An Above Average Week…Month

“We do not boast in our own strength, nor in own wisdom; but behold, our joy is full, yea, my heart brim with joy, and we will rejoice in our God,” Alma 26:11.

For the first time in it’s history the mission had over 100 baptisms in just 4 weeks and are looking to have 120 or more for the whole month. This miracle came about because of the faith, hard work, and obedience of the 140 above average missionaries who serve here.

The following is the weekly letter from President Anderson:

Dear Missionaries,

 

With the miracles that have happened this week and this month, I can’t contain the excitement for what is and has happened with our Mission. We set out to baptize 100 souls unto Christ, and we have surpassed it with 102 by the 22nd of the month. I feel like Ammon when he glories in the Lord:

 

“Behold, the field was ripe, and blessed are ye, for ye did thrust in the sickle, and did reap with your might, yea, all the day long did ye labor; and behold the number of your sheaves! And they shall be gathered into the garners, that they are not wasted. Yea, they shall not be beaten down by the storm at the last day; yea, neither shall they be harrowed up by the whirlwinds; but when the storm cometh they shall be gathered together in their place, that the storm cannot penetrate to them; yea, neither shall they be driven with fierce winds whithersoever the enemy listeth to carry them. But behold, they are in the hands of the Lord of the harvest, and they are his; and he will raise them up at the last day. Blessed be the name of our God; let us sing to his praise, yea, let us give thanks to his holy name, for he doth work righteousness forever.” (Alma 26:5-8)

 

Missionaries, how wonderful it is to have brought these souls out of darkness and into light:

 

“Yea, they were encircled about with everlasting darkness and destruction; but behold, he has brought them into his everlasting light, yea, into everlasting salvation; and they are encircled about with the matchless bounty of his love; yea, and we have been instruments in his hands of doing this great and marvelous work.” (Alma 26:15)

 

Missionaries you have become instruments, chasers of darkness from among us:

 

“That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day. And again, verily I say unto you, and I say it that you may know the truth, that you may chase darkness from among you; (D&C 50:24-25)

 

We have done in 4 weeks what has never been done before. Elder and Sisters you are amazing, remarkable, astounding, and even astonishing.

You go forward with a positive attitude, full of faith knowing that God will bless you for your efforts to get people to Church:

 

“This week I was able to go on an exchange… This was a really tough day for the both of us. There were about 8 scheduled appointments that all fell through and it felt like everything was going against us. Something that I learned from this great Elder is how positive he stayed the whole day. He kept saying, ‘something great is going to happen.’ We went by to remind all those who had accepted to come to church and all of them said they weren’t going to come. However he kept saying, ‘something great is going to happen.’ The disappointments happened all day and nothing seemed to happen. We headed home and got to the apartment and I gave him a hug and said ‘something great is going to happen.’ Yesterday I got a call from them saying, ‘Elder, Something great happened! 3 people showed up to church!’”

 

You have become fearless, faithful and full of fire, valiant to invite everyone to be baptized:

 

“We were riding our bikes and stopped to talk to Carlos at the bus stop. We gave him a pass along card and asked if we could come bless him. He said yes and explained that he had read a little in the Book of Mormon and liked it. We set up an appointment and as we were about to ride away I had a very strong impression to invite him to be baptized. I tried to push it out of my head and just wait until our appointment at least. We hadn’t even blessed him! But again the spirit urged me so I testified that what he felt when he read in the book of Mormon was the spirit and that it was testifying that this is true and that means he should get baptized. My companion extended him a specific date and he accepted. Turns out, he had been praying to find a church that would baptize him. He told us that had we not invited him to be baptized he probably wouldn’t have been interested. He will be baptized on Sunday.”

 

You testify boldly, with faith and full of love. Your testimony that you represent Jesus Christ “pierces their soul and causes their hearts to burn”.  That Spirit stays with our non-member friends and works with them even when you are not there, after the blessing:

 

“Our last blessing Jose especially seemed like he was ready to come to Christ but after the invitation gave a muttering unclear not really. We testified, left our phone number and set a return appointment. That same night I got a phone call from a number I didn’t know and it was Jose who [we had] harvested. He asked, ‘When was that baptism you talked about’, I said it was the 29th. He asked ‘What do I have to do prepare for it?’  I gave a very brief summary and he said ‘I want to do it!’  I’ve never had that happen before! What a miracle. Our goal wasn’t achieved in the moment but after we left, the spirit worked with Jose and he changed. It was a great experience.” 

 

Missionaries, you are doing what you have never done before. You are doing what has never been done before in this Mission. We should all glory in the Lord with what we have accomplished and what we have achieved. Elders and Sisters, we have now the opportunity to finish this month better than any month in the Florida Fort Lauderdale Mission. Let us have a tremendous strong finish to this month and spring board into the next.

 

Let’s get them to Church, Let’s get them to Christ,

 

We Love You, We Pray For You, We Can Do This,    102+  1000  8 by Wednesday



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