Crankin' Up the Heat

I had a great birthday!  Thanks to all of you!

This past week has definitely been the hottest so far for me out here in KC, MO. It was in the 90's this week with a really good amount of humidity. You feel like you are sweating before you even start sweating. BLAH!

This past week we had a zone training on Tuesday because the Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders were trained by an area 70 last week and they were supposed to recount the trainings to us the best the could. One of the trainings was on goals. Well they posed the question of why we don't hit our goals. (Specifically we are talking about Key Indicator Goals)

-We forget about them through the week

-We loose fire or don't feel accountable to them later in the week

-etc.

-etc.

The area 70 said, "I am so glad that none of you said because ultimately it is up to the choices of the investigators and people you meet, because that isn't true. When you reach your goals it is because of your efforts and the Grace of God." 

In my head, "What?! How can he say that?!" 

Holy Ghost, "Wait a minute. Just think about it. It is definitely true"

In my head, "Dang it. I need to pray more sincerely and then try harder than I already am"

Isn't that such a bold statement? It is powerful because it is true! In all reality if we set a goal and feel accountable to it and try our very hardest to achieve it then we will be lead to where we need to be, say what we need to say, and talk to the people we need to talk to to reach those goals. Pretty exciting in my opinion.

After Zone Conference we went on exchanges with Tiffany Springs and Elder McLaws came to Parkville with me and we didn't have time to change out of our suit pants. Well we were walking down a street and we went over to help this guy on a riding lawn mower get the mower up into his trailer. (He seemed to be struggling) Well we get over there and see that he is trying to drive up onto his trailer using a door as a ramp. Well the door kept moving when he would drive up onto it and so we held the door in place and he began to drive up onto the trailer. He got half way up and the door just folded in half. Well he was all but on the trailer so I got behind him and began to push so he would get up because his wheels still had a little bit of traction. Well it wasn't moving anywhere so I took a step back with my left foot and then another step back with my right foot. "Wait a minute... Where did the ground go?" SMACK!   In my head, "What the hunk of Satan just happened?" (Seriously my mind couldn't comprehend what had happened and I was mad because what ever just happened hurt)  I remember the first thing I realized was that my suit pants were touching dirt and the dirty street. (Ok now I am really mad) WHAT JUST HAPPENED?! I finally realize that I am down in a hole. "No wait a minute.... How did only my right leg fall in a hole?" Well I pulled my leg out and started dusting the semi-muddy dirt and dust off my suit pants. There was a hole seriously right next to the curb. Not really all that wide.  This hole was literally 5 feet deep. Totally natural looking. My foot didn't even hit the bottom. My left knee smacked the curb and my right thigh caught my whole body on the dirt edge of the hole. Such a weird experience. Just so random.

On the investigator side of things. 

Jeanie: should be on track to be baptized on June 25th

Sharon: Going to do baptisms for the dead this week!!! (We get to go with her)

Sarah Petty: Finally un-grounded and we will be meeting with her this week.

Kandace Eichorst: Have a meeting with her this week with the Patterson family 

Less Actives:

Chip: We read scriptures with him and help him out with stuff that he can't do when he gets sick or when his body decides it is to old to move around.

Something you guys need to all understand: If you aren't inviting your nonmember friends to spend time with you, come to activities, come to church meetings, take the missionary lessons, or read from the BofM you are withholding the joy that the everlasting gospel brings from those who desperately need it. The church did a study and interviewed 30,000 converts to the church. The top three reasons they found of why people decided to learn more were:

1. They see the closeness to God that members have in their life

2. They see the purpose and direction members have in their life

3. They see the peace and love that members have in their life

We need to be inviting non members to be around members. 

Don't ever just hang out with members alone. That is what we call lighting a candle and putting it under a bushel.

Sunday was stake conference! Such a good conference! The whole focus was Celestial marriage. The stake president got up and talked about how just because we have eternal marrriages it does not mean that it is a Celestial marriage. Eternal marriage is only but the perfect foundation that a celestial marriage can be built upon. It is only the means by which a Celestial marriage can be built.

So ask yourself. Do you have or are you shooting for, an eternal marriage.. Or a Celestial marriage? How do you build a Celestial marriage? Seek the good light.

D&C 88:67-68

67 And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things.

68 Therefore, sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will.

Love you all!   God is real and his teachings are here on the earth and can be found in their fullness in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Jesus Christ is our savior and through him we will return to live in the presence of the Father.

-Elder Kelly :)