It's been another great week in the Highlands area. Well, it was at least better than last week. Still no new investigators, but a few good potentials. We almost lost Colleen this week. We dropped in on her Tuesday night, since it had been a couple weeks since we'd seen her, and she hadn't been in to church since Christmas. When we showed up, she was talking like she had decided that it wasn't for her anymore. She feels overwhelmed with all the lifestyle changes she would have to make to join the Church, and doesn't feel like she can do it. But after talking with her for a while, we helped her see that a lot of the changes she's worried about don't have to happen over night. That's the miracle of the Atonement. So she's willing to keep meeting with us and not give up on being baptized yet. But she still wasn't at church yesterday :P
Laurie and her kids probably won't be a family that we will be able to see much of anymore, if at all. The dad doesn't think that the kids need religion, since it didn't do any good for him in his life, and Laurie isn't going to go against what he says, which is fine. The last thing we want to do is split up a family over it all.
We didn't get to see the Clays last week, but we will see them tonight and share the Joseph Smith story with them. I'm really excited to keep meeting with them and help the family come closer together!
We're going to spend a lot of time working with less-active members in the coming few weeks to help the ward out. There are almost 300 families in the ward, but only just over 100 are active. So we've got our work cut out for us. The ward is stepping up their efforts as well with home teaching, which always helps!
I've been spending more of my study time in Preach My Gospel. What a wonderful resource, for missionaries AND members! Most of the manual is geared towards missionaries and their purpose and learning to teach, but every member should at least study the doctrines of the lessons, as well as the chapter on effective personal study, if not the whole thing. I've been learning a lot about my purpose and how to recognize and work with the Spirit. The past couple of weeks have been full of, what one Sister missionary out her termed, "one-on-one time with Heavenly Father."
I love this work, I love this gospel, I love my Heavenly Father, and I am so grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ. This truly is God's work, and I am humbled on a regular basis by the opportunity and privilege I have to be a part of it! Have a wonderful week!
Elder Petersen
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