Humble YOURSELF before God

Dear Family and Friends:

I learned this week that if we want God to humble us, He will. But he really wants us to do it ourselves. He wants us to get on our knees for as long as we need to until we realize that HE is in charge.

We still have not heard from Jordan. He dropped his baptism last sunday, and has not returned any of our calls or anything. So that is very discouraging. This week we just felt down. We attend every interview and do individual training with each companionship. and It gets exhausting but it's so worth it. President has loved what we are doing with our training, he even used it as the topic of his talk in one of the stake conferences! So, we were pretty excited! We are grateful Heavenly Father gave us that revelation! 

We have instructed all these missionaries to stop avoiding the members, to stop doing it on their own. We have been training all of them to go out and ask random people on the street to learn and be baptized but, on sunday we just kick back and relax... right? false!

God prepares hearts, members find them, and missionaries teach. That is the way that God has set it up, so if we are trying to do it a different way then we are wrong! So, that is what we are getting these missionaries to do! To follow up with every single member they see at church. All throughout Sunday we are going up to a member and talking with them until they commit to do something with us or with a friend!  We are being bold with them. We don't even go to class, we just talk with them. And every member receives an invitation. Sunday is gameday!! 

It's exciting to see these missionaries raise their sights and instead of hoping for a baptism and these miracles, they are going out and creating them! In our call letter it says we will be led to those ready to be baptized. so that is what we are going to do!

Jia changed her baptismal date for November 16th, (she turns 18 on November 15th) her family isn't quite all in with her decision mostly because they don't understand, but she wants some time to help them and then she is doing it. But she said by then she will be 18 and make all her own decsions. She said she is going to do it! Yesterday a member grabbed her (it was only her second sunday) and took her to sunday school! so we weren't even with her. It was so cool. She texted us halfway through and said " outer darkness seems scary, I want the Celestial Glory, #baptism #marryamormon #marraigeinthetemple WE FREAKED OUT! she is so ready to be a part of the truth. She believes it is a good seed, but she wants a certainty. Get this. SHE FASTED AGAIN! she fasted on her own, to find an answer. It's insane! We are so excited for her! 

Thai, who is a referral from JIA! is progressing so well too! He came to our last lesson with a story of how he was reading the Book of Mormon at work and someone came up to him and asked why he was reading it and he said "because! i want to be happy!" and this kid started to say some negative things and Thai told him to back off! ha it is crazy how the spirit works. He said that was his answer and he knows it is true, and he believes it! 

We went to Kristi's home last night and can i just tell you that I have never felt the spirit stronger in a non-members home! Her son is such a good kid, he is so mature and she is so kind! We brought the Belisle's with us and they all just hit it off! I was so happy i was about to explode! After such a long week this was just such a beautiful blessing! 

Elder Hawkes, Elder Nelson, Ryan and Kristi

So, the humbling part was just the exhaustion, we were traveling so much, in the car a lot, we slept in other missionaries apartments 3 nights out of the week and we just hit a wall. For a while we found it so hard to keep our eyes single, and to focus on the needs of our investigators, we started thinking about ourselves and we just were frustrated because we were doing so good. But we needed that. Satan was working so hard. We could literally feel his presence working on us and our investigators!.

But I know that miracles come after the trial everytime. I have zero doubt in my mind that because of our faith we will see salvation brought to those who we love, or will come to love! We just need to want it, and work for it. After all, what do you think God is doing up there? Certainly not thinking about himself! 

So, as for you family! I want to know how the search for your 1 person is going! You don't have much time! AGAIN! the challenge is to find one person to be baptized before June 2015! I expect the miracle! I hope you do too! I hope in every prayer that 1 person wherever they are is included! 

This is not our work, or our glory, we earn nothing from this. God literally gives us EVERYTHING when we make HIS purpose, ours. I love MY Savior and redeemer, Jesus THE CHRIST! HE lives! 

Be not afraid;Only Believe

Elder Nelson