been searching for God’s true church his entire life.  He was prepared.

Second, help others understand that “The Book of Mormon is…proof of the Restoration through the Prophet Joseph Smith” (PMG, 103). "We can know that it is true by the Holy Ghost, as promised in Moroni 10:3–5. After reading and pondering the message of the Book of Mormon, any who desire to know the truth must ask in prayer to our Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ if it is true” (PMG, 39).  Anyone who knows the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon through the Holy Ghost will also know the validity of the Restoration.

As a companionship, please review the message above.  Evaluate how effectively you focus on the Restoration and use the Book of Mormon in your proselyting efforts.  Discuss ways to involve the doctrine of the Restoration and the Book of Mormon more powerfully in your finding and teaching.   

When we focus our finding and teaching on the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we will find more people to teach and we will help them to have more “strength to overcome their objections and concerns” (PMG, 109) during the conversion process.

Thank you for your faithful efforts to be powerful representatives of Jesus Christ and effective messengers of His restored gospel.

With love,

President Pingree

Transfer Time

It has been a relatively calm transfer week with the departure of Hermanas Driesel, Bruneel and Elder Snow. They will be missed! We also received four new missionaries from the MTC in Provo and one from the CCM in Mexico City. In addition, transfers were held for about a third of the mission as many received new companions and areas.  Please find below pictures from the week, along with a couple others received.

Departing Missionaries

Elder Snow

Spring Creek BBQ

Hermana Bruneel greets family

Hermana Bruneel with sister and parents

New Missionaries (minus Elder Thorne)

New Missionaries

New Missionaries with Trainers (next few pictures)

Transfers (Hafer Parking Lot)

Houston North 1 Service Activity

They Will Receive You

Dear Sisters and Elders –

In Preach My Gospel, we are told: “The Lord is preparing people to receive you” (155).  “Pray for the spiritual sensitivity to recognize opportunities” (156).  “Talk to as many people as you can each day” because “God will place in your path His children who are being prepared to receive the restored gospel” (156).  I know this is true!

Please find below recent comments from missionaries that are striving to follow the counsel above:

“We found 7 new investigators this past week! How did we do that? Well, we have really been trying to invite at least 25 people daily to hear about the gospel and even though it’s hard some days, Heavenly Father can tell that our efforts are sincere.”

“This week we have REALLY been trying to get 25 contacts everyday and it is amazing how many people in our path are ready for the gospel. One miracle that happened involved a woman on her way back to her apartment from the dumpster. As we started talking to her, she really didn't seem interested. But all of a sudden she paused and said, 'Yes actually, I am in crisis. I need help with my teenage daughters. They are all struggling against drugs and court and in school right now. Just this morning I said I was going to look for a church to get them involved in.' The next day we met the daughters, the oldest of which is yearning to change her life. The next day they all came to mutual and the ward just scooped them up. All because we decided to be exactly obedient and contact everyone! They are 4 new progressing investigators.”

“This week has been completely blessed. I had a change in attitude and had that desire to be here and work every day and try my best to talk to every person.  I have tried to follow all the rules with no exceptions. We are starting to see the fruits of our work.  We found 6 investigators this week!  There are tens of thousands of people ready…”

“It was about 8:15 at night and we had nothing else schedule. We pulled over on our bikes to a dark part of the rode and said a prayer, asking for specific guidance. I then said in my mind, "Heavenly Father, guide us to one of your elect." Now... not every prayer is answered so immediately, nor in the way that we want it, but the words came to my mind, ‘Second street down on the left, third house on the right.’ The response was so immediate and spiritual; it nearly brought me to tears. I knew that this was who we needed to see, and nothing was going to stop us from finding this person. We got there, and there was a family inside. They were making so much noise as to drown out our knocking, but we kept persistent. After about four times of knocking, someone walked by, and saw us. They called to the patriarch of the home, and he came to the door. Our message of prophets and the Book of Mormon intrigued him. He readily accepted a copy, and gave us his number. I believe with all of my heart that he is one of God's elect, and it is our duty to bring him to the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Thank you for your examples.  Let’s place an added emphasis this week on opening our mouths and inviting as many people as possible to learn about the gospel.  As we do, we will find more people to teach.

With much love and appreciation,

President Pingree

Loyalty to Christ

Dear Sisters and Elders –

Are we loyal to the Savior?

Certainly, Christ demonstrated His loyalty to the Father and to us through the Atonement. He “hath overcome and trodden the wine-press alone, even the wine-press of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God” (D&C 88:106). Jesus explained that His Great Sacrifice caused Him “to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men” (D&C 19:18-19). 

Christ is fully, completely, and unequivocally devoted to the Father and to us. Are we sufficiently devoted to Him?

The scriptures highlight many who, despite desperate circumstances, were loyal to the Savior. Several examples include:

When offered his life to retract his testimony of Christ, Abinadi asserted: “I will not recall the words…for they are true…I will suffer unto death, and I will not recall my words” (Mosiah 17:9-10).

After losing family, friends, wealth, and health, Job proclaims: “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him” (Job 13:15).

With decree of death over her people, Esther risks her life to petition the king. She explained: “I go in unto the king…and if I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16).

When their brethren came against them to war, and in order to keep their covenant with God, the Anti-Nephi-Lehites: “Would lie down and perish, and praised God even in the very act of perishing under the sword…” (Alma 24:23).

When commanded to worship a golden idol or be burned, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego responded: “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up” (Daniel 3: 17-18). 

Each of these individuals was willing to show their loyalty to Christ through personal sacrifice.  

This week, please review the examples above. Identify additional examples in the scriptures of those who demonstrated loyalty to Christ through personal sacrifice. Recognize positive examples from your own life. Then, ask yourself: “What can I do as a missionary to demonstrate even greater loyalty to the Savior through personal sacrifice?” You can also ask: “Do I extend a sincere effort each day to prepare, to find, to teach, and to baptize others?” Or, “Have I totally left the world behind?”

Ultimately, we love that for which we sacrifice. As we make personal sacrifices for the Savior, our love for Him will grow until it is perfect.  

Thank you for your extraordinary examples of loyalty to the Savior. I have learned so much from your consecration to the Lord.  It is an honor to serve with such a devoted group of disciples.

Love,

President Pingree  

Final Week of Interviews

Interviews/training continued this week in Melbourne, Hafer, Conroe, Spring and Klein. Please find pictures below.