Mmmmm, mmmm, lovin' it!

Hey everyone,


The title this week makes a lot more sense if you say it out loud to the tune of the Campbell's soup commercial, lol. I think it is a great way to describe my week though, because I am feeling amazing! Both wards I am serving in are already more excited for missionary work, the zone is going forward strong, and my companion is awesome. Plus, for some reason my bed is a queen size so I sleep comfortably as well.

Something I am realizing more and more is the importance of working with members, and also how many missionaries have no idea how to do that. My trainer was great at member work so I have never known anything different but I am coming to the understanding that most missionaries still think the best way to find people to teach is tracting. Elder Yardley and I are working hard to work with our ward, as well as help other missionaries do the same. We have already seen some incredible results in our area's as well as missionaries around us who are changing how they do missionary work. On Sunday I gave a talk in one ward and prayed in the other in an effort to meet more ward members, and we were surprised by how many came up and asked if we were both new to the ward since they hadn't seen us before. As a result several members have asked for a Book of Mormon for their friends and have promised to invite them to meet with us soon.

We also had a couple great teaching experiences last week. We were invited to a member's home to teach a girl who has attended a couple meetings at the University ward already. The lesson went well and she was already familiar with most of the doctrines because her boyfriend and several other friends are members. She told us that growing up she never felt comfortable reading from the bible because she knows many times it has gone through translation and feels a lot is missing or changed. When she found out about the Book of Mormon she began reading it right away and is already working her way to the end of 1st Nephi, and she shared with us that as she reads it she feels good. At the end of the lesson we asked her feelings on the Book of Mormon and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and she said that she knows it is all true and feels she is ready to be baptized! She is one of the most prepared people I have met on my mission so far and am so excited for her.

We also had the opportunity to briefly teach a man in his mid 30's who left a note on the institute building that he wanted to meet with us. The note was left weeks ago and we assumed it was a joke because we haven't been able to get a hold of him, but we tried again last week anyway and ended up setting up a meeting. He said that he lost his job a couple years ago and decided to take what he had in the bank and travel, on bicycle! He has biked 14,000 miles so far and plans to continue for years to come. He ended up just wanting a copy of the Old Testament but we began teaching him and by the end of our second lesson he said he knew the church was true and he came to church yesterday. Sadly he is leaving with his group of bikers tomorrow so we do not get to continue the lessons with him, but it was great teaching him and I feel he will fully accept it some day.

All of these experiences are helping my testimony grow in that this is really the Lord's work and not my own. I have never met anyone through tracting that I have helped progress to baptism, but I have been very blessed with the Lord providing other ways for them to be found, taught, baptized and are now being prepared for the temple. It is so humbling to see so many miracles and know that there is no way I could have done it on my own. I love my calling!
Love,
Elder Inman