January 12, 2015 Week 79

Enero!

WOW what a week! 

It was an interesting one... 

WE had transfers but Elder Rodriguez and I are going to tarry here a little longer in the Wichita Falls vineyard!  But the rest of the missionaries got switched up pretty good! 

President said that it was the biggest transfer he ever had...maybe the post Christmas brought out the demons inside. It's alright Elder Rodriguez and I have dealt with it before.  

We were able to witness this great transfer unexpectedly... the morning of transfers we got a call from the sisters saying that they didn't have enough room in their car to fit the other elder's stuff (this is a question that we asked her a few days before).  But it turned out to be a blessing because we then took our car up to the city! We got to see everyone at transfers and also got to go to Panda Express (there isn't one in Wichita Falls).  We did have to sacrifice 300 miles though and 4 hours of driving! 

We are going to go really hard this next transfer here.  We were able to organize our whole ward roster and see for sure what ones are in our area. 

All of the ones that are in our area are plugged into the GPS... oh yeah that number is 295-- households.  Our area has 57% of the households.

The total for the ward is 520 households.  The two other sets of missionaries here cover the other 225 households.  The weird thing is that the active members are divided pretty evenly.  

Anyways that is what we are really going to be working on this transfer. Watch out!  Both of us have 'a chip on the shoulder''. We saw the rough draft of the mission plan they have been trying to get out the whole time I have been here and it is pathetic. But the lord works in mysterious ways and I think it was a blessing that we saw it because it gave us a ton of urgency to get work done here (also both of us being on our "dying stretch" could be a factor).  Both of our perspectives have changed on missionary work. This area needs a thorough Rescue and its about to happen! One thing I would tell a new missionary, don't go for baptisms, go for conversions! this area has had enough 'baptisms' matched with too few conversions.    

Answers to questions:

Whatever happened with the referral you received for the friend of the less active?

Brittany-- she is doing great we taught her the word of wisdom this past week--- we were pretty nervous to teach it because let's just say that she isn't obeying any of the word of wisdom...except over eating ha. But she knew it was true. From the cigarettes to the sweet tea.  She shared how she used to be a meth addict and how much her life has improved from ending that terrible habit. We were able to use that to testify that she would have that same feeling with all of the other substances that she was struggling with...by the end of the lesson we walked out of her small

trailer with 2 bud lights;) take that satan you got nothin on the spirit! 

 

Are people in a New Year funk there?-- ehh not really

Can we pray for anyone specific?-- the Wichita Falls ward council;)

Did you get your box?-- yes thanks a ton!  got to love that bacon and that protein...and that Australian candy was great 

Need anything?-- nooooooope! 

 "you get what you look for"-- Elder Packer... if we look for baptisms we will get baptisms-- if we look for future missionaries we will get future missionaries-- if we look for 'real growth' we will get 'real growth'!  

LOVE Y'ALL 
ELDER FINLINSON

January 5, 2014 Week 78

Happy New Year!

Wow 2014 is gone!

That is some crazy news to start it off! Congratulations! I am excited to have a nephew!  

Sorry if it looked like I wasn't happy to hear the news you were having a kid on the Christmas call.  

I really am happy and happy for y'all. I guess I will just see a lot of change when I get home.  

But that is good! Hopefully I have changed a little bit too. 

That is really what I have been thinking about with the coming of a new year is change! 

I looked back the other day on all of the things that I did wrong and right this past year and tried to make some good goals.  But is is important to not 'look back' again.  One of the classic bible stories for the new year is the story of Lot's wife. I would challenge all of you to reread this story and liken it to your life.  We have been sharing the Mormon message, "look not behind thee" with a few of our members.

It has been a testimony builder for me to hear all of the trials the members have gone through here.  Something that came to me is not only should we not look back at past things in our lives but also to not look back in others lives. period. period. Too many of our less active have been offended by some stupid comment about something in the past.  As Elder Holland said, "we don't need to open healing or even healed wounds!"

We have had an awesome week! One of the highlights was easily at church yesterday! 

Monica one of our recent converts taught the sunbeams! She loved it! 

Also, THE ARREDANDOS! hijole! they are going to to be reactivated in a due season! 

Bro Arredando went to church yesterday breaking his 5 year drought... they are one of those LAs that you love em, but they can "push the envelope"--as Sister Carlson would say! 

But they are a family of five and he is probably in his 40's.  But he shared his testimony yesterday and it was awesome.  HE shared how thankful he was for Elder Rodriguez and I in being persistent in our visits! He shared how we didn't see them last week and he and his wife were starting to wonder if we forgot about them... well the next day we saw them! He said how this was a testimony builder for him that he needed to get back to church! 

We had dinner with them yesterday and taught them the plan of salvation (we are starting to teach their 9 year old daughter). I am telling you I was happier to see that man go to church then any investigator.  Seeing someone who has made all of the saving ordinances that you can make in this life---forget about them-- then come back and strive to re-establish them, Brings me the greatest joy! 

REMEMBER--

BLACK SHEEP WILL BECOME LOST SHEEP AND 

TOO OFTEN WE TREAT OUR LOST SHEEP AS BLACK SHEEP

SO LET US
KNOW THEM SHEEP!
HELP THEM SHEEP! 
PROTECT THEM SHEEP!!

LOVE Y'ALL

FROM THE OKIEST PART OF TEXAS

ELDER FINLINSON

December 29, 2014 Week 77

BUENO BUENO!

Once again sorry for all of the short emails it really has gotten harder and harder to write... 

I am not sure why.  

But since Christmas it has been awesome! Thanks again for all of the gifts for me and also my companion!....

Ohh my I just tried to put all of my pictures on my hard drive and it says my SD card is corrupted! 

The last time I saved anything on my hard drive was in November!  

I think there is some way to recover the corrupted files but I have no clue. 

Ohh well. The church is still true! I was going to send some photos but now they are gone.

The White Christmas came on Saturday. 2 days late but it was cool to see a centimeter of snow.  

If I seemed weirder then usual during face time it was because I was in the main room of the Babbles house and didn't feel that they should know everything that is going on here... I will tell you everything when I get home:)... 

We had some fun this week we went caroling as a district.  So that was fun.  We each choose 2 people that we wanted to see.  We chose Mike and Brittany.  It was awesome.  Brittany told us later that that was her first time being caroled to. 

I've thought a lot about staying positive. I was looking through PMG Christlike attributes and was thinking what attribute I need to work on(which is all of them).  But I then thought that what I really need is a Christlike attitude! I was going to send a picture of what this looks like (I made a huge diagram) but I had my camera problems! Sorry hopefully we will be able to figure it out and recover those pictures.  

        

We had a lot of great success from the HE IS THE GIFT campaign... so now we are reaping because of it!  

LOVE Y'ALL 

ELDER FINLINSON

December 22, 2014 Week 76

Merry Christmas!

Sorry for the very small email but i need something to talk about on Thursday! 

LOVE YALL

ELDER FINLINSON