Ask, Listen, Act

We're in Utah visiting family this week and I don't have quite as much time to devote to the blog, but I do have a thought Elder Scott shared with his brother in a letter highlighting one of the challenges of missionary work, "That’s one thing about this calling, a lot of times, people don’t want to listen or they like to listen, but they don’t like or want to act. And that’s the thing, we (the missionaries) don’t convert, the Spirit does, but for conversion to happen the investigators need to act. That’s why we invite them to do things, so they can learn to act on their own to feel the spirit and experience conversion. We’re just the messengers, and at times, people aren’t ready yet to listen and act. They don’t progress, but what happens in those cases is we, no matter how slightly, have opened the gospel into their lives just a little bit, but it’s there. Maybe this was the preparation they needed to open their lives more to it later on. So even at times you might feel like you failed, you didn’t, they just aren’t prepared right now. But you helped to prepare them to accept it later on. Maybe in months, maybe years, or possibly even in this next life, but you helped open the door. As long as you remember whose errand you’re on and whose work this is, you cannot fail. It’s not possible.  So never get your attitude down if things didn’t go as planned because mission work is the Lord’s errand, you literally cannot fail. That’s what I wanted to share with you."

If we all learn to do 3 things better, the Lord will be able to work wonders through us: Ask, Listen, Act. The 3 principles go hand-in-hand. If we ask, but forget to listen for the answer, we have already hindered our potential, but even more so, if we ask and listen, but fail to follow through, or rather, ACT on the impressions we have received, then we are failing to demonstrate our faith in the Lord's direction. 

Elder M. Russell Ballard said it great when he spoke in October 2013, "Trust in the Lord. He is the good Shepherd. He knows His sheep, and His sheep know His voice; and today the voice of the Good Shepherd is your voice and my voice. And if we are not engaged, many who would hear the message of the Restoration will be passed by. Simply stated, it's a matter of faith and action on our part. The principles are pretty simple - pray, personally and in your family, for missionary opportunities. The Lord has said in Doctrine and Covenants that many people have been kept from the truth only "because they know not where to find it" (D&C 123:12).....The key is that you be inspired of God, that you ask Him for direction and then go and do as the Spirit prompts you."

Not a lot of photos this past week because Elder Scott was extra busy going on a couple exchanges and moving into a new apartment. Here are a couple photos from moving day though, and hopefully next week we'll get more fun updates from Perú.

Moving Day

Moving day. This is Elder Scott's former place, aka 'The Garage'
His new apartment has a little more breathing room and he gets to
liveacross the street from Hermana Patty y Hermana Morima. 
HAPPY, HAPPY!

They don't have much, but it was still an all-day
process to move and clean between 2 places. So
grateful for all those who helped make it possible.

Elder Scott and Elder Weeks

Exchange Day with Elder Weeks