Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Week 51 "New IPads"

First iPad e mail!!!!!
Hello one and all.  I can honestly tell you that although pecking at the IPad is not as convenient as a computer, it is certainly convenient to be able to email nearly anywhere thanks to these nifty little devices.  On Thursday we picked them up and I was a little hesitant to use it and I still am but hey I think this is the way for us to go now, and we gotta accept the iPad as a tool for missionary work.  I bet you're all wondering how we are planning on doing missionary work on the iPad and it's pretty simple right now.  Studies, presentation for videos and other documents, and that's it for the moment.  FB is currently not in the picture but we will stay tuned.  As of currently that domain has been suspended until further notice by the First Presidency of the church.  Although we don't currently proselyte online, elder Hansen and I are soaking up the knowledge that's only fingertips away; conference talks, scriptures in diverse languages, and quick study links are a few of the features we've used most recently.  This morning I studied prophets - ancient and modern - their prophesies and promises concerning Jesus Christ.  I really enjoyed moving back and forth between links and articles quickly, and what a cool blessing it is to use these tools.
   Back to the physical world.  Our week was tiring; with a moderate hay fever draining our energy, we worked and worked with pretty marginal outward results.  However, most the time it's really really difficult, impossible in fact, to gauge success by what merely happens to you during the day.  After a frustrating set of circumstances that prevented most of our investigators from progressing elder Hansen and I were talking about our success in the week, and although it wasn't manifest by our number goals, I really felt like we overcame lots of opposition and pressed on. That made us successful.  Now we are at McDonald's waiting to see how long we can use the wifi before they tell us to leave, and waiting for another week to go and work starting tonight, but I keep remembering that the Lord will make it work out, because he does every time.  
   Funny events that happened this week: while waiting for the underground train (the RER) back to Cergy after our conference a man's suitcase helplessly rolled to the ledge and fell down on the tracks seconds before the train came in.  In fear the suitcase would explode i turned my face away and...nothing.  The suitcase had fallen, rolled to the side of the tracks and stayed there until the train left and someone hopped down to get it.  Woooooh.  Another thing that we could say is funny, but more bizarre than funny, an elder Weber came back to Cergy while on an internship for BYU.  We took the afternoon walking over to visit a convert in the ward that was baptized while was serving in the area, he helped her talk through some difficulties, and it was fun to meet a mission alumni. 
   Spiritual experiences of the week.  After configuration of our iPads at the church Friday afternoon we were coming home to eat and waiting for our bus. While waiting a lady approached the bus stop.  The lady was pushing a stroller with a not so happy baby inside, three other kids were at her sides with tennis rackets (they must have come from practice) and to top it off, she was carrying in her other hand a large bookshelf.  Obviously this lady needed, or would like a little help.  My companion and I offered to carry her bookshelf, of course she said yes.  The bus came, we loaded it onto the bus for her, and then got off the bus and carried the bookshelf to her apartment five minutes away by foot.  All the time talking with her about life, her family, our role as missionaries etc.  After we arrived to her apartment she told us for the third time how thankful she was for our help, I could not resist sharing the gospel with her.  It's like heaven handed us the occasion and I had to tell her more.  Ma'am, I know we didn't talk too much about what we believe but we would love to share more.  We have a plan, thanks to what we believe and know that tells us where we were before this life, our purpose here, and what happens after.  This knowledge has helped me and my family so much.  I know we don't have a lot of time now but could we share this message with you some time soon? 
Yes, of course, she said.  You can meet me next week....[and that's that!]. I loved that experience because I felt like the fact that we served this woman really made sharing our plan of salvation a lot more simple and natural.  
   What else? Elder Hansen and I talked with quite a big handful of people on the train, on the bus, and on the street, and many many people saw good and truth in what we taught.  Sadly not everyone wanted to see us again so we could explain things and help them continue their search for this good knowledge we have.  It's okay.  The cool thing was we pulled out our iPads a couple times to teach on the road, and I can't wait to discover through experience how to use these devices wisely. Met a French lady and her baby, an African family, another African family, and two French women who were all interested in what we had to say.  I would love to tell you every story of the week: that would take hours of time I unfortunately don't have but I could try and summarize it all by saying a few things.  Take heart.  Use and rely on Jesus Christ.  Keep working even though tired.  Trust in God and in good things coming.  Thanks PMG and Jeffery R Holland for the quotable phrases.  LOVE
elder Jamison JONES

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