Elder Tanner Brown: Heavenly Father's Blessings (March 25-31)

Hymn of the week, "A Child's Prayer"

Heavenly Father, are you really there?

And do you hear and answer ev’ry child’s prayer?

So I forgot to tell y'all last week that we are actually starting to teach L_____ now! She requested a bible online on comeuntochrist.org and she got talking with the sisters over Skype and accepted a Book of Mormon and has read some of it! The sisters taught her the restoration and part of the plan of salvation. They had us join the Skype call because we are her local missionaries. She didn't feel comfortable with us coming over at first so we hopped on Skype with the sisters. We co-taught her twice and then just me and Elder Harris taught a lesson too. She had three lessons with us in one week. She is seriously so ready for change and ready to hear the gospel. She has had a lot of hardship in her life recently but through the power of the gospel she has found hope and peace.

Some say that heaven is far away,

But I feel it close around me as I pray.

One of the really cool experiences we had with her was that she had a very distinct feeling from the spirit. She described her feeling and then we had her read Helaman 5:30 which reads, "And it came to pass when they heard this voice, and beheld that it was not a voice of thunder, neither was it a voice of a great tumultuous noise, but behold, it was a still voice of perfect mildness, as if it had been a whisper, and it did pierce even to the very soul" She was so surprised to see that it sounded just like her experience. She feels that the Book of Mormon was written for her. Which is true! She has a very strong testimony of the Book of Mormon. We were given the Book of Mormon to better understand Christs divine plan for us. We were able to give so much peace and comfort during her trials, and I know it is only because of her incredible faith.

Heavenly Father, I remember now

Something that Jesus told disciples long ago:

Wednesday we served at the food shelf again, and that was good. We were also able to finally teach mission prep! It was really good and the kids enjoyed our lesson with them. We taught about how we can use the restoration to teach other principles of the gospel. You can easily shift the topic from the restoration to the godhead, for example. There is only five of them (four of which are girls) so it has definitely been interesting. I was thinking it would be more like the mission prep we had at home.

"Suffer the children to come to me.”

Father, in prayer I’m coming now to thee.

On Thursday we had Zone Conference and we got to see President Barney again! He is a good friend to many of us missionaries, because he truely loves us. Which I find is true in all of my favorite leaders and teachers. We must be someone's friend first, then a teacher. Zone Conference was good, we got to learn a few more things and we were able to make the day of a few mothers who's sons were serving a mission. They cooked us lunch and we thanked them and they told us that they loved to serve missionaries.

Pray, he is there;

Speak, he is list’ning.

Friday we had our weekly planning, and we called up a lot of members, and set up lessons with them. Some of them offered dinner to us as well, and we aren't ever going to refuse a dinner. On Friday night we were able to have dinner with the Tropps. They are an older couple here and they have given us a lot of advice and help for the area. They are so willing to help us with our missionary efforts. They had two pet salamanders and I got to hold them. They feel like slimy snakes with legs. Very weird.

You are his child;

His love now surrounds you.

We were able to have a lesson with L____ this week a couple times and she is just so ready for the gospel. She has gone through a lot recently and we have been able to help here understand the Plan of Salvation better. We taught her on Friday with just us and her over Skype, and that lesson went the best in my opinion. It has been a bit awkward teaching with the sisters because there is four of us. So when it was just elder Harris and I we were able to teach more cohesively.

He hears your prayer;

On Saturday we were able to go to a baptism in the cities. We went all that way because Elder Harris had taught her, and was asked to give the prayer. It is about a two hour drive, but it was worth it to see Elder Harris and the joy of the baptized. It makes me excited for the rest of my mission and to see the progression of the new people we are teaching. On Sunday we were able to visit J____ again! He had us come in and we were able to remind him of his heavenly father's love for him once more. He is pretty busy between work and family but he knows that he can fit in the Book of Mormon for a few minutes a day. The sad news is that he wants us to only swing by once a month. He knows it's the right thing in his life but he doesn't want it to take priority over everything else. I know that as he starts to read the Book of Mormon, and prays he will start to have a greater interest. I know that I must be patient with him, and allow the lord to reveal to him in his own timing. I'm glad to see and know that Jared is still interested, and seems to have a belief that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is true. It's all in the lord's timing right? He has his agency and we have ours.

He loves the children.

Of such is the kingdom, the kingdom of heav’n.

One thing I have been thinking about a lot this week is just how much Heavenly Father loves us. He has given us the perfect way to return to his presence. He allows us to make the decision to live a higher law and then provides a way for us to do that. I know that as you consecrate everything to the lord he will return unto you tenfold. He wants to bless us to the point that we can't accept all the gifts and talents he gives to us. I love you all so much and I look forward to talking to you all next week.

-Elder Brown