Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Week 99 - 5 weeks to go.... You want me to do what..?

So early this week we had our transfer meeting! Since neither my companion or I were being transferred, we weren't planning on going to the transfer meeting until we got word that President Calderwood had a surprise for us. Last time this happened there was a change in all the boundaries of the zones, so I had no idea what was going to happen. After the meeting was over he announced that he had a prescreening of Meet the Mormons. I was stoked! I haven't watched a legit movie for 2 years! I was instantly hooked in the stories. This movie is awesome, so you should all go find a theater it is showing in and see it!

So I taught English class! That's right, I taught people who speak no English to speak English without knowing their language. It was super fun! I was on a split with the ASL elders so they could pass off an investigator of theirs over to us and then we could still teach a new individual as well. After we finished, my companion and I were supposed to split with the Zone Leaders so they could teach English class and a lesson. However, we were super late and would make them late to their lesson. They asked if I could just teach their English class. At first I was like, shoot, I don't even know Spanish! I haven't ever taught a class like this. I told them I would since I already committed to help them, but was late. I totally made it all up as I went and it was actually pretty fun! The lesson was on helping someone move. Words like heavy, light, load, help, call, friend, neighbor, etc, was what I was teaching. After a while I didn't know where else to go and I just had the thought to tie in some gospel topics into the words too! I talked about how sin gives us a "heavy load" and repentance makes our "load light". They liked that a lot. I then talked about how Christ taught us who our neighbor was and I joked about how Puerto Ricans have a small feud with Dominicans, but Christ taught us that even they are all our "neighbors" and we should "help" them. Another one was about sometimes we hold others back from blessings by turning their help away. I tied that into Peter walking on water with Christ and illustrated him rejecting Christ's help- why would you say no when you are drowning! Then I used the words the Peter and said to Christ and put into the lesson terms, "will you help me"? It was all perfect. I know the Lord helped me a ton in that lesson. I had no idea how to do this. It was amazing how well I did haha. Thankfully the Lord helped me by putting lots of ideas into my mind.

Conference was awesome! It has been by far the best conference I have ever heard- it is all exactly what I needed to hear. Something that I realized is that I have gained a strong testimony by hearing the words of others and that is a spiritual gift- "To others it is given to believe on their words". However, I have felt that that is not enough for me to continue my life where I am currently. I am counseled to seek all spiritual gifts and I have felt impressed that I should seek the spiritual gift which entails "To some it is given by the Holy Ghost to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God". I do know that this Gospel is true, but need to seek a further witness.

Every talk that was given was telling me the exact same thing- I should work on receiving my own witness by asking God. I have never really done this. I have never asked God for a witness of the Book of Mormon. I did once, but it came by applying what I read. I do know that Joseph Smith was a prophet, but I have never asked God if he was. I have never asked God if this church was true, I just know it- by their fruits ye shall know them. I am excited to pursue this.

Well, it is time to go shopping, woohoo!

Love,

Elder Hooper



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