June 4, 2012

Ok, Well Sorry this has been a long time coming, I didn't take the opportunity to send an email last week.  We had Memorial day and then when we went and emailed on Tuesday, it was super busy, so we didn't have as much time as I'd like.  But I'll try and make up for it this week. New Events: I killed my first companion!   Sam Jones is now officially back home in the sunny weather of Arizona, and has already been out with the missionaries in AZ.  That means that I'm now a proud owner of a new companion.  His name is Elder Horikami...  I'll have to take a picture and send it to you all.  He's awesome.  I will be his last companion on his mission.  He only has 5 weeks left, and we will send him home to Idaho.  He's very spiritual, and is a great example.  He's officially 6'7'' he's HUGE!  I walk the streets and feel so much safer.  He's very quiet, in a way, he's a quiet giant.  To better explain his name, he's been adopted by his step dad, who is half Hawaiian, and half Japanese, hence the Japanese name.   So I'm still serving in the Cumberland ward, and things are starting to progress a bit more.  We have had some time to work with the ward leaders and have been trying to implement a program that will help them focus on the ward families that will begin to progress back into activity, and help us fellowship new members or investigators that will bring more strength to the ward.  The ward has a reputation for not being very friendly, but this Sunday there was a very good spirit in the ward, and it felt very different.  We had several visitors, and several new members that just moved in, and the ward in my opinion, made some great efforts in welcoming.  As far as teaching, we are always trying to find more people to teach.  We have encouraged members each time we are with them to ask more people that they know to investigate the church, and keep an open ear (spiritual too) to the promptings of the spirit that will direct them to those that are ready.  It's been cool because we have had a few members this week say that  they are working on a referral for us, or that they have someone that they want us to meet.  Those are so cool, and we do our best to take the best care of them.   I'm excited to still be serving in Cumberland.  Each missionary seems to have an idea of what he'd like to accomplish in a ward, and there is still work here for me.  I have seen a change start to take place among the ward members.  Some are really becoming aware of the role that the church and themselves have in the work of God.  I have a wonderful vision about this work now.  It's awesome to think of it on a large scale.  God lives, and he directs this work,  the work of bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.  He's accomplished the immortality via our Savior, and the Eternal life is being accomplished from the work that we do in the temples, and the work we do with our friends and neighbors who have not yet made the necessary covenants for salvation or exaltation.  We are his hands!  We are his voice!  We have to be the ones to open our mouths!   He's developed such a wonderful organization that works seamlessly!  Moroni 6:4-6!   Going to church is how we rely upon the merits of Christ!  It's how we become cleansed, and eventually perfected!  IT'S SO SIMPLE!  Yet our imperfect human minds forget it so often.   The scriptures have become such a wonderful guide to our life, and are full of so much revelation and answers for our everyday questions of the soul.  We should all be anxiously engaged in the study and sharing of the words of God and Christ!   Well family and friends, I love you all, and hope that you all have a wonderful week!   I'll be sure to send another email next week!  With a few pictures of my companion and our area...  I'll do better at taking my camera with us so that you all can see what I see. -- Love, Elder Rees