The Elder Poe Report
Much of this week was rather uneventful, until Sunday evening, although much learning and work was done this week.
Most of this week was spent in service to several persons in the ward. We spent much of our service time helping a single mother member rebuild her deck as the city was threatening to fine her for not having it in good repair, and one of her neighbors was complaining about how it looked, because that is totally well within the rights of a government to tell people how their private property in their back yard should look. The intrusiveness of a city government aside, this did bring back to mind a valuable lesson my mother taught me about service when I was younger. In short it is, don’t stand around giving people that need help “advice” the advice costs you nothing to give and is just about worth that much, if you truly want to help people and render service unto your fellow brethren jump in there and start actually doing things to help them and to aid them. The Savior didn’t just stand around telling people how to live their lives He went about doing the good and healing those that were sick and afflicted; He didn’t just sermonize He went out feeding the five thousand as well. So next time you are tempted to judge, advise, or criticize someone, instead look to see how you can render service and be a blessing not a burden.
Another highlight of this week was when the four Elders in our area had dinner Saturday evening with the Ward Mission Leader and his wonderful family. One of the main topics of discussion that came up was home teaching, as this is a critical topic in the missionary effort and discussion. Right now a lot of the time that me and my companion are spending is in meeting with and trying to reactive less active members and bring them back into the Gospel. As the broadcast last night talked about there is just as much joy in bringing back a stray sheep as in bringing the light of the Gospel to someone that has been in darkness all their life. What is even better though is in never having the prodigal’s son leave, and the best way to do that is to make sure you are getting your home teaching accomplished, not just checked off, not just done, but accomplished. Us missionaries will eventually leave and won’t be able to be there to support and to continue to strengthen the new member, and we won’t always be there to lift up the spirits of those who have strayed for a time. The members of the ward however will be there for many years, they can provide the lasting support that no missionary no matter how great can attain. I would like to speak especially to the Returned Missionaries reading this, at one point you were on a mission and I would be willing to bet found a love for the people you served and the persons you helped bring the Gospel to, find that some love for your home teaching families, find that same deep concern for their physical and spiritual welfare. Home teaching is not just a chore we have been given because the Church wants to keep us busy, it is a privilege each one of us have been given to be able to serve and love another one of our Brothers and Sisters in Christ.
Another learning experience I had this week was when we attended a wedding for a less active member’s daughter. One thing that really stuck out to me was when the person officiating the ceremony was talking he said “until the end of this mortal life” which to me was such a heart breaking statement. It caused us as missionaries to wonder why any person would want to be married “til death do you part” only. To me it shows how much the Gospel can bless our families so much more than can be done any other way, the Gospel provides for an opportunity to seal the Family unit on Earth and in Heaven. I wish that every happy young couple I see could know what they could have through the Gospel and that they would be willing to act on it. That is why I am out here, and why I am preaching the Gospel so that people can see how their families can be together forever throughout all eternity.
The other major event that happened was on Sunday evening they had a major worldwide leadership training broadcast aimed at every member of the Church, if you didn’t have a chance to see it then shame on you, they freaking canceled Church to make sure everyone could attend it. However the good news is you can catch the entire broadcast at the new website the church has rolled outHastening the Work of Salvation (http://www.lds.org/training/wwlt/2013/hastening/a-new-vision?cid=HPL1P01W01031&lang=eng) I would encourage everyone to watch it and start applying it in your own life.
I know that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the Only Living God. I know that Joseph Smith was called as a prophet to restore Christ’s church on the Earth again today. I know that this Gospel will go forth to every nation kindred tongue and people and that no unhallowed hand will stop people from receiving the joy and happiness that can be found through Faith in Jesus Christ.
Moses 1:39
For behold this is my work and my glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.
The Report of Elder Hunter Poe
Note: Please feel free to distrubte this message and content to any person that you think would benefit from it, or even those you don’t think would benefit but feel prompted to share with anyway.
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