May 28, 2018 in Ellsworth, Maine

Hey friends!

This week was nice! We got to see lots of those were teaching. Lots of them are still in between making the changes in their life they need, but they are coming along. We also got back in contact with lots of others.

Church we had lots of people planned as usual, but we just had A. and K. again. P. had to work, J. didn’t make it, and lots of those who are less active who’ve been returning had other things come up. Oh well, better luck next week. Church was especially good this week. I read the sacrament prayers and was reminded of how merciful the Lord is to us. Sometimes when someone we’re teaching cancels and appointment, just doesn’t show up for an appointment, or doesn’t do what we asked and invited them to, it makes me frustrated. I always get over it quickly, but in the moment it’s easy to think maybe we should just give up on them and help someone else. Of course there are times where we have to if they don’t have real intent, but even those who are seeking truth with a real desire make mistakes. I thought about how each week we probably do a billion things that make God sad for us, and more than anything he just wishes we would obey. He never gives up on us, and that gives me strength to not give up on anyone we’re helping as well as long as they continue to strive.

We had exchanges with Machias Elders which was good, we both went to their area. I got to teach an awesome family who will really be blessed by the gospel. Later in the day, we found a new man for them to teach who was a photographer as well as artist. He showed me lots of his sketches which I loved! He is from France as well which was really cool, I loved his accent! He has grown a nice Mainer beard though so he fits right in.

Yesterday we set up a booth in Bar Harbor and did the Book of Mormon experiment with people! We invited them to read a page of the religious text, high-lighting how many times Deity is referred to. We also invited them to mark anything they like from it. We met some great people and had a blast! We got several people’s information, and had about 40 people read pages! It was interesting to see how some people had great comprehension, while others had amazing pages with testaments of Jesus Christ, but didn’t open their hearts or understand any of it! It will be exciting to have more people read as the summer progresses.

Book of Mormon experiment...

Today we were able to hike in Acadia with the Rockland elders which is always a good time!

Hope you all have a great day,
Love,
Elder Branch :)

Book of Mormon experiment

Cool art at Frenchman's

Random past Mission President bought us massive cookies - how nice was that!

Pre-zone conference hike in the morning with Elder Donn

Finished

May 21, 2018 in Ellsworth, Maine

Hello!

This week was fast! Everything is so fast now!

We had some exchanges this week and I went to Belfast. We had a really cool miracle while there! It was night time and we were getting eaten by black flies and mosquitoes, so we went to the store to get bug spray. The Elder I was with saw a member of the ward so we went and said hi! She was really nice and shared some of her story with me. She’s been a member her whole life, but went inactive as a teenager after some poor decisions that she thought were true freedom at the time. Over the years she has gone in and out of activity. Eventually one day she was thinking about when she’s felt the best, and she realized the place she’s felt the happiest was in the beautiful celestial room of the temple. She decided then to live worthy to enter the temple and has been active since. As she was telling us this story, another lady walked up the aisle. As she walked by us I said something , I don’t remember what. She stopped and we started talking. I realized she had some really cool earrings that my sister would love! I asked her about them and she said she made them! We continued to talk and we learned she was actually an inactive member of the church! She shared some of her story and the member we were originally talking with jumped in and talked too. They connected well and we discussed lots of things like dealing with loss, the Book of Mormon, and eventually divine design. I told her about the great talk given by Elder Rasband 

"By Divine Design"

which talked about how lots of things happen for a reason. I knew that us all meeting up in the store that day was by divine design. She agreed and shared that her young son has just begin to talk about God these last two weeks. Her husband isn’t interested at all, and she doesn't know if she’s ready to come back, but she was eager to set up an appointment to meet with the missionaries again!

A. is doing so well! She is excited for her baptism and we’re beginning to plan out all the details. She has great real intent and has truly read and asked God if the Book of Mormon is true!

P. missed church again which was really sad! We had some ideas, and he’s doing a charity softball tournament in a bit, so we're organizing a team to play for the ward! The members are really excited! :)

J. is good, we taught him Wednesday and sent him a video from some awesome members on Friday which he LOVED! He’s hoping to make it to church again this week.

We have started sending K. daily 3 minute video’s of us just teaching one principle at a time. She loves those as well, and once or twice we’ve been able to have members do them with us which was great!
:)

Have a great week!
Love,
Elder Branch

May 4, 2018 in Ellsworth, Maine

¡Hola!

It has been another wonderful week in Ellsworth! We had Zone Pday today in Acadia Nat. Park which was awesome so I’m short on time.

A. is doing great! We had a church tour with him and he loved it! He’s hoping this next Saturday to get his whole family to church. He especially loved the art at the church. Talking about Jesus visiting the people in America, or quoting the first vision while looking at a painting of the experience is powerful! :) We saw him in the park later in the week and were able to have him sign our Mother’s Day board! We had been meeting with our ward Mission leader in the park so we were able to introduce them which was super, they had a great time talking! Thanks members! :)

A. is also well, she and K. came to church. A. is still progressing towards her baptismal date of June 16. We’re working on scheduling her interview! This last week when we taught her she gave us some Vermont maple syrup from her brother who lives there! We had some great pancakes after our run the next morning!

P!! We got to meet him because of a crazy miraculous change of plans because an Elder forgot his tablet after District Meeting. We had been planning on going to Bar Harbor that night but had to head half way to Machias instead. On their way back we adjusted plans and decided to stop by P. He let us right in and we were able to teach. The spirit was SOOO strong, and he understood what we taught. I could go on and on about it, and probably will later, but because of time today I’ll just say he really wants to learn and grow, wants to get his family to church, and has a baptismal date now for July 7th! :)

Others are good. We dropped a few who aren't putting in the effort to learn, and may drop some more. The good part is, meeting new people to teach is my favorite thing! :)

Have a great week, thanks for all you do to share the gospel with those around you! Even if you feel like you don’t know anyone who needs the gospel, I promise you do. Even if your sphere of influence is small, pray for missionary opportunities, fast for them monthly, and do the best to live the gospel yourself, and God will show you who you are called to serve.

Have a great week!
Loves

Elder Branch

May 7, 2018 in Ellsworth, Maine

Hello!

This week has been great both A. and A. (2 separate people we’re teaching) decided to be baptized and are working for June 16th!

A.’s lesson was pretty awesome! We were there with a member and got to know her. She has learned from missionaries before but went away, and now came back. We were teaching Christ’s gospel, which is all about Faith which leads us to repent, or change. As we repent we will want to be baptized, which is a covenant or promise with God to try to follow Him more closely. As we promise God to do that, God promises us the gift of the Holy Ghost which helps us feel peace and happiness, as well as leads us to make better choices. As we taught, A. had all kinds of questions and concerns. She started to focus on baptism and lots of hold ups she would have. We talked, shared scriptures and discussed how baptism isn’t the end, we have to continue to have faith, repent, be baptized(or take the sacrament), and continue to receive the Holy Ghost through our whole life, as a repeated cycle. Eventually our member had to leave part way in but we were able to keep talking. Eventually I felt I should pause. I asked for a second to consider how I wanted to word my question, and I prayed for what I should say. Without really thinking, I listened to myself ask, “Alicia, do you think God wants you to be baptized?” In response, she told us about how she had sabotaged the dates missionaries had given her to be baptized before because she was too nervous. She told of how she’s tried to turn to other places for the “truth” but couldn’t find it. She told of how God always draws her back to the church, and how the Book of Mormon has changed her. She is kinder, more willing to speak up for herself, and feels closer to God. Eventually she said, “So ya, he does want me to be baptized... I was thinking June.”

Haha, I was so happy! She decided on June 16th. 😊

We had interviews this week and I learned a lot as usual, but this time it wasn’t from what was said. As I looked at how I was helping the missionaries around me, because lots of the interview was focused on the others I could help, I realized a day or two later that I could change my approach to be better and more Christlike.

We had Stake Conference in Bangor and it was really fun to see people from Newport again! :)


N. is falling off which is sad, but we’re going to try seeing what’s going on. P. is good! We saw him yesterday and he wants to bring three of his kids and his girlfriend to church! :) Others are all good as well. We had a great lesson with J. this week! He talked about how he loves the church and if his wife likes it, they will join! We’re glad he enjoys the social and family centered environment there, but now we’re really focusing on getting him into the center of our message, which brings a more powerful spiritual witness that this is the true church. We really need to get him to regularly read and pray about the Book of Mormon, to gain a testimony of Christ and the restoration of His church.

J. talked about how he loves us and it surprised me when he started telling Elder Dayley how grateful he is for me! He said he felt like he really knows me and knows I care, that all the Elders have been really amazing and some of the best people he’s ever met, but he has a special connection with me. It was super nice of him, and I’m grateful I know him as well! A couple other people, members and investigators, said similar things this week. They felt like they knew me before and had a special connection. I have thought about that a lot as I’ve heard these things. Even though when I first got my Mission call to New Hampshire of all places I wasn’t incredibly thrilled, I’ve come to know that God really does know where he needs us and has a plan in place. I’m grateful that God is a lot smarter than I am! ;)

Love,

Elder Branch

Us and the Machias Elders

A neat finding idea...