What is up family!!!

What a week it has been!! Last Wednesday we had a guy come in and talk to us about the teaching English as a Second Language stuff. He said that based on our resumes we sent in, would decide which sponsor would choose us. So I'm hoping I get an FBI agency or an elementary school. I also learned we will be teaching by ourselves, with no companions. So that was a shock and kind of scary. I would rather teach little kids than grown-ups by myself. hahah. The guy is coming sometime this week to tell us who our sponsors are so I'm excited for that.

I forgot to tell you something from last week and this will make you laugh. Every Thursday morning we have service and guess what we do? We go to the back of the cafeteria and receive shipments of food trucks, and with a pallet jack, put it all the food away where it goes. hahah I don't know if Jeff contacted them but it's pretty awesome. The guy in charge was like "who knows how to receive?" I'm like "I do". Then he's like "who knows how to work a pallet jack?" "Uhhh I do". hahah Its pretty fun though and definitely the easiest one. I would rather do this than to clean toilets all day!

Service area, just like work back home.

 

On Friday, the new zone leaders approached me and was like would you like to give the lesson in priesthood this Sunday? I said sure we can do that. But he's like, no it's just you, not your companionship. Prepare a 40 minute lesson on the atonement. I'm like noooo!! But I accepted it. On Sunday we have Sacrament Meeting at 11:30 so I have 4 hours to prepare. So I prayed really hard and came up with a lesson with a lot of discussion points because that's how it's going to last 40 min is have the people talking and reading. So after sacrament, I went into my classroom where I'm giving the lesson and the branch presidency is there and 15 people, about half the zone.

 So in the beginning I have them read 2 Nephi 9:6-16 and each person reads one verse and at the end I ask from these verses why do we need the atonement. Lots of people raised their hands and gave their answer. Then I said I like what is says in verse 7 where it says it has to be an infinite atonement. I asked what do you think it means by infinite atonement. And again many people talked and voiced their answers. It was great and I felt the spirit and I was really comfortable and I was learning from them. After they shared their thoughts, I said something like none of us are perfect. We all need the atonement and repentance. Repentance is a lot like prayer. When you pray, you pray with real intent and desire. When you pray you need to repent with real intent and have a desire to change. A desire to have a change of heart. One prophet in the Book of Mormon who really had a change of heart is Alma the younger. Then I had them turn to Mosiah 27 and had them read verses 8 through 10. Then after they read those I said, up to this point Alma (Alma the Youngers father) has taken years to build up the church and here is his son just tearing it down, on purpose even. I asked them how would you feel if you took years of hard work building up a business and then have someone you love go out of their way and destroy it. They had some good responses. I agreed with them and said, yeah I would be ticked and really angry. But what does Alma do? I had them turn to the verse I think its 14 where Alma prays for his son. I said Alma maybe felt sad and disappointed but he wasn't angry. He prayed for him. And then I had some people add some comments. I related it to Heavenly Father may get disappointed and sad when we sin but never angry. He's always praying for us. Then I had them read the rest of the Alma the Younger story up to verse 19. I said we are not going to go through the same experience Alma went through when we sin. What repentance process do we go through what are the steps? The class got really into that question so I had to cut out some stuff I was planning on doing like showing a video.

The guy on the left is Brother Higgs. He is one of our teachers. He got a scholarship to play on the BYU lacrosse team. He is super awesome and is really helping me grow spiritually and grow in the language.

The class participated so much it was awesome. The branch president said to me after that this was the best lesson he heard. He said he never saw any class participate so much. He said that was because I was asking inspiring questions. He said he never saw a lesson on the atonement that was taken so serious and reverently. He said he learned a lot and felt the spirit and looks forward to the time when I give another lesson. That was really awesome to hear!! 

We got another investigator named ганбаатар pronounced gonewater. He's the best investigator ever. I can't even describe the awesome lessons we have been having. We've had 2 with him so far. He has a drinking problem and his family is falling apart. So we started with teaching him how to pray and about the word of wisdom. We taught him that he can pray to God for strength and that He will help him and that we were here to help. After that first lesson, our confidence just went up.

Last night we had a great lesson with him. I was taking the lead with lesson because Lesson 9 had a lot I wanted to share. As an intro, we asked how his family was doing and how his drinking is doing. He said that he threw all his beer away but still smoked and drank a little coffee. We just testified right there that if you keep working hard the Lord will bless you. We said an opening prayer and I asked if he prayed since we last met and he said yes. I asked him how he felt and he said he felt good. I then asked if I could share a scripture and he said yes. I shared D&C 19 38-39. He really liked this scripture and I promised him that as he keeps praying he will be blessed. We then went on to teach about how the gospel blesses families and he had a lot of questions and surprisingly we had answers!! Toward the end I asked if I could share an experience, but first I want to show you my family. So I showed him just our family photo and introduced them to him. He was pretty excited. I felt like we were connecting with him on a personal level more and more. After I showed him our family, I told him that when pray together and read the Book of Mormon together we become more unified. Then I shared a scripture in 3rd Nephi 18, I'm not sure but it says that if you pray with your family you will be blessed. I then invited him to pray with his family and he accepted. We also left him with the commitment to read the first chapter of Nephi. He said yes to that. He even said the closing prayer. It was so awesome. I'm starting to love giving lessons.

Its great hearing from you guys. I love u guys so much!!!

Elder Heacock