Well, we got "transformation" call yesterday (transfer+information). This is only the call that states who is staying and who is going. And the only change happening to our apartment is that our distracted, trunky as all get out, district leader is GOING HOME!!! hasta ver mi amigo! But I will be staying with my companion Elder B**** for another transfer here in little old Homestead. I am SO excited we have just started a "new" application of harvesting I say "new" because it has been used for a long time but just not effectively here. And that is through blessing the members as well and working through them and referrals. What we try to do is bless their home and then take them with us to their neighbors and then bless their neighbors. Our focus is really trying to create friendships. In fact we are calling ourselves the "friend zone" where we are trying to become friends with the members, trying to teach the members friends, and help converts and investigators have member friends. This isn't "new" but here in the FFLM we haven't put as big of focus on these parts. We have always worked on how WE can find better, how WE can teach clearer. But as President Hinkley says:
"So many of us look upon missionary work as simply tracting. Everyone who is familiar with this work knows there is a better way. That way is through the members of the Church."
And so we are making a very big push on becoming friends with the members to help them trust us so that we can then teach their friends. We had an incredible experience this we doing this very thing. We prayerfully chose a member to bless that evening and set ourselves with the goal of not just "blessing his home" but also becoming his friend and gaining his trust. So we talked about what was important to them in their lives and what they wanted us to pray for. But we did so as part of a conversation not just an interview. Then we invited them to think while we said the blessing of someone else that needed a blessing on their home and even suggested the same things that PMG prompts "a recent death in the family, a recent birth, move, etc..." and then we knelt for the blessing (Blessing in a Members Home). The spirit was so strong and it touched their hearts. And as a result they thought of a family a few doors down (referral received), before we could even suggest that we walk over together he asked if we could go now. Of course we said yes, and followed him to his neighbor. and she invited us in (referral contacted) and we said a blessing with Bro. Villate right there by our side (Harvest Blessing Given), after the blessing HE lead the conversation into the Plan of Salvation, and Restoration (Member Present Lesson, New Investigator), the message and the blessing touched her heart so much that she said she wanted us to teach her daughter and her family(referral received). Then after as we were walking back to the member's home he said there is one more family that is very close to his heart, that he thought we should visit (referral received) and he walked us over (referral contacted) they too accepted a blessing (blessing given) and again Bro. Villate lead the conversation towards the Plan of Salvation, and Eternal Marriage (Member Present Lesson, 3 New Investigators) and the spirit was higher than ever before. All of this happened in and hour and a half. And we had 1 Member Blessing, 3 referrals received, 2 contacted, 2 blessings given, 2 member present lessons, and 4 new investigators, which are WONDERFUL key indicators for a day but better yet, we made a Friend out of Bro. Villate, he trusts us, heavens he gave me 2 NEW ties! and we matched on Sunday! Such a nice guy and now he's been asking when he can go out with us and wants to set up a Family home evening to teach his neighbors.
That truly was the boost that we needed, we needed help finding out here with all the gated communities (that story happened in a gated community of gated communities 6 gated communities guarded by another gate) And I know that as we make this focus on members that we truly will find LASTING success.
I have also met the new President, President Richardson, he is amazing has an incredible zeal for the work and is TOTALLY different. He will be and is an incredible Mission President. We had a meeting with him and he has an incredible spirit about him he is very excited to start doing "temple ground tours" with our investigators and bringing them there to touch the temple.
Also I think that I for got to tell you that we are in the season of seasons, right now it is Hurricane season, Wet season, Lightning storm season, MOSQUITO season, MANGO season (we have WAY too many mangoes) and Avocado season! So, we are very happy, very wet and we run very fast.
I replied to Elder Park and asked "How could you ever have too many Mangoes?"
His reply to me:
That is the real improvements out here in FLORIDA the LIGHTNING STATE
Stay Strong, Push On!
ELDER PARK
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