I'll Be Home for Christmas!

Hello all,

 

Christmas time is now past and it's time to start looking towards the new year! Transfers are here and Elder Dale and I are staying right here in the Renton Highlands. And now I can finally say that I truly will be home next Christmas!

 

This week we did a lot of sifting. Although we didn't get many new investigators, we solidified the ones that we already have and realized once again that some people won't make commitments. But the highlight still is Zaria. She is pretty solid. Her 11 year old daughter is in town and she is on fire with the gospel! It is really neat to see. Our second lesson went well. We taught the doctrine of Christ, which she seemed to understand. Her daughter chimed in and unexpectedly taught her the Word of Wisdom and the 10 commandments, but it is really cool to see an 11 year old so engulfed in the gospel, reading her scriptures and studying. She is even reading through the entire Bible.

 

We did have a neat experience this week. We were walking home for lunch and heard someone shout, "hey Mormons," so we went over to talk to the person. We met Taylor. He told us that he moved from Texas about a year ago and took all the lessons there. He said that as soon as he walked into the church there he felt the spirit and knew that it was true. He said he is still planning on being baptized and reads the Book of Mormon, but needs to quit smoking. He knows he can do it with God's help. Unfortunately he doesn't live in our area. But as we were leaving he told us that he wasn't going to talk to us when he saw us, but something prompted him to yell to us. God truly does place people in our path.

 

Christmas was Good. We spent the day with the Kirkhams and with a less-active family the Gaileys. On Christmas eve we had dinner with members and went caroling before an appointment that we had with Zaria.

Well, it's the beginning of a new transfer. Miracles are happening every day. I pray that they will continue to happen. Things are going well and the Church is true!

 

~Elder Fetzer

A Christmas Miracle!

Hello all,

 

Starting out our week in the temple was a marvelous way to start out our week. Many people talk about spiritual experiences that they have in the temple. Quite honestly, until Tuesday, I didn't have one quite like this, but it brought the spirit more into our companionship and truly sanctified our work this week. It truly was a Christmas miracle.

 

Last Tuesday morning we got an MTC referral as we were getting ready for the temple. We were quite excited, as we hadn't gotten a referral in a while, plus this one just felt special. Zaria is a woman from Sierra Leone, in Africa. Her daughter and some of her family recently joined the Church in Utah. She went to Church one time in Utah and wanted to learn more. So we went by Tuesday evening and were let right in and we quickly dove right into the message of the Restoration. After reciting the first vision in Joseph Smith's own words, we asked her how she felt. She described the warm feelings of peace that she had and said that she had goosebumps. We testified that she had felt the Holy Ghost testify that it was true and repeated the first vision to her again. As we ended, she was awestruck and amazed that a young man did actually see God and Jesus Christ. We testified of the restoration of the priesthood and invited her to be baptized on January 7th along with her friend Brima. The spirit manifested itself strongly and it was probably the strongest I have ever felt it before.

 

On Thursday after weekly planning we met with Sara. I think I told you about her a few weeks ago. We have had kind of a hard time meeting with her lately. Some lessons have fallen through, but she apologized. She has many issues, including built up anger, some depression, and lots of stress, but the gospel is helping her. Each lesson there seems to be a little bit of change for the better in her. And Thursday was no exception. We testified about faith and that our Savior has suffered all of our pains and afflictions. That He can lift our burdens if we let him. The Spirit truly spoke through us. It was strong! Sara, along with her friend Valente, have once again agreed to baptism on February 11th.

 

God's promise to place people along our daily path truly does work. There were many small miracles that happened this week. Like when a lady answered her door and was wondering what Mormons believed after seeing the ads around. She is looking for God in her life and we testified that through the doctrine of Christ we can be made whole. We invited her to be baptized in January and she accepted. The only thing is that she doesn't live in our area. We were walking out of our apartment complex. A man asked us if he could have "one of those 'Mormon books.'" We testified that the Lord placed us in his path to tell him about the gospel. He said he was looking for more religion in his life and wanted to feel clean from his past. We invited him to learn more and referred him to missionaries in his area. Every person we talked to we shared the doctrine of Christ. We told them why we were there, to help them develop faith in Christ, repent, and be baptized. As we shared these things people felt the spirit and we were able to find many new investigators.

 

Yesterday our ward increased in size. Our numbers had been small and because of the turnover in this ward there are a lot of transient people here. The "same ten people" were practically running the ward, as Bishop Corder says. But needless to say, we had a great Sunday (even though it rained).  We set up a ride for Sara and her friend Jacob, who met with the bishop before Chruch and received some assistance. In the meeting, Jacob said that he too was planning to be baptized the same day as Sara. And although the hour long meeting with 3 wards was mostly about the split, the spirit was still there and we heard some great messages about change. Zaria and Brima weren't able to make it at the last minute because of work and an emergency situation, but they will be there next week. And because the Lord sanctified the week, we did have the 4 investigators at Church that we were planning on including two non-member husbands that we often teach.

This week truly was amazing. We hit all the standards of excellence. We have 6 people in the area who have a baptismal date, taught 24 lessons, most of them in the "other" category to investigators and those not in the Church, and did have people at sacrament. The Lord did bless our work and is preparing the Renton Highlands for something amazing. New members are in our ward and will only make it stronger, helping those that need extra help in the area.

 

I have learned this week that I truly am nothing in the work of the Lord. I am just an instrument in His hands. None of the miracles that we saw this week were because of us. God trusts us in this area and he is placing people in our path so that we can help them become closer to Him. We are working hard and putting our faith in Him. I feel closer to the spirit than I ever have in my life. The spirit has truly manifest to me that the Church is true!

 

~Elder Fetzer

Spiritually Fed

Hello All,

 

Today was a temple day! As always, it was great to step inside the holy halls of the Seattle Temple and feel the Spirit of the Lord. I feel spiritually fed and uplifted and am ready to go out and do the Lord's work.

This was kind of a slow week. We taught many "other" lessons to people not of our faith, and found a few new investigators, but it seems that the people that the Lord has blessed us with to teach simply are not keeping any of the commitments we extend to them, including meeting with us. But the Lord has promised us that there are people ready for the gospel and we just need to go out and find them.

 

We do have one investigator named Doug that we have met with a few times. I feel that he is the closest we have to a progressing investigator. We found him a few weeks ago. He was the last door of an apartment building. He said that he had met with missionaries in the past and said that we could come back. So when we were finally able to go back, he kind of rambled on about things that didn't necessarily pertain to the gospel, but he was willing to read the Book of Mormon. When we went back yesterday, he had "researched" our Church a little more and had many questions, not necessarily wanting to anti us, but because he was simply curious. He also said that he was impressed at how we handled ourselves as he rambled on in the first lesson and how we answered his questions without fighting. He said that our Church had something that he wanted to look into more and basically committed himself to read the Book of Mormon and told us a good day to come back. So we'll see where he goes. I am remaining hopeful with him. 

 

We had our mission Christmas party on Friday night. All in all, it was a good time being with other missionaries that I have come to become good friends with. We had an excellent dinner, which was followed by a short musical program. But the main event was the movie. "17 Miracles" was in one word, amazing! It is the story of the Willie and Martin handcart company traveling to the Salt Lake Valley. It shows the dedication and faith of those early pioneer ancestors of the Chruch and some of the many miracles that the Lord provided to help many of them get across the dangerous plains. It showed the sacrifices that the pioneers went through in order to reach Zion so they could be with the Saints. By the end of it, there wasn't a dry eye in the chapel where we watched it (including mine). It shows all of us that no matter our trials and struggles, the Lord is always watching out for us. The movie opened my eyes to the many miracles that the Lord has shown me because "if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles. And the reason why he ceaseth to do miracles among the children of men is because that they dwindle in unbelief, and depart from the right way, and know not the God in whom they should trust. Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him; and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth." (Mormon 9:19-21)

 

Interviews were yesterday. It is always great talking to President Larkin as he gives us encouragement, advice, and support in our missionary service. Well, things are going as well as they can. The Lord will continue to bless us because the Church is true!

 

~Elder Fetzer

People In My Path

Hello all,

Never in my mission have I felt more like a real missionary than I do here in the Renton Highlands. And this week was no exception. We had a great week, meeting lots of new people and truly seeing that the Lord truly does place small miracles in our place.

Let's just say that tuesday was rainy, wet, and yes, quite soggy. And we were out in the middle of it. Thank Heavens for my good Eddie Bauer rain jacket, and for the nice members that let us in. Wednesday was a good day! We found Sara about a week ago and she told us to come back later. After knocking on her door several other times and days, she finally was home and let us in. When we asked her why, she didn't know but told us that it felt right. To me it is amazing how the spirit touches some people by simply giving them "good," undescribable feelings. So we talked to her a little bit and testified about the cleansing power of the atonement. She has had a hard life and could truly use the atonement in her life. In the middle of our lesson about the atonement, her friend Jacob walked in. As we shared the first vision in Joseph Smith's words, we paused and let them think about it. The spirit told them that it was true and we invited them to be baptized on December 24th. They accepted that date and are working towards it. We're praying that they don't fall off, which they easily could.

 

I have found again and again that the spirit also speaks to us as missionaries telling us where to go to find someone that is prepared for the gospel. So the last door of the apartment building we were knocking on Friday we found a new investigator. This week the Lord truly has placed people in our path, as it promisses in Preach My Gospel. Although, not everything worked out this week, the Lord truly has placed us where we were needed at the time we were there.

Thanksgiving was this week! We had it with the Andersons, a member family that we see nearly every week. We had a great time talking to them and even had a cribbage tournement. Sister Belnap died this week and her funeral was Saturday. She was diagnosed with terminal cancer and wasn't expected to make it to Thanksgiving. But her funeral was one of the best I have attended. It was funny, hopeful, spirit-filled, and uplifting. The Belnaps are one of the flagship families of the Renton Highlands ward. She was strong in her faith and will truly be missed, but will continue to spread the gospel in the spirit world. It was really quite amazing to see how positive her children (now grown up) were. One of her daughters told us that she was okay and it was just like a mission area transfer. It's hard but it will be okay. I have never thought of death being that way, but for those that know God's plan, that is truly what it is.

 

Things are going well. We continue to work hard. And the Church is true!

~Elder Fetzer

It's almost Thanksgiving!

Hello all,

 

Well, this was actually quite a good week! They say that the "Highlands are hot," and I feel that they are beginning to become so. I feel good about this transfer. Hopefully it is the will of the Lord to allow us to teach someone that will actually progress towards baptism!

 

This week we got back in contact with a former/eternal investigator. Derrick and Carly Meehan have investigated since about 2009. RIght now Derrick is ready for baptism, but Carly is not. So we talked about how to recieve personal revalation. We read many scriptures, such as D&C 6:14-15 and D&C 8:2-3. They feel that they may already have recieved an answer on weather the Church is true, but they may not have realized it. So we'll check back on them soon and let them think about what we left them.

 

The Highlight of the week was Elder Dallin H. Oaks. He came to speak to priesthood leaders here, but also spoke to the Missionaries. He talked about always having the spirit with us. When we are able to teach by the spirit, we are able to teach anyone. He also reminded us that selfishness takes the spirit away. We have to let go of our selfish desires and have charity for those around us. It was amazing to be in the presence and shake the hand of an Apostle of the Lord. An opporotunity that we don't get too often. Elder Oaks' "Junior Companion" was Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Presidency of the Seventy. He spoke about how those who are "prepared by the Lord" hear the Lord's voice and have an open heart. Hearing them both speak gave me the extra power I need to get through the next couple of weeks!

 

Thanksgiving is this week! We have a few invites, but we are still trying to figure out what we are going to do. I think that it is gonna be a good week! The Church is true and the Book is blue!

 

~Elder Fetzer

"What just happened?"

Hello all,

 

Well, this week was transfers again and I got a new companion. His name is Elder Dale. But I am staying in the Renton Highlands, which I am actually quite excited about. It is a really good area. We have some great members and many people we can visit and teach. But we do need investigators, some that will actually progress and do what we invite them to do. So we'll keep working.

 

This week we found two new investigators, Heather and Dallin. They are truly people that need the gospel. People say that the Church is kind of like a hospital. For them it could be. This is their third time getting married. They have only been married 3 weeks and are looking for a divorce. We testified about how the gospel could help them and they want to keep learning more. 

 

Also this week was the primary program. It is always fun to see the primary kids get up and sing, especially when we are combined with the Spanish branch. This week we met with Jonah. I told you about him a while ago. It was weird. He is very spiritual and told us that the only mistake in the Book of Mormon is that Jesus isn't a Hebrew name. He also went on and told us about how "father" told him about the 12 degrees of the universe and the meaning of his name and many other things. So we just intently listened and tried to get it back on a gospel subject, but now we know what to do for next time and it gave us a good idea of who to take with us. Really the only thing that could sum it up best is what I asked Elder Ellis when we were walking home: "What just happened?" But Jonah does believe the Church is true and wants to be baptized so I guess you could call him "golden."

 

Well, this week's letter will be short. All in all, it was a good week. All the prayers help. This will be an exciting week though. Elder Dallin H. Oaks from the Quorum of the Twelve apostles and Elder Rasband from the Presidency of the Seventies are coming on Friday. It is going to be an exciting thing for our mission! The Church is true!

 

~Elder Fetzer

The Mormon Moment

Hello all,

Well, this has actually been a pretty good week. We had Zone Conference this week, which was actually really good. Probably the best one I have ever been to. It was fun and informative. There was a funny skit about golf with President Larkin, showing us that we need to use all the clubs we have in our bag and all the tools we have at our disposal as missionaries. We also had a fun miniature golf activity against the zones. President Larkin called right now the "Mormon Moment" because the Church is making headlines nearly every day. The Church is being examined and often defended. Mission presidents have even been encouraged to get the newspaper so they know what is going on around them. We even watched THIS funny video. The Church seems to be in a good position right now.

Well, the weather is getting colder and wetter right now and it is getting darker earlier, which isn't too fun, especially without a car, but we'll manage. This week we got a new investigator. Her name is Adalena. She was a referral from another set of missionaries that taught her in another area before she moved into ours. She is a single mom and is at wit's end with her 3 children (5, 12 and 17). She is stressed and wants to teach them good morals and values. She was found by a member in another ward, driving home from a long day at work. The spirit prompted her to pick her up on the side of the road because she was carrying groceries. So when she went back to pick her up, Adalena had dropped her groceries and needed help. When she asked why the member picked her up, the member responded, "Well I am Mormon and when you are baptized into the Church, you receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and it told me to pick you up." Eventually missionaries did get involved in that ward, but Adalena wasn't quite ready. The member basically bore her testimony to Adalena and told her that only the gospel could help her family. So she is ready to do anything to help her family. Hopefully she truly decides to follow the gospel. So there is a ray of hope for us in the coming weeks.

I went on exchanges this Friday with Elder Peterson, who is my district leader. It was actually quite a fun exchange. He is one of my favorite missionaries out here. Sunday was kind of disappointing. because Adalena's apartment had problems and the water had to be off temporarily. She didn't make it to Church. But she still wants to come and even get involved with the youth programs. Even a recent convert that was baptized here a few months ago seems to be falling off. He constantly cancels appointments and isn't there when he says he will be. Yesterday he didn't even show up to Church to have Elder Ellis bless his child, which may just be the last time that Eder Ellis could do it.

The Church is true and the work still moves on in the Renton Highlands ward.

~Elder Fetzer