week 19

So this week has been a pretty great week. 

It started off with last Monday. We went and met up with a bunch of other Elders in our Zone and we had a giant Nerf War and then afterward we played a game called Bird Flu, which is just another version of Dodgeball. It was a blast, and we were super sore for the next couple of days.

I think the best part of this week has been the plan we have been forming to begin working with members. President Morgan at Stake Conference encouraged the missionaries to become engaged with the members. Then Elder Martino talked about working with members to plan out how they are going to do their own personal missionary efforts. So, we have been calling almost every member on the ward roster and are trying to set appointments where we can get to know the members and plan out with them how they are going to do their own missionary work. Then possibly the most important part is to follow up on the commitments we leave with people. So many times we ask members to do things and then we and them both forget about it the next day. So, we are now putting a heavy emphasis on making sure whatever we ask members to do gets done. I really now understand the importance of following up, especially after reading Elder Ballard's talk entitled, "Following Up." It really is how any organization gets things done: by assigning tasks and then following up until they are accomplished. We already can see that this program is beginning to work. We have 26 appointments set up for this coming week!! Most of them are with members, but we really hope that as we continue to encourage and follow up with members, they will begin to catch the fire of missionary work and start finding us people to teach. 

It has been such an exciting thing to feel the Spirit guiding both Elder Jones and I as we have made plans and learned things that have prepared us to get this ball rolling. We are so excited to see this work.

It brings to mind a wonderful scripture from D&C 68:6: "Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come."

I am so grateful to have that wonderful calling to proclaim to the world that Jesus is the Christ. He is the Son of God, sent to the Earth to atone for the sins of the world. He opens His arms wide open to receive us, and it's my privilege to lead others into those loving arms. My heart is filled with joy and love when I think of what my Savior has done for me and for everyone in this world. The cleansing, redeeming, enabling, and changing power of the Atonement is real. I get to experience that every day as I seek to more fully do the will of the Father by following the guidance of the Spirit. 

I love this work. I love all of you.

The Church is True!

Love,

Elder Fullmer