Trainee Miracle

Alight so this week was pretty awesome!

Elder Smith's first night in the mission I made sure it was one he remembered so we went tracking at 8:15 at night and did some street contact that I made sure was extremely awkward for a new missionary, like running across the street to talk to somebody and then saying "my companion has something to ask you"

I didn't realize it until now but being the trainer is way more fun then being the trainee. 

Raul has moved to Tecate Mexico and is being baptized this up coming week! It was super awesome to have worked with him I am a little sad that I will not be at his baptism but I got his information to stay in contact after my mission.

We also had a part member family that showed up at church that we had never seen before. And they asked us to talk to them after church...so turns out they just moved I to the ward and want us to teach them so that the wife can join the church. Missionaries always talk about trainee miracles but now I know they are real. 

 I have deemed Alpine the best area in the mission.

Alma 26:16 

16 Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel.

To true.

Love Elder Palmer

Staying and Training

Transfers! Found out yesterday that I am staying in Alpine for another transfer because I am training a new missionary! Not to sure what I think of it, pretty nervous and unsure. But in guess I'm staying for a reason, guess we will find out. Elder Porter has been 6 week shafted...again twice in a row poor guy. 

Not sure who the new elder is because I am picking him up tonight at 7. I'm pretty excited to stay in Alpine for another transfer (most likely two more) because we are seeing some good stuff. We had 5 people at church and we put Daisy (a really smart 11 year old) on date! The hand of God is so evident in the work I wish I could explain all the ways he works miracles before our eyes. 

We also helped a family butcher a pig this week. Elder Porter did alright until they started cooking some of it right there and serving it while we were still working on it Haha

 

So I was reading 2 Nephi 7 this last week and it is Joseph (the son of Lehi) reading Isaiah. In verses 6-7 

 

Isaiah is saying how he has been mocked and spit upon because he is a believer

6 I gave my back to the smiter, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair. I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

7 For the Lord God will help me, therefore shall I not be confounded. Therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.

 

As I read this I became very intrigued about the meaning of "i set my face like a flint"

It wasn't until I read on to verse 11 

That it made sense.

11 Behold all ye that kindle fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks, walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks which ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand—ye shall lie down in sorrow.

All those that continually spark the flames, by mocking and persecuting the believers will have their reward...sorrow.

So we are to let our faces be the flint and not be ashamed of the gospel. When we are mocked we are left virtually unaffected because we have our reward. But people still get to choose theirs, whether they serve God or man. 

Love you mom, thank you for every thing

(I don't say that enough)

Love Elder Palmer

Ministering

Let's see so I don't remember if I told you already but Raul is back on track again and is wanting to be baptized again!!! The only down side is he is moving to Tecate(Mexico) so we won't be able to see him through the baptism. But that doesn't matter as long as he takes this first step on the pathway to God's greatest blessing. 

Another quick miracle happened yesterday when we made a bust to a family that was progressing in the gospel, they have three older boys that are all interested and are wanting to be baptized. On our way over for the lesson we learned via texts that the whole family was having a very contentious day... I not going to lie I had no idea what we were going to say or teach or what we should do. But when we got there the first thing we did was just minister to them we let them know that we cared for each one of them by asking individual questions and taking a sincere interest in their life. Long story short it was a very up lifting experience and the spirit was very present. I know God guided that visit 100% we had no idea what we were to do to help this family. But when we left that home they only had smiles. I know that the there is no pain to deep now wound too wide that the Atonement cannot heal. 

We don't always start out by doing the right thing or trying our hardest ... but God only cares how you finish not how you started, he sees what we are doing not what we did. 

Matt21

28 ¶ But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.

29 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.

30 And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.

31 Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

Elder Palmer

Overwhelmed, take that as a good sign

We had a lot happening this week, it really blew by. Sorry to hear that it is so cold....but I actually just got a sunburn from doing some service. It was rough having to be in the sun all day and just basking in the rays of warmth. 

This last week we actually had a zone conference in Ramona at a place called camp wild wood (a young womans camp owned by the church)

And we did some team building exercises and had a training from President and Sister Stubbs then did a little hike. But the night before the conference Elder Porter and I are sitting there at like 9:37 and all of a sudden I remember that we are supposed to have a talk written for the conference...which starts at 8am it was the fastest talk I have ever written and the most stressful. But when we got there we learned that the zone leaders just told us to so that we would come prepared. To contribute to the trainings... 

And we did a little service project (the one I got sunburned at) and we were helping lay plywood on a old roof and Elder Porter hasn't been on a roof before so he didn't know to step on the cross beams so... he stepped literally where we said "nobody step there" and almost fell through the roof. Commandments are there for a reason, to protect us.

So honestly been a little stressed this last week had some stuff happen, and I found this quote by Elder Eyring 

"So if you feel a little overwhelmed, take that as a good sign. It indicates that you can sense the magnitude of the trust God has placed in you"

God said to the prophet Enoch in Moses 6:32

"All flesh is in my hands and I will do what seemeth me good"

God's work is your work and your progression.

Love Elder Palmer