March 9, 2015 Week 87

Wow... what a week!

The weather is starting to warm up (kinda).  Seen a ton success this week.  

The coolest thing that happened this week was that we were able to meet with our WML (ward mission leader) and Bishop yesterday and establish a vision. 

It took some prying to get him to share it but the question "what do you think is holding back this ward the most?" was able to uncover it clearly. 

Bishop shared how the biggest thing that is holding back the ward is the member's spirituality. 

He shared how members even if they are 'active' they really aren't. 

Bishop is going to be coming up with a ward mission plan this week and presenting it to ward council on Sunday. 

Elder Hoffman and I after the meeting now feel like we have a strong focus in what needs to happen in this part of the vineyard. 

Bishop said that in all his time as Bishop he never had a missionary ask "how can we help"!!!?  

But bishop now knows that we are here to help him fulfill his vision in bringing to pass the work of salvation. This area has soooo much potential.

One thing that I have really learned this week is how to find. The first thing that we think of in missionary work and finding is tracting.... 

I have know idea why because you have to go 12 pages into the finding section of PMG until you find it! Even then it only gets one bullet point!  

This week we went through the principles of finding found in the finding section of preach my gospel... 

That has been awesome for me because if we want to teach by the spirit we follow Preach my Gospel, if we want to find by the spirit we use Preach my Gospel. 

It's funny how that works out.

Principles

Developing the Faith to Find

Talk with Everyone

Teach When You Find, Find When You Teach

Addressing the Importance of the Family

Go About Doing Good

--these should be applied 24/7

The first way of finding is believe it or not through members! 

"Work with members of the Church to find people to teach. The ideal situation is when members invite others to be taught and are present for the teaching. When members do this, more people are baptized and remain active in the Church. Association with members is important because it softens people’s hearts and often leads them to investigate the restored gospel. This often means that they are brought into the circle of friends of Church members, including active and less-active members, recent converts, and part-member families."

---the work of salvation = finding through members

so I am not even gong to read what I just wrote but maybe it will entertain you for a minute if not I'm sorry

Love Y'all

ELDER FINLINSON