I remember quite clearly about how much a struggle last week was, but this week was great. We really worked hard, and even with our entire saturday being spent in traveling to and back from stake conference meetings, we had an excellently productive week. We got our member lesson goal, and almost every lesson was with a different member. This was a payoff of our forward planning and RCLA visits last week i feel. The Lord really blessed us by helping us get a very good day on Friday to make up for no key indicators on Saturday. We had 7 lessons that day, we were so busy we barely had time for some ramen soup lunch. This is especially nice as I think about how being more diligent was a goal of ours for this week.
I really liked going to Stake conference, at first I was a little annoyed because we had some good stuff planned on Saturday that we had to cancel, but i quickly changed my mind when we walked in and I got to hear Shane Regis' talk (one of my old companions who is now an RM) and my misison president talk.
It was another typical week in so many ways with my companion, but extraordinary in some others. We still had our disagreements, we still had our awkward moments, we still had some fun times, but I feel right now we are as close as we have been yet. Yesterday he did some excellent missionary work by taking the initiative and starting a lesson with a man and doing a great job with it. I was very impressed by that and I let him know that night, and he really responded positively to being praised for doing things well. I am learning how much more effective that is at helping someone grow, and I am learning how much more I need to use constructive feedback. On top of it all, all these great things would not have been possible if we both hadn't done such a great job of shelfing the pride, apologizing for what we did wrong (even if the other had done more things wrong), and forgiving each other. That has been such a blessing and every time the spirit prompts me to do that, I fight it less now, I'm learning to be more like Jesus Christ, if not only in this small way.
On a less spiritual note, I made some home made Soursop Icecream. It turned out very icey, more like a slushy, but it tasted good, and thats all that really matters, ent? (for those of you who don't know "ent" is a common phrase west indians put at the end of many of their questions. Basically like saying "isn't it?") Its fun learning new things, ent?
This week I turn 20. Thats significant because my 19th year was spent solely in the service of my God. That was definitely the fastest year of my life, but just as surely as that, it was also the most satisfying and the happiest. I thank God for the blessing it has been for me and those I have had the privilege to serve.
One last thing I am really grateful for this week is how solid and faithful all our recent converts have been. Out of the 5 that have been baptized recently, ALL come every Sunday, they all come to a couple classes during the week, and they are all doing so well! I don't know what to ascribe that to other than the Lord's handiwork. Its a miracle considering how often people fall away in the church. The 5 of them are banded together, keeping each other active in a lot of ways. Its even bringing the spirit in a way thats getting other older less active members to feel to come back and be more active. Its basically one of the main purposes of Christ's church, visible right in front of me. Saints perfecting each other by strengthening each others commitment and ability to keep their covenants. Its so wonderful!
Thats all for now, I hope this next week brings as many blessings as this one did.
-Elder Jeppson
I really liked going to Stake conference, at first I was a little annoyed because we had some good stuff planned on Saturday that we had to cancel, but i quickly changed my mind when we walked in and I got to hear Shane Regis' talk (one of my old companions who is now an RM) and my misison president talk.
It was another typical week in so many ways with my companion, but extraordinary in some others. We still had our disagreements, we still had our awkward moments, we still had some fun times, but I feel right now we are as close as we have been yet. Yesterday he did some excellent missionary work by taking the initiative and starting a lesson with a man and doing a great job with it. I was very impressed by that and I let him know that night, and he really responded positively to being praised for doing things well. I am learning how much more effective that is at helping someone grow, and I am learning how much more I need to use constructive feedback. On top of it all, all these great things would not have been possible if we both hadn't done such a great job of shelfing the pride, apologizing for what we did wrong (even if the other had done more things wrong), and forgiving each other. That has been such a blessing and every time the spirit prompts me to do that, I fight it less now, I'm learning to be more like Jesus Christ, if not only in this small way.
On a less spiritual note, I made some home made Soursop Icecream. It turned out very icey, more like a slushy, but it tasted good, and thats all that really matters, ent? (for those of you who don't know "ent" is a common phrase west indians put at the end of many of their questions. Basically like saying "isn't it?") Its fun learning new things, ent?
This week I turn 20. Thats significant because my 19th year was spent solely in the service of my God. That was definitely the fastest year of my life, but just as surely as that, it was also the most satisfying and the happiest. I thank God for the blessing it has been for me and those I have had the privilege to serve.
One last thing I am really grateful for this week is how solid and faithful all our recent converts have been. Out of the 5 that have been baptized recently, ALL come every Sunday, they all come to a couple classes during the week, and they are all doing so well! I don't know what to ascribe that to other than the Lord's handiwork. Its a miracle considering how often people fall away in the church. The 5 of them are banded together, keeping each other active in a lot of ways. Its even bringing the spirit in a way thats getting other older less active members to feel to come back and be more active. Its basically one of the main purposes of Christ's church, visible right in front of me. Saints perfecting each other by strengthening each others commitment and ability to keep their covenants. Its so wonderful!
Thats all for now, I hope this next week brings as many blessings as this one did.
-Elder Jeppson