October 27, 2014 Week 68

"OBEY FOR RAIN"

HAPPY 49 PADRE!! 

Wow what a week! 

The trio has been made again! We got a text from President Sunday morning saying that Elder Rodriguez will be arriving in Wichita Falls around 2! It was awesome! I was able to meet Brother Lee.  But it is going to be nice to have the trio again.  It is really nice not having to worry about the 3rd male rule!  I really hope that President keeps us together at least until Christmas! 

This area has really been progressing a lot!  I was able to punch in all of the members in our area in the GPS! It took forever but it is worth it! Instead of tracting in our free time we are doing less active work (which honestly is about 4X more effective!... we have found a ton of part member families just this week!) One LA (less active) miracle we had this week was crazy! So Elder Barrett and I knocked on this less active door, no one answered. About 20 minutes later we got a call from the less active... He asked us if we had been by we told him yes.  He then shared how the night before he and his wife decided to go and watch Meet the Mormon's and felt like he needs to get back to church! We then set up an appointment for the following week to meet with him.  Well the next night we received  a call from him and he shared how he needed a blessing.  Luckily we had no set plans for the night and we were able to go and visit him.  He shared how ever since he talked to us the day before he felt lost and no focus.  He pretty much waited last minute to ask us,  But we were privileged to give him a blessing.  After we could see that he knew what he needed to do!  It is always nice to see that you were the instrument in bringing someone closer to Christ.  Most of the time it doesn't happen that way! 

So our message that we have been sharing with members this week has been awesome because it relates really well to Wichita falls!  Just to give you some background-- Everywhere in Wichita falls there are signs reading 'pray for rain'... which I think is great! BUT prayer is an act of faith. How do we increase our faith?- True to the Faith says, "We can strengthen our faith by keeping the commandments. Like all blessings from God, faith is obtained and increased through individual obedience and righteous action. If we desire to enrich our faith to the highest possible degree, we must keep the covenants we have made." ...well this is a problem when most of Wichita falls view commandments as suggestions! what is a prayer without faith? 

This made me think and led me to Leviticus 26

3 ¶If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them;

 4 Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.

This is one 'if then' statement this place doesn't know... this is one 'if then' statement this world doesn't know! 

But I found it very ironic that the 1st blessing talked about is RAIN! haha It has been great sharing with everyone! 

Every member that we have shared that with has loved it! 

One family we shared it with( the 1st counselor in the bishopric) loved it so much they made there 14 year old daughter share it for mutual that night! haha it is great! So if you hear on the news an OBEY FOR RAIN campaign in Texas…THAT'S US!!! We shared it with Bishop yesterday for a dinner message and he loved it! haha...

The work is hastening here in Texas and you better believe it! Wichita Falls Ward will soon be Wichita Falls 1st and Wichita Falls 2nd!... yesterday our ward had 21 less actives at church and 5 investigators! Watch out Satan we be comin'!

LOVE YA 

ELDER FINLINSON

#obeyforrain

#wichitawork

#floodinthefalls