91 Weeks to Go

91 Weeks to go- it seem shorter when I put it that way.   Not too bad this week, pretty normal missionary week.  We tracted all week and not a ton of success.   The adversary has its way in missionary work too. We had interviews this week, and President gives a training there.   The training was on inputs and outputs- wow-  business in missionary work- no way. . .   But it was good.  He was talking about how it’s the Lord’s business, and we are just His workers.  When we are obedient, when we give our full effort, when we do all that we can, we may feel like it has never been enough.  That’s because we can’t control the outputs.  That’s the Lord’s timeline.  It was good for me.   I can relate it to farming.  We can grow the best sugar beets in the world, but if prices are crappy, then we can’t control that.   It helped me to realize that I can do all I can, but I can’t control the outputs here.  Some people have great experiences with missionaries, even if they are not baptized while the missionaries are around.  Like dad’s -the one lady who he only taught the first discussion to and didn’t know until years she later joined the church because of that one discussion.  It really helped me understand that every little thing I do will affect the people in this wonderful area forever.  Whether they know my name or not, they know that the missionaries have taught them before and that it might spark an interest in them later on in life.  It was good for me to realize and it really helped me. 

It was a fantastic interview with the Mission President.  I love him, he is a great man.   He asked if I had turned the corner.  I said yea, but I have turned 3 more since then, so I think I’m back in the same place.   He laughed and said well Elder Stevenson, you look good.  You are around the corner, but just because you feel good now, doesn’t mean you will always.  There will be challenges ahead.   Realize there is a reason for all of this, sometimes we have to just figure out what the reason is at this point in time.

 He didn’t give any clues as to if I was staying or not.  This will be the last full week before transfers.  The week of transfers P-day is moved to Tuesday, so it will be Tuesday when I email next week and  I will know at that point if I am moving or staying.  The last Monday of the transfer is a work day. Then Tuesday is for when after calls are made, we have time to pack up and get everything ready if we are moving on Wednesday. 

I had more one driving lesson this last week and have one more scheduled on Thursday, then I am done with the lessons. 

Scripture for the week:  John 15:16-23

Ye have not chosen me, but I have  chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

These things I command you, that ye love one another.

If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.

If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.

He that hateth me hateth my Father also.

It talks about how God has chosen us, and how Jesus Christ was rejected before we were rejected, so basically I got from that- get used to it. 

I had to talk in church this week.  It was about service and missionary work. I shared one of Kenny’s experiences from his mission and one I had in Luton.  An elderly lady didn’t want to hear our message.  But after 5 times trying and giving service, she wanted our message now.  We are teaching her this week, see how it goes.  But then I encouraged every member to be a missionary and to give service, and I promised them that as they do this they will see the missionary work in this ward increase. 

I am really missing the farm still.  Wow! Never figured I would miss it, but I do a lot. 

Love, Elder Stevenson