So it has been another amazing week! Like always. I don't even know where to begin with my tale of a great week. So first of all we have got transfers calls any moment so.... you might hear if I stay or not. A few ward members think I am leaving and some think I am staying. One of the members said,"If you leave all heck will break loose" I just laughed. I have been in Delaware for 6 months which is decently long time so we shall see. So I shall give you some highlights and insights of the week.
So the first highlight is one of my goals for the Delaware ward was to have an MTC (Member Training Center). So we had one on Sunday night. It was so fun! I got President and Sister Nilsen to come a speak. Then we did rotations on "How to teach with the missionaries.", "How to be an everyday missionary" and "How to prepare yourself and your children to serve missions" It was so fun! Each family got a folder of things we put together. The packets had the Restoration Pamphlet, the Plan of Salvation Pamphlet, a few pass along cards, and a Book of Mormon for them to hand out. Along with those items there was a Family Mission Plan for them to fill out, the ward mission plan, a commitment checklist (things they had to do since they showed up), the lesson outlines in Preach My Gospel, and some tools on how to be a missionary. It was so fun! It was such a success!
One of the insights I learned was from Elder Niu one of the office senior couple. He taught me something that put being a missionary into a greater perspective. It added a heavier mantle of who I am suppose to be as a missionary. Elder Niu asked me who did Christ say to "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."? Many member would say well we have all been asked to do that. But who did he specifically say this to, the Apostles. The calling, duty, and over arching mantle of sharing the gospel is upon the Apostles. Yes members have that same duty but no where near the same magnitude. Then it dawned on me. As a missionary we are an appendage of the Apostles. It made more sense to me now why male missionaries and the general authorities share the same title of Elder. No where else is that title used within the church. If you think about it when the apostles go across the world, who do they usually call a special meeting for to see? The missionaries. It made sense to me why the Apostles are the ones to receive the revelation for missionary calls. That is because they are calling men and women to stand in their place literally. It became more clear to me that although the Apostles are special witnesses of Jesus Christ, we as missionaries are different witnesses of Jesus Christ. Just like the Apostles, to a much lesser degree, we as missionaries have a different spirit about us. We heard from about 8 different members just this week. They said they love having the missionaries over because of the different, powerful spirit we bring. Never before has the calling of being a missionary meant so much to me and yet weighed so heavy upon my minded. We as missionaries are truly disciples of Jesus Christ (3 Nephi 5:13) in a more literal way then I had ever thought.
Another cool thing is we went over to the Dubanowich's a few days ago. They are the ones who we taught at their church. Well we received approval from them to teach the boys the lessons. Well when we went to dinner a few days ago we were planning on teaching lesson two, but they invited a friend. We felt that the whole 3 degrees of glory and the spirit world would scare this old lady that was there. We did not feel like that is what we should have taught. So instead we decided to put the talents God gave us to use. We grabbed an LDS hymnbook. And taught a lesson on church history concerning the pioneers and the Savior through music. We had a member with us as well that can sing. So we would say a few things, testify, then sing a song. It was one of the most Spiritual, fun lesson I have taught on my mission.
It has been a great week! Many people are progressing and some are not. The agency of man is of the greatest gifts of God but the hardest thing for missionaries to deal with. But it is amazing to me as a missionaries the discernment we are given by the Spirit. There are lessons where I truly feel like Ammon when discerning the thoughts and concerns of those I am teaching. The Spirit is an amazing, distinct thing. One that truly make us as missionaries successful.
Hope you all had a wonderful week!
Love you!
Elder Baird
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