Missionary LIfe

I'm going to explain a little of what being a missionary is like.  As a couple it's a little different than when we were younger, but it's pretty much the same in other ways.

This was a couples activity at the church last week.  I made brownies which were a big hit and Mark and I did the swing for our talent.  It was fun.  I think they loved seeing us having fun.

Our objective as missionaries is to invite others to come unto Christ.  We are doing this in a variety of ways.
1.  We visit with leadership in the church here.  They are a small branch of the church and often carry heavy loads in running the church here.  We do not have a paid ministry, so anyone from the "minister" he's called a branch president here to the Sunday school teacher is not paid and volunteers their time serving their fellow members.  When we visit we try to encourage them and ask what we can do to help them with their responsibilities.  Our view is to try to lift the loads they have.
2.  We visit members of the congregation.  Our branch president gave us the name of 9 families to visit.  We have visited with them.  Some we have visited many times.  Often there is a challenge they are facing that we are trying to help them with.  Sometimes it may be a couple who are struggling or a youth who has no support.  We have been received so warmly.  If feel like every time I go to a new home, meet new people, I feel I leave with new friends.  People that I now love.
3. Non members of our church.  We aren't really going out and looking for people to teach but we have found some in the homes of members, as we've been around town- we always tell people what we're doing, or sometimes they show up at the church.  We teach them beautiful lessons about the Savior's love for them.  About his atonement.  We teach them how they can know these things we teach are true.  We invite them to study and to pray and ask Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus Christ if these things are true.  We give them challenges to read, to pray, to come to church, etc.

We also have the opportunity to work with young missionaries.  We have the best in our branch.  El L is from Guatemala, Elder P is from Idaho, Elder M from El Salvador and Elder F from Panama but going to Mississippi (He actually left today).  We are also part of a zone that had a wonderful outing yesterday on our day off up in the mountains.  We played capture the flag and had lunch.  Took lots of pictures.  Then we walked to a beautiful waterfall.

This was the drive over.

We try to leave the house around 11 a.m.  We visit members, we're still trying to find where everyone lives.  Sometimes we have meetings during the afternoon.  In the evenings we meet with families, usually 2 sometimes 3 different ones.  Often we drop in on people.  We now have phone numbers so we try to call first.  Everyone here uses whats app so we text that way.  If you want to text us you need to use Facebook messenger or whats app.

One of the things the members like is Family Home Evening.  It consists of a scripture, song, lesson, game and refreshments.  We had one last week with a family and it was really fun.  I was in charge of refreshments and made choc chip cookies.  They loved them.  Mark did the lesson and he did it on gratitude.  It was great.  He made a gratitude box where each family member wrote about 5 things they were grateful for.  We picked some out and read them.  It was really fun.  The 7 year old girls loved it.  The 12 year old son was in charge of the games.  We played hot potato and one where you say a word, the next person has to quickly say a word that begins with the last letter.  The daughter read a scripture.  Grandma was in charge of the song and the mom made the drink.  The father led us all.  We had a good time.

The elder from Idaho is teaching an English class once a week.  We may have to take over when he goes.  We're also talking about tutoring some kids in their school work.