The Extra Miler

I'll tell you another amazing miracle this week!

We had our Special Training from President and Sister Howes this past Tuesday.. Afterwards Elder K and I were organizing some things for the Zone and then the time was 5:10... we then had a meeting with Bishop at 5:15... so we wanted to set an example for the Zone so we went out and used that 5mins finding... we easily could've spent those 5 minutes being "busy"... but it comes down to the questions Dieter F. Uchtdorf asked.. "Are the things that are keeping you busy, getting you where you want to go?" We then went a little overtime getting carried away talking with people and were a bit late.. Bishop calls us- "Where are you??"... Sorry Bishop we're coming back now!.. He replies-"No.. you don't come back until you find 1 person to teach!".. (hangs up).... Hahaha. He is the man. So we took on his task and had the sufficient faith to do what the Lords anointed asked of us... Find 1 person to teach before we came back... As my companion was talking with a person.. I was following him... and then stood at this corner just scoping out the people... One girl stood out, and she appeared to be from Brasil... so I went up to her and went "Oii Tudo bem!"... (Luckily enough she was from Brasil.. that would've been awkward otherwise)... We got talking and the next thing you know... We were giving her a chapel tour and teaching her about baptism!... We then set a return appointment and added her as an investigator!... It was just so amazing to me that we were able to achieve it!... And it is because... We know who we rely on... our Master Jesus the Christ.. He will then recognize our acknowledgement to Him and then bless us. It's as simple as that!... I'm grateful for these small tender mercies... The attribute of the 'Extra Miler' conveyed itself to me as so important these past weeks... My first run in the City at the beginning of my mission.. we had days where we would just go finding for 5 hours straight... I would RARELY pull people off the street to give them chapel tours... I did it maybe 8 times in the 8 months I was there.... all the miracles I've been experiencing... I have pulled off maybe 12 people in the past 4 weeks!!... And they were all at times where we used our time wisely... It was the times where we easily could've done something to fill the 10-30mins we had... but instead we went out and worked... A thought that came to me was from my football days.. 'champions are distinguished in the little things' .. The football players that stay in the locker room studying game film while his other friends are off hanging out... That player who stays to work on technique while his friends are watching tv... We have now made that as a focus for our Zone and the results are paying off... It's super exciting to see how much influence we can have and raise the vision of all the missionaries here! And I know you can do likewise whatever situation you may be in... whether it be encouraging our less active family to do family scriptures, prayers and FHE... or even eating dinner at the table together.

#missionarylife

So we had a baptism this past weekend.. we were all going to leave together at 4:30pm to catch the train.. so we left the Teaching Center at 4 to go change at our flat... but we were trying to get in some finding time because we didn't have much this week... So we were talking to people on the way... And I saw this one guy walking in the opposite direction.. So I quickly turned around and started talking to him... Nek minut... He was legit as! We pulled him off the street and gave him a chapel tour, taught him and added him as a new investigator... So we were pumped as... by this time it was 4:15.. So we were like.. alright, gotta hurry back to the flat... But once again I saw this other guy that I felt impressed to talk to... And so I ran up and talked to him really quick... NEK MINUT... We pulled him off the street as well and gave him a chapel tour, taught him and added him as an investigator!... ALL IN THE SPACE OF 30MINS!... Luckily every one else was late and they decided the catch the later train at 4:50 and so we were able to make it.. The scripture that came to my mind as we were walking to the train with every one was.. "..I know that the Lord giveth no commandments into the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them." 1Ne 3:7 .. A prompting from the Spirit of God is His commandment to us to do something.. We obeyed. He blessed us. As simple as that.

A funny side story though... I was talking to the second guy for a bit.. and I asked him simply.. "You ever thought about what happens when you die?".. He was tryin to be cheeky and was like.. "No I haven't... I don't care about it."... So I just said to him.. "Well think about it just for a second... what do you think happens?"... Then he looked down all puzzled after some silence and was like... "What does happen?".... #checkmate.

And as we were walking back I was talking with this missionary I was on trade offs with.. Of how promptings come in unexpected ways sometimes... And I look at these leaves blowing on the ground and they started drifting towards this blind corner... And I go.. "It's a prompting... Whoever those leaves go towards... is your next investigator...".... Hahahaha. This guy tatted up like none other and wearing all black and carrying this huge black case which looked like a bomb walks around the corner.... I was like "AHAAHHAHA... YOU HAVE TO TALK TO HIM NOW!"... And he went and he turned out to be pretty nice!... #missionarylife.

Another funny story.. and a reason why I love my companion. We were in MCM with our Ward Mission Leader just discussing how we can help the Zone and Ward... and we finished up so I was giving the closing prayer and in the middle of it.. My companions stomach hard core rumbled and then I had to say amen quickly before I started laughing... then our Ward Mission Leader was like... 'Have you had dinner?"... We hadn't.... SO WE GOT A FREE DINNER! Hahaha. That doesn't happen in the City often so that's why I'm excited to share it.

But wanna know something crazy... ELDER RUSSELL M NELSON IS COMING TO OUR MISSION! February 19th.. And it's an Australia Sydney North/South combined Mission Conference!...It's gonna be 2 legit 2 quit... finally we get our first apostle!!