Monday, March 31, 2014

Record breaking 201 Open Your Mouths (OYMs)

Hey Mom,

I don't know why Michael is being a punk but he is haha. But I am upset because I can't see Jerzi and Dominic when they are babies! That's like the best part. I did screen shot some pictures of Jerzi on my Ipad and she is looking so cute! But this last week was a long one! We have been tracting all week because our teaching pool is pretty small and we wanted to change that. So this week we racked in about 201 oyms breaking our previous record of 101. It was a pretty hard goal to get because we walked and walked and walked. We have a few potentials that hopefully will turn into new investigators because we need some people to teach. I haven't had many opportunities to share the gospel in a full lesson but there were a few. We are currently teaching this girl named Luca. She is really smart and has a lot of questions. We gave her a Book of Mormon and ask her to pray about it and hopefully she will do what we asked and get an answer because she would be a great member of the church.

This last week we had a lesson in Elders Quorum about missionary work and how we are kind of slacking. He said that if this church is the true church then why aren't we getting more people to attend and join. Maybe we are approaching them wrong or talking about it like its a movie, like it's really good and you should check it out. And when it's put into those terms the church is only for certain people. That's what a lot of people think. oh religion isn't for me or my religion suits me well. That shouldn't be the case because our religion fits all but we have to show that to them by helping them find it for themselves. Missionary work and having true conversion to the gospel is a difficult thing. I've found that people find it easy to accept things like atheism and simple things because relying on natural man is just an easy way.
Love ya

Elder Archibald

Massive pillar of light--love it

Wow it sounds like you had quite the party last Sunday. That's awesome! This last week we had a ton of people at church also-not to mention we had 2 investigators show up to church so we are making progress. We recently taught one name Sharla and we ended up being there for about 2 hours clearing up confusion about the millineum and the spirit world. She asked really good questions because she is older and doesn't do anything else besides think. The main concern is caused because her son died a long time ago and its been really hard for her and she is losing a lot of people. Right now we are helping her to reach the waters of baptism and she is so close. She has the desire but is held back by the word of wisdom problem. She just need a good friend and maybe a distraction so she can alter those addictions to positive things.
As a missionary everything is amplified. The love for some random person that actually takes the time to discuss things and ask questions about our religion is real. Even if its slightly negative. We plant that seed of the gospel and the way it changes people by just being patient and loving. So far I've heard so many things about Joseph Smith that kinda just make me laugh. Haha the mission is awesome!

This last Sunday I had the chance to teach a lesson completely on my own because my trainer decided to put me out on the limb but it was good because I nailed it. We talked for an hour and the lesson was spiritual and strong. Sunday in general was amazing for me also. Everyone had such a bright feeling about them and it just filled the whole sacrament meeting and then transferred into the rest of the meetings. We recently just got a huge list of people that we have to try and visit. So for the next few weeks I'm going to be busy. It going to be great. Got about 300 members we are trying to contact. I think that this is so great because we are in dark times. Look around us. Rumors of wars, youth going crazy and just everything is getting so bad. People are seeing that and noticing. At least some are, and they know that they need to rise up and find God and that's where we come in. I love this work and I know that this church is the true church. We are the most persecuted church and we still grow and grow. The fullness of the gospel is restored and we do have modern revelation through our prophet Thomas S. Monson. with the great mist of darkness there is a massive pillar of light to fight against it.   

1 Nephi 8:24
"And it came to pass that i beheld others pressing forward, and they came forth and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press forward through the mist of darkness, clinging to the rod of iron, even until they did come forth and partake of the fruit of the tree."

Love you guys,
E.Archibald

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Elder Doyle and Elder .....and Elder Archibald



Opening my mouth

Hey mom!
Everything is going good. We are getting a new elder in our group of 4 and its gonna be great because the last one was kind of a weird one. Its the guy with curly hair in the pics. Other than that I'm doing good! Loving all the families in my ward even though all of them are kind of a little bit older. There are a few families with younger parents but very few. This last week the whole mission found 243 new investigators! Breaking the record which is awesome. My companion and I found one and potentially another but we have to follow up this week because she didn't have time.
Since I've been out I've noticed that I have gotten a lot smarter and realized when I study things I can actually talk about them, if I just open my mouth. So now I can just go up to people and spark a conversation from nothing and relate it to the gospel. This last week we also got a few OYM's. One night we went out and we talked to about 10 people and got five other lessons- which was crazy because each person we talked to conversed with us for about 10 minutes each. This week was a great one.

Our mission president is probably the best one there is ever. Every time he talks I get so pumped to do missionary work and I don't know why. After stake conference this week I wasn't the only one who was inspired. The members in my ward felt it too! Idk how he does it. He even singled me out in an email and asked why I had not been emailing him on a weekly basis. I was surprised because he has over 200 missionaries that he is in charge of. He definitely is a man of God that's for sure.
Well here are some pictures for now. I will get some newer ones for next time.

love ya

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

It's all about family



Its definitely all about family. I think everything that has to do with God has family tagging along. We are His children and we are all brothers and sisters--hence the family. You say that you guys pray for us and I guess I haven't really taken the time to think about that and I should. But this last week was kind of rough so that could be the reason. I just haven't had my mind focused on completely spiritual things. But overall the prayers really do help because we had about 7 baptisms about a week ago and it was awesome.
This week we weren't able to meet with anyone.  It seemed like as a companionship it wasn't clicking but overall we got a ton of tracking and oyms done so we have one new potential investigator.  Hopefully that will  be something. I find that when I am tracking I get kind of frustrated because a lot of people only take cards or just say no thanks. And then when that one person says OK and talks a little more it's so worth all of those previous no's or maybe's that we received. I definitely love this work when its progressing but I have to get better at keeping my motivation up throughout the day.

It seems like you have had so many experiences that would make you a more effective missionary. If I had some of those experiences maybe I would be more effective. It is the beginning but the personal experiences are the things that make the lessons that much better and I haven't had that many moving experiences. I know the doctrine is true but just the experience is what I'm lacking and hopefully I will have that soon enough. I bet John was a great guy and I'm bumbed that I never knew him. But I would like to read his book just to learn more about him and what he went through. I will have to do that sometime. 

Thanks for writing me and good luck with all of the grandchildren affairs. haha

Oh and by the way I'm sending those boots back because the coldest its gotten out here my feet were fine and that coldness happens once every 5 years haha. I was curious if you might be able to take them back and trade them out for 2 pairs of brown shoes? or get money but you probably need the receipt. Thanks for them tho sorry I just would rather get new shoes instead of them just sitting there if you know what I mean.

Love, 

Elder Archibald