This week was pretty good actually. We were finally able to pick up a few new investigators. Some people actually showed up for the lessons. We got one from our street contacts, one through a member that we have been working with and one through former investigators who we have been calling. Hopefully they will all continue to want to meet and will want to do something. That is the other problem that we have been having with investigators. They just don't really want to do anything. They are good guys and don't mind talking to us, but there is no real desire to know more or find out for themselves.
When we met with the inactive family this week who got offended by the anti Mormon stuff, she agreed to let us take the boy with us to church if he wanted to go. He did, so on Sunday morning we rode out there, then rode the bus with him to church. It was cool because we got to hang out with him on the bus and at sacrament meeting, a lot of people at church were really happy to see him. And there were a couple kids in primary his age that he made really good friends with it seems like.
The sisters had a baptism this week. So I got to do the baptismal interview for that. It was remarkably better than my first baptism interview experience. And it was nice to not have to be nervous about not understanding their answers this time. She was baptized on Friday and it was a really good service. The speaker who was supposed to give the baptism talk canceled last minute so I ended up doing that.
On Saturday I was in the center on exchanges with Elder Jones. The center of Krasnoyarsk is really cool. They have really nice classy buildings and tons of statues and fountains. They have speakers lining the streets and they usually play old school 50's or 60's American music or like jazz music and stuff. Basically all of left bank is really nice, but it's all good because most of the members live on right bank where I am.
Well I think here is my answer to your question: And really I'm going to give the same answer to both of the questions. The hardest and most rewarding thing about being a full time missionary is that it is exactly what the name implies "full time". It is such a sacrifice and very hard to devote 100% of your time and efforts to the Lord. From the second you wake up you start praying about the people you will teach or hope to find and all day you think about others and do things for others, never anything for yourself. It is very hard to work all day every day especially when there are hardships and little success, because really there is no break. Maybe an hour or 2 on P-day but that things flies by faster than you know it. But on the other hand this is also the most rewarding thing. It is such a blessing to only have to worry about one thing. Just doing missionary work, at home you have many things to think about but on the mission its just one goal. So especially when those rays of success pierce the darkness, it is so bright and so amazing the absolute happiness and sense of accomplishment that you feel because you have been putting all your energy into one goal and you did it. Also the feeling that you get when you worked hard all day, and you get home, you can feel the love of the Lord. And if feels like you just did a really hard workout and now you just feel satisfied with what you have done. And I think there is no greater joy that seeing somebody truly change their life and come unto Christ and to know that you played a part in that. So it is well worth it.
Ok that's all I got. Love you mom.
Elder Topham
When we met with the inactive family this week who got offended by the anti Mormon stuff, she agreed to let us take the boy with us to church if he wanted to go. He did, so on Sunday morning we rode out there, then rode the bus with him to church. It was cool because we got to hang out with him on the bus and at sacrament meeting, a lot of people at church were really happy to see him. And there were a couple kids in primary his age that he made really good friends with it seems like.
The sisters had a baptism this week. So I got to do the baptismal interview for that. It was remarkably better than my first baptism interview experience. And it was nice to not have to be nervous about not understanding their answers this time. She was baptized on Friday and it was a really good service. The speaker who was supposed to give the baptism talk canceled last minute so I ended up doing that.
On Saturday I was in the center on exchanges with Elder Jones. The center of Krasnoyarsk is really cool. They have really nice classy buildings and tons of statues and fountains. They have speakers lining the streets and they usually play old school 50's or 60's American music or like jazz music and stuff. Basically all of left bank is really nice, but it's all good because most of the members live on right bank where I am.
Well I think here is my answer to your question: And really I'm going to give the same answer to both of the questions. The hardest and most rewarding thing about being a full time missionary is that it is exactly what the name implies "full time". It is such a sacrifice and very hard to devote 100% of your time and efforts to the Lord. From the second you wake up you start praying about the people you will teach or hope to find and all day you think about others and do things for others, never anything for yourself. It is very hard to work all day every day especially when there are hardships and little success, because really there is no break. Maybe an hour or 2 on P-day but that things flies by faster than you know it. But on the other hand this is also the most rewarding thing. It is such a blessing to only have to worry about one thing. Just doing missionary work, at home you have many things to think about but on the mission its just one goal. So especially when those rays of success pierce the darkness, it is so bright and so amazing the absolute happiness and sense of accomplishment that you feel because you have been putting all your energy into one goal and you did it. Also the feeling that you get when you worked hard all day, and you get home, you can feel the love of the Lord. And if feels like you just did a really hard workout and now you just feel satisfied with what you have done. And I think there is no greater joy that seeing somebody truly change their life and come unto Christ and to know that you played a part in that. So it is well worth it.
Ok that's all I got. Love you mom.
Elder Topham
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| First is us and the sister missionaries at a members house. We gave her a blessing and she made us a little food. |
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| Me with a member and investigator. That is in the garage where they are working on building an ATV. That is where we taught the last lesson. |
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| Me with Chubirashka and Crocadile Ghena. They are two famous Soviet cartoon characters. |
