October 24, 2016

Beautiful Fall in Scotland

So this week was pretty much like any other week. We spent quite a bit of time trying to find someone to teach. We also had a few good DA's and visits with some members.

This week, we did find a guy named Peter. He has met with missionaries before, and he is a pretty nice guy. He can be a bit hard to talk to, but things have been going well with him. We have met him twice, and he read half of the Book of Mormon in a day! That was pretty impressive, not gonna lie. He will need to make some big changes to be baptized, but he could do it. So we are going to continue working with him. He gave us a painting of a boat and told us that it reminds him of Peter the Apostle since he was a fisherman. So he told us to hang the painting in the church. We said we wouldn't be able to hang it in the church be we could probably hang it in our flat. So now we have a picture of a boat. It's quite tranquil. But that was the main highlight from the week.

I have also come in contact with anti-Mormon stuff again for the first time since leaving Northern Ireland. Only this time it came from a former member. We were chatting, not even about the church, and all of a sudden, he just outright attacks the church. In that moment, I learned that when the Lord promises to give us the things we should say, He doesn't mean he will give us the ability to answer every question, but He will give us the Spirit so we can testify about the truths that we do know for sure.

If we knew every answer, it wouldn't require faith. Faith is the first principle of the Gospel. Without it we can do nothing. Think of Nephi going to get the plates. "And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do." If Nephi knew exactly what he had to do, it wouldn't have been a test for him. It would've been pointless. Hence the Lord gives us enough to satisfy, and we have to take the rest of Faith, and trust that the Lord knows all things and will lead us to truth. He will lead us, He will guide us. All you have to do, is listen.

-Till the Work is Done

-Elder Mickelsen

November 7, 2016

Elders Mickelsen & Milburn

Well, another week has passed by here in good ol' Dumbarton! And it has been a really good week! From exchanges and surprise Zone Conferences, to getting moves call. And of course, a little bit of Chinese food. This week was pretty great.

You know, this area has opened my eyes a bit more than previous areas have. Each area has taught me something to apply to my work, and this area is no different, especially with a whitewash. We had no info about the area, other than the fact that it was 13 miles West of Glasgow, and that Loch Lomond was in the area. So with that knowledge, we got on a train and only knew that we had to get off in Dumbarton. We didn't even know where we lived! And now, fast-forward 6 weeks later, we know the area, and we are working hard to find the souls that are prepared to accept the Gospel. Each day brings something new. And it is quite exciting. Although, the Scottish accent was a bit of a struggle for a few days, but now I have the hang of it! 

So, this week we went out a few times with the members to visit some less actives and get to know some active members more. And on Tuesday, we spent the entire day in Glasgow City Centre! It was pretty awesome! It is starting to get cold here, and we haven't had cloud cover all week, so it's just freezing outside! But it has been so good! Glasgow was great! Just the boost we needed to help us to finish off our week strong.

 

Sunset at Helensburg Pier

We had a good day on Sunday as well. Church was really good, and then we also went over to a member's house for lunch. We taught a little spiritual thought to them and then we committed them to give out 2 pass along cards each this week. And then, we role-played with them on how to give a card out. So that was fun. After that we went and stopped by to see Peter. He let us in and we had a little chat. He said that he is reading 2 pages of the Book of Mormon each day and he really likes it. But he doesn't know if he wants to have us start meeting him regularly again. So that was good to see that he is doing better. He looked better than last time as well. He is still a nice guy.

After that we went over to the Gallacher's house and we shared the Restoration with them. It was super spiritual, especially the First Vision. It was so good! It was probably one of the most powerful lessons we have taught. And Sister O'Rawe was there as well. So that was good for her. It was good to practice our teaching and then to also have the members see that we are capable teachers.

Saturday we had a Zone Conference with the Glasgow and Paisley Zones, and that was awesome! We just spent 2 hours looking at the scriptures with President Donaldson, and that was great. We were looking at the journey of Jared and his Brother in the Book of Mormon. It was fantastic. Nothing beats getting taught straight from the scriptures by President Donaldson. Absolutely nothing. We looked at how much faith Jared and his Brother had, and how we need to have faith to keep the ball rolling this year and reach our goals and show our commitment to Jesus Christ. It was just awesome. Super spiritual. So good.

And then moves call came! I will be staying in Dumbarton with Elder Milburn for another 6 weeks! So we are looking forward to the work that will get done this transfer! It's so exciting! Love you all!

-Till the Work is Done

-Elder Mickelsen

October 31, 2016

WOO HOO!!!!

Well, this week has been pretty quick. I don't really know what to write about. The days just kinda flow together. It's pretty fun! Basically we spent the week going finding.

We were dropped by Peter, and that was after he had accepted to live the Word of Wisdom, and also after he accepted a baptismal date of the 19th of November. So that was hard to see him go. But, that has freed up our schedule to find those who are more prepared! So we pretty much spent the week on the streets and knocking on doors.

As I was walking down the street, I had a thought pop into my head. It went a little something like this: "What am I doing?? Why am I here? These people don't care. These people don't even want to think about knowing." At first I was like, "Where did that come from??" Right at that moment I knew exactly why I was there. A thought came from me from way back to last October. While we were being instructed by Elder Lorimer in a District Meeting, he told us this, he said, "The day will come when you just sit there and think, What am I doing? Why am I here? And when that day comes, I want you to think and know that the reason you are there is this, YOU ARE HERE BECAUSE IT IS TRUE. YOU ARE DOING THIS BECAUSE IT IS TRUE."

I thought about this. This hit me hard. Why do I stand on the streets and talk to so many people a day? Why do I knock on your door at 8:30 at night? Why do I persist in getting your information so we can meet up and share our message with you? The answer is this: Because it's true. That is why. It's true. I know it, and I know you can know it too.

I really enjoyed Elder Ballard's talk this past general conference. “If you leave, (or if you don't accept it) Where will you go?” This is powerful counsel from a member of the Twelve Apostles. I hope all of us can ponder on that. Where can we go to find the peace and happiness that the Gospel brings?? Only the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints offers this peace, and you know what? It's true.

I love you all! 

Sorry for the small update. Dumbarton is a small town, not much goes on. It's been quite the average transfer!

I found GOOBER PEANUT BUTTER!!!

--

Till the Work is Done

- Elder Mickelsen

October 17, 2016

Elder Milburn and I getting ready for the day!

This past week was pretty good! We didn't have any investigator lessons this week, but we had a chance to work with our members more, and work with some less actives this week. We also went to Edinburgh this week and we had some great instruction given to us by our leaders! It was so awesome!

On Monday, we basically spent the day cleaning the flat. Since we whitewashed in, the last Elders didn't necessarily leave it in the best of state. It was all right, but it definitely needed a good wipe down. So that was really nice. I also played my very first game of chess with Elder Milburn. It is an interesting game... not too sure if I like it or not. Only time will tell. Then we went out finding for the rest of the evening.

Tuesday, we were finding all day, and then Wednesday, we were finding all day until our dinner appointment in the evening with a member family. They are pretty solid. They also made some pretty good tacos. It was glorious. We then shared a spiritual thought and headed out to visit some less active members that we had met on the bus a few days earlier. That was pretty good. They are a really nice couple. So it was good to get to know them.

Thursday, we went to Edinburgh for the All Scotland conference. It was weird going to an All Scotland, and not an All Ireland. But it was really fun! I went back to Edinburgh for the first time since the start of my mission! We were late getting into Edinburgh though, since we had so many trains cancel and all our travel plans basically went down the toilet. Long story short, We planned to arrive at the chapel at 8:30am. We really arrived around 10:00. So that was awesome! But the conference was great! I learned a lot of good things and we were taught how we can be more effective in our everyday work. It was also fun to see all the missionaries that I know! Both in my group, and others that I have served with! It was fun to talk with them! After the conference, we headed back to Dumbarton and hit the hay.

Friday was pretty fun. We were over at the Kirks, and that was awesome! They were rushing, so we just had McDonalds for a Dinner Appointment, but that makes it fun. I had what is called a South African Stack. It was pretty darn good. Now that is something coming from me, a person who normally avoids McDonalds like the plague. So that was great. Then we helped them move some furniture and then they took us back to Dumbarton, where we made spaghetti for a Less Active member since she had surgery on her foot. So that was fun. Then we visited some people and then we headed home.

Saturday was a tad bit monotonous, since we were finding all day and one of our appointments fell through, but it was still fun! I enjoyed it! Finding is pretty fun. I used to dread it, now I love it! 

Sunday, we had Stake Conference and there was a member of the Seventy there. He is from Italy, and I don't really remember his name since it was a big long Italian one. But his talk was really good.  I learned so much in Stake conference. It was kind of a bother since we have only attended Dumbarton Ward once in 3 weeks, but hopefully, we'll get to know the members well enough these next couple weeks. But that was the week. It was pretty great! 

I want to encourage all of you who read this to have a look at Ether 6:5-10, and see how it applies to trials in our lives and enduring to the end. I was reading it in my study this morning, and was trying to think why Moroni was inspired to tell us this bit. I think this is one of the reasons why: The Jaredites had to have immense faith to cross that ocean in what were essentially wooden submarines. The Lord promised he would deliver them.

I think this applies to us as we look at the oceans we have to cross, the depths we will be plunged into, the sea monsters we will encounter, and the mountain waves that will beat upon us. If we are continually singing praises to the Lord and having faith in Him, and if we ENDURE TO THE END, He will deliver us. He has promised multiple times that He will. Why should we doubt this promise? We just need to leave the shore, and we will be guided safely through.

Love you all. Talk to you next week!

-Till the Work is Done

-Elder Mickelsen