Hey Everyone!
This week was pretty sweet, with a few noteworthy experiences that I wanted to share with y'all. Hopefully you guys all had a good week, but if you didn't hopefully you'll enjoy this slightly humorous story that happened yesterday... we were eating dinner at a member's home, and he's just graduated with his master's degree looking to be a counselor, so we started talking about that and at one point he got to me and was basically describing me to the T even though he'd only talked with me a couple times. Well... at one point I put my cup to my lips but wanted to wait to drink until he was done talking about me, but I subconsciously drank and ended up with some rootbeer coming out of my nose. It was a pretty entertaining sight since I tried really really hard to not get it all over my white shirt, but sadly there was no video camera in sight for y'all to get to watch it so you'll just have to imagine it.
Anyway, last Monday was zone p-day so we had 30 missionaries down in Ardmore playing all sorts of stuff - laser tag, flag football, street hockey, dodgeball, and a couple other random games. It was a blast, but also madness and just a ton of fun to be a part of. Then that night we had a pretty good Specialized training meeting that talked about baptism.
Another highlight this week was on Wednesday, when it was just a beautiful day outside and we got to visit with quite a few people throughout the day. One was particularly interesting because we were watching the Restoration DVD with a lady and we got through the vast majority of it... up to the first vision when we got interrupted. I just always find it interesting how that's always when an interruption comes up.
Later that night Elder Pugmire shared an object lesson with a toothpick and a towel that was pretty sweet. He related it to Alma 7:11-12, which is just one awesome scripture. A couple other awesome scriptures that I've come across this week were Alma 21:23, Alma 22:12-14, Alma 23:6-7, Alma 24:10, 14, 30; D&C 121:7-9,41-46; D&c 122:8; D&C 123:12-17; D&C 124:15,20 and 97. They're all pretty awesome, and if I had more time I'd tell you why I think so... but I don't so you'll just have to try and find out why. I also particularly enjoyed the study this week where I started off reading Matthew 25, and connected verse 40 with Luke 10:25-37 - the story of the good Samaritan. It reminded me of President Eyring's talk: https://www.lds.org/general-
Lastly for my studies, in Preach my gospel this week I had a couple cool quotes stand out to me that I wanted to share with y'all:
- "As we continue to live the gospel, we grow closer to our HeavenlyFather. We enjoy and appreciate more the Atonement of the Savior.Our families are drawn closer together. We experience greaterfeelings of the love, joy, and peace that come from the Atonement.Our hearts are changed, and we find security in living the restoredgospel."
- "Truth is a knowledge of things as they really are, were, and will be. Itdoes not change with conditions or time. Truth is the same in everyage and culture. God is the source of all truth. We can have faith inHim because we know He will teach us only truth. God wants all Hischildren to know the truth. Therefore, He reveals the truths necessaryfor salvation through prophets and apostles. He reveals truth to uspersonally through the scriptures and personal revelation."
- "In the lessons you will also find useful ideas for teaching. However,the lessons do not tell you everything to say—or how to say it.Instead, you are responsible to thoroughly understand the lessonsand teach by the Spirit in your own words. Teach so that others willstrengthen their faith in Jesus Christ, desire to repent, and enter intocovenants with God. Effective teachers are always working to improvetheir knowledge and abilities. Although you will not teach all you knowabout the doctrine, your increased knowledge will build your testimonyand your ability to teach with spiritual power."
Alright... that's probably enough for y'all this week... but I've got a couple highlights that I wanted to share with y'all still. On Friday, I got to go on an exchange to Sulphur, which was pretty neat. We got to pray with quite a few people and also had an awesome breakfast for dinner with some cool members. During that time, we had a little down time and I found a book of talks/sermons from President Harold B. Lee called "Stand ye in Holy Places" with a particularly cool quote: "[There are] three essentials that are necessaryto inspire one to live a Christlike life—or, speaking more accurately in thelanguage of the scriptures, to live more perfectly as the Master lived. The firstessential I would name in order to qualify is: There must be awakened in theindividual who would be taught or who would live perfectly an awareness of hisneeds. The rich young ruler did not need to be taught repentance from murdernor from murderous thoughts. He did not have to be schooled in how to repentfrom adultery, nor from stealing, lying, defrauding, or failing to honor hismother. All these he said he had observed from his youth; but his questionwas, “What lack I yet?” [See Matthew 19:16–22.] The Master, with His keendiscernment and the power of a Great Teacher, diagnosed the young man’scase perfectly: His need and his lack were to overcome his love for worldlythings, his tendency to trust in riches. And then Jesus prescribed the effectiveremedy: “If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to thepoor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.”(Matthew 19:21.)"
The next day was pretty sweet as we got to go up to Norman for something called the Stake Fair. It was quite fun, as they had a bunch of activities to do - Horseshoes, bean bag toss, dunk tank, bounce houses, sack races, etc. There was also some tasty food... but they put missionaries in charge and it actually turned out well! There was one Elder who made some dang good hamburgers, we got to work on the funnel cakes, other people were making snow cones and cotton candy, others made hot dogs and fried corn dogs, and one member came and made some ridiculously good fajitas. Sadly that pretty much took up the entire day since we had to set up, clean up, and then throw in a 2 hour drive there and back. But, it was all good. It was a fun event, and some people from Ardmore actually made it up there so that made it worth it.
But, that's all for this week! I hope y'all have a fantastic week! Love y'all!
'Til Next Time,
Elder Jordan Nielson
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