Not Knowing Beforehand - Feb. 25, 2019
|  Mon, Feb 25, 7:46 AM | | ||
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Good morning everyone!
It's a balmy -11 degrees outside right now, but spring is right around the corner! I'm pretty excited, but it is a little bittersweet, because as the days get longer, my time in Iowa grows shorter. (and therefore how often I see Elder Harvath diminishes)
This week has been absolutely insane though. Besides having our first few days filled with meetings, the things we were told in those meetings had a massive impact on the rest of the days this week, and the rest of my mission.
The big change is that we aren't really allowed to knock anymore.
My whole mission I've viewed knocking as the universal time filler, as a way to show my diligence, as a tool to teach my missionaries a good work ethic, and overall it was the crux of the last 19 months of my life.
And this week it was taken away from me. I was told instead that I needed to plan better, and suddenly I wouldn't even have time to knock. What would I plan for? People. How would I find those people? By more intelligent planning. It was an entirely different paradigm.
But I felt the spirit testify that this was inspired, so I bought in to the idea. I was going to give it a go.
Our first chance to apply this was on an exchange this Thursday. I had no clue what I was going to do with 4 elders in 1 area without the option to knock. So in studies I tried to find some direction on how to fill my time. I probably read 50 scriptures, and the message was the same: "Take no thought" "it will be given you" "I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand what I should do" "I will direct thy path"...
I have always liked how inspirational these sorts of verses are, but never before have I actually been faced with applying them. Frankly, it's terrifying. It's so much easier to pick a street and then try to talk to a many people as possible on that street. It's so much easier to take those empty 6 hours of a day and just grind out doors. It's entirely different to faithfully walk out the door without knowing what you're going to do.
Suffice it to say that we made that leap of faith, and these days have been the most amazing days of my life. We usually have 1 lesson a day, if we're lucky. This week we averaged 6 lessons a day. Usually we stop by some people and they aren't home. This week we connected with so many people we haven't seen in months, and we have return appointments. Usually we ask members for referrals, and they say, "we'll think about it". This week we have received 35 referrals and have plans for each member to invite those people to experience the gospel in the coming weeks.
Brothers and Sisters, I now have a testimony of member missionary work in a very real sense. I also know that God can make so much more of our efforts then we can on our own. Rely on the Savior and His Spirit and and He will lead thee by the hand and give you answer to your prayers.
I love you all! I hope you take opportunity to participate in this great work of salvation!
Godspeed.
Elder Housholder
1. Sis Plumb! (s/o to good ol Leamington)
2. MLC
3. Interviews at dpit
4. Sister Badgers favorite missionaries
5. Ice Angel
6. The Book of Mormon is God's Love in Action
7. Scraping on our Scrapperbikes at the 2k19 Scrapper Olympics
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