SMALL AND SIMPLE THINGS

Arnulfo Valenzuela gave a humble talk about Small and Simple things and the difference they make.  It is always good to recognize the difference we can make in just small changes, or small things we do that can make the difference for someone else.

http://bcove.me/aoalptnt

“Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.

“And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls” (Alma 37:6–7).

COUNSEL:

• Be humble
• Love people for who they are- show that love!
• Do simple things like sing a hymn with someone
• Don't be too proud to do just a small thing/small calling
• Reach out and invite someone

PROMISED BLESSINGS:

• Happiness
• You can invite others to come unto Christ
• You will feel the Spirit
• People will respond to your love and return to Church/the Lord
• You will have joy with them now and in the kingdom of God

We watched this with a young couple we know. (The wife is one of our Returned Missionaries.)  We then showed them the Mormon Message "By Small and Simple Things" about another of our RMs and his story of conversion due to a small and simple invitation.  During watching it, I got a text from that RM...it was pretty sweet!
I have always liked the story of Naaman, the leper, who thought it was too small a thing to be asked, not by the prophet, but by his servant, to go wash in Jordan.  We listen to the story and think, "I would not be like him."  And then, as we are told things to do by servants of the Lord AND EVEN BY HIS SERVANTS, THE PROPHETS, we ignore them and want to find our own way...looking for something more dramatic and seemingly purposeful than what the Lord really wants us to do.  We seek for the praise of men, or women instead of humbly just doing what we have been asked to do.
The Gospel is simple.  We do not need to make it more complicated than it is.  There is order in the Lord's Church.  That makes perfect sense, because it follows the patterns of God and how he created Everything with perfect order...its simple.

MEEKNESS DOES NOT EQUAL WEAKNESS!

I am a little behind in my updates on our Conference Talk project, so you get another this week.  This is Elder Ulysses Soares.  I love his accent and his message! He lives what he teaches...super humble guy!

http://bcove.me/guvrfpcg

COUNCIL:

• Be willing to follow Jesus Christ- try to be like him
• Have a calm, meek temperament
• Be willing and anxious to improve
• Show strength, serenity, self-worth and self control
• Improve day by day--a little at a time
• Control your temper/convey your feelings with patience and gentle persuasion
• Become humble

PROMISED BLESSINGS:

• Attributes will come as we use our agency righteously
• As we try to improve, the Lord will give us that which we are not able to attain due to our own imperfections and weaknesses
• The Holy Ghost will give His approval and sacred promises and covenants will become sure
• The Lord will lead us by the hand and give us answers to our prayers- we will recognize those answers as we are humble
• You can make the difference for good in other people's lives

We really loved this talk.  With what we do with missionaries, it is hard many times to be patient with them and their issues...we needed this reminder on how we can treat people (even when we know what they should be doing.  Remember my little plaque that says "I'm not bossy...I just know what you should be doing!")

2 TIMOTHY 2:24-26

 24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,

 25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

 26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

I loved this scripture.  It told me that we are not to react with defiance or unkindness...even though this is REALLY HARD.  We need to be "apt to teach, gentle..."  We can give instruction and then allow God to give others repentance as THEY acknowledge the truth.  THEY recover themselves.  In other words, we help them learn for themselves.  We kindly teach and let them come to knowledge themselves.  This has been my philosophy as a teacher and hopefully as a parent.  HANDS-ON LEARNING  It just makes sense.  It goes along with being taught correct principles and then letting us govern ourselves.  It works.
MEEKNESS DOES NOT EQUAL WEAKNESS!!  That is my new catch-phrase!
Next time you are feeling defensive and angry...think of our new catch-phrase!  LOVE YOU ALL!

Some Random Events Last Week

OK, this is me setting up the camera and trying to get it to automatically take a photo of our dinner group with Elder Teh of the First Quorum of the Seventy at the Mission Home...you would think I would have it down by now...but I could not remember how to do it for the life of me!
















Obviously I figured it out.  This is our Office Staff and Mission Presidency along with Elder Teh in our living room turned Dining Room.  Worked really well for a nice dinner and I have a good recipe for Thai Sweet Chili Meatballs that is super easy for a crowd if you want it!

 We took Elder Teh to visit three of the AZ temples.  First to Mesa where the Recorder took us on a LONG tour all over in the temple...into the workrooms and laundry and everything!  It was more than we bargained for, but we were gracious and enjoyed it.

 Then we went to the new Gilbert Temple that will be an open house in mid Jan-Feb...that would be a good time to come and see us and take a tour.  It is gorgeous!

 Then back to our Phoenix Temple which does not look like much is happening, but they are working like crazy inside and doing landscaping outside.

On our way back down from Sedona and the long week, we stopped for dinner in OLD TOWN COTTONWOOD and could not resist a photo with this sign.

LOVE YOU ALL!  Looking forward to a visit from Susan for Thanksgiving...and Austin and family for New Years.  Schedule your last AZ Mission Home visit soon!  

M RUSSELL BALLARD- PUT YOUR TRUST IN THE LORD

The talk for LAST WEEK was Elder Ballards talk "PUT YOUR TRUST IN THE LORD"

http://bcove.me/34xm8m2q

I don't know about you, but I am really enjoying looking for the counsel and the promised blessings.  As a matter of fact, I think I am going to get a paper copy of the Book of Mormon and read it through marking these two things in 2 colors...what do you think?

COUNSEL:

• It is a commandment to do Missionary Work!
• We are to work as members and missionaries TOGETHER
• Make the decision to do what we have been asked to do
• Kneel in prayer personally and as a family to ask for missionary opportunities
• Demonstrate faith and watch for opportunities
• Just be positive, trust in the Lord and you will know what to say
• Ask for inspiration and then go and do as the Spirit directs
• REACH OUT TO JUST ONE BETWEEN NOW AND CHRISTMAS!
• Reach out in "normal, pleasant ways"

PROMISED BLESSINGS:

• We will be assisted in our labors if we act in faith
• We will be given the "gifts" that we need as we ask (Matthew 7:7-11)
• Fear will be replaced with confidence and faith
• Opportunities will come; they will flow naturally
• People will feel your love- they will not forget that feeling
• It is impossible to fail when we are on the Lord's errand
• Millions will feel the love of the Lord Jesus Christ
• You will find joy and witness miracles
• The Lord will hear your prayers and you will have many opportunities now and for years to come

You know, we are serving a full-time mission, but this advice is some we plan to take ourselves.  We do try to talk with people when we are out and about in public.  We need to pray for more missionary experiences too!  We get a lot with members, but we meet people all over that we get to interact with in small ways that can help with understanding that members of the Church believe simply in following Jesus Christ.  

Share with us if you have simple ideas on how to share the Gospel in your everyday life!  

WE LOVE MISSIONARY WORK!

TEACHING WITH POWER AND AUTHORITY

Teaching with Power and Authority:  Brother David McConkie   

http://bcove.me/gce621uc

I did not expect myself to love this talk when it started, but found myself really relating to it and loving the counsel.  I have been a teacher in many settings over the years, and have often felt uncomfortable...still do all the time!  It makes me nervous to speak to people when I feel unprepared.  So I really liked the simple ideas in his talk and how well put together they were...he practiced what he was preaching.

I also feel that this counsel applies to being a parent or partner...we are all teachers in our homes, workplaces, anywhere that we are talking with others.  

Counsel:

• Teach based on correct principles and you cannot go wrong- “God Speaks”
• Rely on priesthood authority; you are set apart
• Remember that you must teach what the Savior would teach if He were there, not your own philosophy
• Live so you can have the Holy Spirit as your companion: Keep commandments/Pray daily/ Study scriptures
• Prepare lesson after you prepare yourself
• Learn to listen
• Stand as an independent witness

Promised Blessings:

• You are entitled to help when you are called to teach
• You will be saved through the power of the Gospel
• You will have the power of God unto the convincing of men
• You will have sound understanding- a testimony of the truth of what you teach
• The Holy Ghost will help you to know what to do. Your own testimony will grow, your conversion will be deepened, and you will be strengthened to meet the challenges of life.”
• The Holy Ghost will testify of truthfulness and the words you read will become your words
• You will learn something from what you teach 

I know I will use this talk with missionaries to help them in their teaching.  That is one of our focuses this month.  I plan on using the advice myself!  I get to teach all the time, and need to do a better job of being in the scriptures as a background to everything that I teach.  I know I can find something that relates to every topic that I could teach, even if it seems not-Gospel related. (exercise, health, finances etc. they are all there!)

My own advice would be to:

•  LOVE both who you teach and what you teach.  It helps to have passion.  
• You don't need to know everything, you just need to know the basics.  
• When possible, find something in your own life that is relatable.

THE LORD'S GAME PLAN

HASTENING THE LORDS GAME PLAN : Elder Gifford Nielsen
http://bcove.me/pn7eajr7

I remember the enthusiasm of Elder Nielsen giving his talk.  Of course, as fulltime missionaries, it was even more exciting for me to think that he was giving this advice to every member of the Church.
What we have found to be true is that the Gospel is shared from heart to heart, most effectively by friends or family. Knocking on doors is the least effective method of sharing the Gospel.
Even when we find someone that is prepared to understand the Gospel, they need a friend to help them through the journey of joining the Church and becoming involved in a ward/branch family.
We have enjoyed watching our ward pray for the missionaries by name in Sacrament meeting...at first they would pray that Elders Dunn and Madsen would "find people to teach."  But by about the second week, they had caught on to pray that "we can find people for Elders Dunn and Madsen to teach."
I had forgotten to ask the missionaries each week who we should be praying for.  I plan on doing that this Sunday if we are not speaking in a Stake Conference.  If we are...I may remind the members to do the same!

COUNSEL:

• We have all been called on missions by the Lord through his prophet
• Have a “Game Plan” for missionary service
• Pray to bring someone closer to the Savior
• Pray for the missionaries in your area by name
• Pray for those they are teaching by name
• Invite someone to an activity in or out of your home

PROMISED BLESSINGS:

• Great joy! (Exclamation point)
• You can know the hearts of people
• You will make new friends
• You will know the missionaries better and be able to help them more
• You will be directed by the Spirit

I spoke on the phone this week with our dear friends, the Ellsworths, (whose daughter is renting our Provo home) and asked how it was being home from the mission.  She said that the only way they have been able to survive is to be busy doing missionary work at home, they are both ward missionaries!  I bet we are not far behind!

The principles of the Gospel are true.  The doctrine is sound. The greatest joys in our lives come because of the impact these truths have on our eternal family.  We feel compelled to share that same potential for happiness with our brothers and sisters.

What have you thought of that you could invite someone to that would help them feel the love of God in their life?

COME JOIN WITH US

The talk we studied this week was by President Uchtdorf from the Saturday morning session of Conference.  COME JOIN WITH US

Click on the line below to go to the talk.  Please let me know if this is a better way for me to imbed the code for the talks rather than the way I have been putting the video right into the blog post.  Let me know what you prefer.

http://bcove.me/fqj362il

Here are my takes on the counsel and the promised blessings from this talk.  What do you see??

Counsel:

• Do not be afraid to consecrate ALL to the Lord.
• Participate actively in your faith. DO GOOD!
• Put your faith into practice by serving others.
• Respect all those who honestly seek for truth.
• Don't stumble because of the mistakes of men in a   perfect Gospel.
• Do not allow your doubts to keep you from the love, peace and gifts that come through faith in Jesus Christ.
• Do not judge members of the Church who are not perfect. We are all hypocrites if you judge that way.

Promised blessings:

• "Our daily walk with Jesus Christ leads to peace and purpose in this life and profound joy and eternal salvation in the world to come."
• "Those who follow this path faithfully avoid many of the pitfalls, sorrows, and regrets of life."
• "The poor in spirit and honest of heart find great treasures of knowledge here."
• "Those who suffer or grieve find healing here."
• Those burdened with sin find forgiveness, liberty, and rest.
• "God will not allow His Church to drift from its appointed course or fail to fulfill its divine destiny."
• "Here you will find the words of eternal life, the promise of blessed redemption, and the pathway to peace and happiness."

I loved this talk.  It spoke peace to my heart.  I have had enough experience in life to recognize the truths taught in this talk.  

I am never happier than when I am serving others.  

I know I have been blessed by making promises to God.  

I have learned that people are not perfect, but the Gospel is.  

Having a principle guided life makes all the difference in the world as to what some may see as "restrictions" that are embraced in the LDS faith.  I see the principles behind commandments and it makes so much more sense.  

I also know that I do not need to have the answers for everything right now. 

I know enough.  

I know God created this earth and each of us.  This earth was designed as a place for us to gain experience.  

I know we knew God and Christ and each other before we came here.  We are re-discovering things we knew before, but with a body.  

I know that we have infinite potential to learn and grow through this plan and the Atonement.  

It is all about family.  We are grateful that YOU are part of our eternal family.

WHAT DID YOU LEARN???

NEXT WEEK: Read Elder Gifford Nielsen's talk and Brother McConkie's talk.

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!  WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!

TRICK OR TREAT!

We hope you all had a very fun and spooky Halloween...full of tricks or at least treats!

For us, it was a treat just to go out and do a little Trick-or-Treating missionary style.

This means that we took treats with us to visit missionaries and see how their apartments or homes were.  We were inspired by last years visits with Mitch and Jennifer!

 Our first stop was in Peoria at the "Wright House" named after the homeowners who let 6 missionaries live in the home.  Here are President Taylor as the cat...or wookie, however you see it, Elders Crapo wearing the nose and tie...how appropriate for a missionary...
and Elder A Jensen wearing the pumpkin head.  Yes, his eyes looked just like that inside the pumpkin.
Our missionaries were inside from 6 PM on, so it was time for housecleaning, working on updating new digital area books and some time to play a game or two.

 We both signed the picture on the wall of the knights...putting on the whole armor of God!

Next stop was in Glendale N Zone with Elders D Jones and Fackrell.
They also live in a member home, but she was gone for the week, so they were home alone.
Treats were in full supply from a box Elder Jones received and we added to the booty!.
Gnomes were also in full supply...lots to choose from in this home.

 Next we went to Glendale Zone where we met up with Elders Stevens and Buechter and Elders Nield and Kellett.
You get an idea of how Scott and I worked our "costumes"
I am sporting a full circle top donated to the Mission by Sun City ward members...and play the CRAZY CAT LADY.  Scott was my CAT.  Here, Elder Buechter does the honors.

Last, we went to Glendale to a couple more apartments, one of which contained Elders Crane, McFarland, Shin and Pehrson.

They were in good spirits and were happy for the visit.

We made our final stop at their Zone Leaders, Elders Brothers and Parsons...sorry, no picture.





All in all, it was a good night of Trick or Treating.  We tricked them by showing up unannounced and left treats to encourage clean apartments.  AND, we felt the Spirit in each place we visited!

Finally, a reminder from our clever pumpkin that the work of the Lord is rolling forth in many new ways.

 #hasten
#happyhalloween
#spiritfilledlives