Truly Converted

Hey all,

This week has been a pretty normal week. We have been teaching some new people and trying to find new ones. It is just the cycle of Missionary work that we are constantly trying to overcome.  We find lots of people and then half of them don't want us to come back.  Then we again get in with one or two of them and they don't want us to come back.  Then there is an investigator that is willing and ready to hear everything we have to say.  It is a ruthless cycle but we have gotten used to it.

The crazy thing this week with being a District Leader I have the opportunity to work with the other Elders in my Area.  An exchange is where I am knocking and teaching with another Missionary in our Area other than my current companion.  We are with the other Elders  for about 24 hours.  It seems as I look back in my planner that we have been mostly traveling.  But anyway,  I went with on splits with another Elder this week who is still pretty new to the mission.  I took him to a lesson with some new people that we are teaching in our Area and I have never seen someones eyes get so big.  When we finished our appointment, we walked out and the other Elder just said "Elder Nielsen, I didn't know what to do or say".  It was a good lesson to learn for both of us.  I had just assumed that he knew what to do and could read my mind like my current Companion.  And the Elder I was with  thought that he knew the lessons better than he did.  It was pretty eye opening that is for sure.

Wednesday we had a Zone Conference. We got to hear from the Mission President, President Rasmussen.  He talked to us about True Conversion.  President Rasmussen pointed out something interesting as he spoke. We read out of Luke the Intercessory Prayer that Christ gave.  Before he gives the prayer he talks to Simon Peter.


Luke 22

31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

33 And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.

34 And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.

In verse 31 Christ says Simon.  Simon was called Peter by Christ when he was first chosen as a disciple.  Peter in Greek means rock.  So he says Simon when you are converted strengthen thy brethren.  He then says in 34 what he wants Simon to become.  He calls him Peter or the rock.  He wanted his faith to become unshakable so that when Christ is gone Peter can lead the Church.  I have been thinking a lot about that because what does Christ want most from us?  It is to be truly converted to become what He wants us to become and to be like Him.  It is a hard process to follow but it will bring the most happiness.  It might not bring us happiness now but in the long run the reward in Heaven will be worth more than anything that can be given down here on Earth.

That is my lesson for this week.  I love this work and hope that we will all be Truly Converted.

Love Elder Nielsen