week 37- "called to Serve"

Another week gone by, and the O-Zone is hopping! We have been tracting like crazy to get those FHE invites out, and even have done member exchanges to help do it! We're REALLY excited about this! Some people ,even on meeting them once ,are getting excited to come and are really nice! It's funny, normally the tracting approach involves something along the lines of trying to get in to teach a lesson or teach one on the doorstep. But with the FHE invites, they crack the door all suspicious-like and we just "Hi! We only have a quick second, but just wanted to let you know you're neighbors are inviting you to a Family Home Evening! It'll be in about a month, and will include activities, desert and a spiritual thought, and we'll have a more formal invitation for you in about a week." Suddenly 1) the missionaries are not trying to bust in through the door 2) are inviting to something friendly and 3) they know we're coming back and are ok with it :) I can't wait to see what happens when we start bringing the formal invites! We have a lot of faith people will not just be cracking the door suspiciously. ;)

             Zone Conference was amazing. I learned so much and received some powerful personal revelation on what I can do to become a better missionary, companion, priesthood holder, person, and even husband and father. It's amazing how we show up to just "talk about missionary work" and we can come out so spiritually nourished. The Lord really doesn't have to stick to the confines of our expectations, and I'm so glad, because what I think I can become ,and what He knows I can become are very different haha. What a huge blessing.

           Saturday was the Stake Breakfast. President Wheatley of the Oakton Stake hosted President , and all the missionaries, Ward Mission Leaders and Bishops of the stake to have breakfast, socialize and coordinate/report missionary efforts. It was way cool! I'd never seen anything like it before.

          Yesterday, for dinner, the activity day girls from our ward fed us and four other missionaries dinner. We came in and tables were set with centerpieces and handmade placemats, and they had dinner all ready with soup, salad and dessert! It was fantastic! They did such a great job! Afterwards, as they were cleaning up, we sang "Called to Serve" for them. It was way fun :)

Singing "Called to Serve" is a tradition we have when anyone feeds a group of missionaries. It's always been a fun thing to do, but last week at Zone Conference, it hit me in a way I never thought before. As I was looking around the room, I saw dozens of missionaries singing our missionary national anthem a capella, all dressed in suits and something just clicked. It had been a long week with a sick companion, and not many people home when we were able to get out. I was starting to feel like we weren't getting anything done. But as we were singing, I realized that we're a lot more than just the people who go out and teach. We're a symbol to others out there. President  talked at Zone Conference about how we are ALWAYS teaching no matter what we're doing. As long as we're around somebody, we're teaching them something... What we teach them is up to us, but we're always teaching.

        Suddenly, that just made sense when we were singing. Even if nobody is home and we're just out knocking on doors all day, we're still teaching. We teach that this gospel is important to us. We teach members of the ward that we're willing and ready to work hard to serve our God. More than that, we teach that - as prophesied by Joseph Smith - the truth of God will go forth nobly, boldly and independent until the great Jehovah shall say the work is done.

     You see, as a missionary, we're not just out walking around. We're part of a force that is moving forward, with more haste now as more missionaries are coming to the field. We're part of prophecy, we're part of history. We're part of a team. And with the Savior at the head, it's a pretty good team to be on.

Love you all! Talk to you next week!