Taking off the training wheels

This week has been really good and productive.  I completed my 12 week training two weeks ago which means we leave the house and hour earlier.  It has been great so  far and we have been able to do a little bit of tracting here and there and have found several new people that are interested in learning more about our church.  Sunday went well also, we had an investigator show up who we have done service for a couple times.  She is from South Africa and is a super nice lady.  She promised us she would come and she did and it was a really good sacrament meeting because there was a sister leaving on a mission so the talks were great and there was a special musical number too.  This Saturday we are having a baptism for someone who has been taught for years and that is super exciting and were so happy for him and the steps he has taken to be ready and prepared.  Im short on time today and I apologize but ill definitely write some more next week and send some pictures home.

Love Elder Visser

Easter Thoughts

Easter week was really awesome and just like conference I have never really appreciated it as much as I have since being on my mission. I spent the whole Easter week reading about his life death and resurrection every morning for my personal studies. We were really excited for church because they were doing musical numbers and it was going to be really special. We also figured we could get a lot of people to come to church as well because even lazy Catholics make it on Easter. We didn't have any investigators show up which was heartbreaking and some would even say unsuccessful. I felt very unsuccessful at first until I started to look for the things to be grateful for. We had a less active show up who hasn't been to church for ten plus years and when he left said you will definitely be seeing more of me here. We also had someone who you might call an investigator come. She has been taught in the past but here dad doesn't allow the missionaries to teach her or come to church. She would be baptized already, she's just basically waiting to turn 18. The fact that she was there at church though was pretty awesome and that was the first time she has ever been and the first time her dad allowed her to go. Even though it may not have seemed like we had that much success there were still miracles that happened. If you take the time you can always find something good from every situation. You don't always measure success off of numbers but off whether you are being obedient and doing all you can. I’ll being emailing home on Tuesday next week because were going to the temple which will be really exciting.

Love Elder Visser

What is our "load" we carry?

This week has been pretty crazy but good crazy.  To start off we had "transfer doctrine" where we find out if we stay or go and both me and my companion will be staying in Trophy Club for another 6 weeks! I’m very happy and excited because we have been making a ton of progress and I know with another 6 weeks we will be able to make a lot of good things happen.  I also went on two exchanges this week and was able to spend time in the district leaders area then a few days later was able to lead my area with the zone leader.  I'm still not a big fan of exchanges but I always learn so much when I go on them.  One cool experience we had was with a man who has had 3 baptismal interviews and passed them but just got drunk right after them.  We have been going by him recently to just let him know we still love him and want to help him.  Just this last week he thought he had a seizure from drinking too much and promised to never drink again.  We sat down and had  a lesson with him and we were able to set a new baptismal date with him.  Like the load of wood on the truck from conference, this was his load.  It took him until then to realize everything.  Sometimes the loads we are given are hard but we can always learn something from them.  I know with another 6 weeks we will be able to do a lot of great things!

Love Elder Visser

Conference report and other good stuff

Conference was amazing and I was able to watch one session in my sweats in sister sperry's house who we live with. Conference weekend was really special!  It was great to hear from the Prophet and his Apostles.  When I first started watching it the first thought that came into my head was how much I took it for granted in the past.  To me it was a day I got to stay home and lay down on the couch while we watched it.  I would be on my phone or Ipod and to be honest my thoughts were not on the conference.  This conference however I was totally focused and it made such a difference.  I was able to personally apply at least one thing that every person talked about to my life.  Some I had to really listen for but as I opened my ears and heart I was able to receive personal revelation.  I watched the Saturday afternoon session at the stake center and me and my companion were the only ones there.  The other sessions we were at less active members houses which was a good experience.  We called one of our investigators to see if she would be able to make the 3 o'clock session to find out she just got back from the 11 o'clock one.  She forgot it started at 11 and went at 12:30.  She got there just in time to hear two hymns and the prophet speak. We even found out that she walked all the way there in the rain.  I was so happy to hear she enjoyed it and was glad that she went even though we didn't have the chance to see her there.  One thing that really stood out to me is how much they emphasized faith.  Faith overpowers your fears.  We have one week left in the transfer and should be figure out the details on whether we stay or go.  Things are going really good here and Im doing my best and working hard.

Love Elder Visser