Sorry I didn't send my weekly email out last week. It was a great week though! I learned a lot about studying and making decisions and how those carry you through your life. You need to have goals and a vision to aim for so you can become!
I have had a great week this week! I had the opportunity to go on 2 exchanges since my companion is a District Leader. I saw multiple miracles. We found a 24 year old Filipino girl and taught her about the plan of salvation. As we talked to her, she had quite a few questions and seemed to really want to know what we taught. She was surprised when we said that she was with God before this life. How we found her was knocking on her door! We had just gone by a potential but he didn't answer the door. Elder Carlson had wrote in the plans "stay in the area". There were no names left to visit and we needed to teach still to reach out goal. We decided to say a prayer to know where to go. We started walking past the neighbor's house and felt impressed to knock on it. Feeling pretty hesitant, I knocked on the door. We could see the family just inside the door. A girl in her 20's answered the door and said "yes what can I do for you?". I asked her how she was and told her we were missionaries and shared how she can come to know who God is - not only of Him but know Him. She responded saying "yea I am a born again christian" being somewhat confident as she said it, "we are a little different in our religions". She was talking about how her family was just waiting for their Pastor to come and have their weekly bible study together. Which is pretty crazy. The day they have their bible study, we come knocking on her door. We told her that we share this with people to help them know their purpose. Without planning for this, she leaves quick. I see her grab her bible. She said, "where do you want to have it?" (meaning the lesson). We Taught her in her front yard about the plan of salvation, her purpose, and that she can know what her place is in this life! We got a return appointment and she committed to read! Yesterday (Sunday) Elder Carlson went with a Filipino member in the ward and talked with her whole family...picking them up as investigators! :) When we follow the impressions of the spirit miracles happen!
This week has gone by super fast. We had this awesome member move in recently that signed up to feed us dinner. He fed us legit Italian pizza! He is a convert of about a year. He was dating his future wife when she was going to BYU-I. While she was going to school, he thought he should probably get to know more about the church that she goes to so he started to meet with the missionaries. He was raised Catholic and then looked at other religions. One of them being born again. He was like "I am saved and I am not accountable for what I do ...what the heck?". He said that this church just makes sense. "You remove all evil from your life, do good, and serve others". It was so simple and powerful! This guy was so chill. For almost 6 years of his life he was in a popular rock band and then left it because of personal reasons! And now he is a member!
A mission is pretty crazy at times especially in Long beach! There is honestly never a dual moment! I learned how to scare dogs away that are annoying you too :P You get down low to the ground. Look at the dog and point your finger at it. Make sure it is looking at you and your finger and then run towards it. One of the other Elders in the area showed me it and the dog jumped back like 10 feet and then when we walked past, the dog got scared and retreated back ....while still barking at us?? Not sure how that works.....It was super funny though.
We contacted this one lady who found God 40 years ago and since has tried to serve him to the best she can. Right now she is trying to plan a neighborhood block party with the backing of her church. We taught her about baptism and then ended with a prayer. Then got invited to a cultural block party! :)
Had a another experience where we taught a Nigerian about the Book of Mormon and where it came from.
Pretty great week! Listen to the promptings of the Holy Ghost. It is the best thing you can do!
Love,
Elder VanKammen
Pictures:
AN AUDI R8 and a Lamborghini GALLARDO in the complex of the new member that moved in :) pretty much the best dinner ever. Then a random huge tree seed pod we had sword fight.
Me in Long Beach
I have had a great week this week! I had the opportunity to go on 2 exchanges since my companion is a District Leader. I saw multiple miracles. We found a 24 year old Filipino girl and taught her about the plan of salvation. As we talked to her, she had quite a few questions and seemed to really want to know what we taught. She was surprised when we said that she was with God before this life. How we found her was knocking on her door! We had just gone by a potential but he didn't answer the door. Elder Carlson had wrote in the plans "stay in the area". There were no names left to visit and we needed to teach still to reach out goal. We decided to say a prayer to know where to go. We started walking past the neighbor's house and felt impressed to knock on it. Feeling pretty hesitant, I knocked on the door. We could see the family just inside the door. A girl in her 20's answered the door and said "yes what can I do for you?". I asked her how she was and told her we were missionaries and shared how she can come to know who God is - not only of Him but know Him. She responded saying "yea I am a born again christian" being somewhat confident as she said it, "we are a little different in our religions". She was talking about how her family was just waiting for their Pastor to come and have their weekly bible study together. Which is pretty crazy. The day they have their bible study, we come knocking on her door. We told her that we share this with people to help them know their purpose. Without planning for this, she leaves quick. I see her grab her bible. She said, "where do you want to have it?" (meaning the lesson). We Taught her in her front yard about the plan of salvation, her purpose, and that she can know what her place is in this life! We got a return appointment and she committed to read! Yesterday (Sunday) Elder Carlson went with a Filipino member in the ward and talked with her whole family...picking them up as investigators! :) When we follow the impressions of the spirit miracles happen!
This week has gone by super fast. We had this awesome member move in recently that signed up to feed us dinner. He fed us legit Italian pizza! He is a convert of about a year. He was dating his future wife when she was going to BYU-I. While she was going to school, he thought he should probably get to know more about the church that she goes to so he started to meet with the missionaries. He was raised Catholic and then looked at other religions. One of them being born again. He was like "I am saved and I am not accountable for what I do ...what the heck?". He said that this church just makes sense. "You remove all evil from your life, do good, and serve others". It was so simple and powerful! This guy was so chill. For almost 6 years of his life he was in a popular rock band and then left it because of personal reasons! And now he is a member!
A mission is pretty crazy at times especially in Long beach! There is honestly never a dual moment! I learned how to scare dogs away that are annoying you too :P You get down low to the ground. Look at the dog and point your finger at it. Make sure it is looking at you and your finger and then run towards it. One of the other Elders in the area showed me it and the dog jumped back like 10 feet and then when we walked past, the dog got scared and retreated back ....while still barking at us?? Not sure how that works.....It was super funny though.
We contacted this one lady who found God 40 years ago and since has tried to serve him to the best she can. Right now she is trying to plan a neighborhood block party with the backing of her church. We taught her about baptism and then ended with a prayer. Then got invited to a cultural block party! :)
Had a another experience where we taught a Nigerian about the Book of Mormon and where it came from.
Pretty great week! Listen to the promptings of the Holy Ghost. It is the best thing you can do!
Love,
Elder VanKammen
Pictures:
AN AUDI R8 and a Lamborghini GALLARDO in the complex of the new member that moved in :) pretty much the best dinner ever. Then a random huge tree seed pod we had sword fight.
Me in Long Beach