Malosoi fua!
Wow, this week has been one crazy week!! It's been an emotional roller coaster! I got a phone call on Tuesday from President Lekias. He said, "Elder Belnap, you have been a zone leader for a long time. 10 months. And you have done a fantastic job. You are a stellar missionary and with most of the leadership leaving in the coming transfers, I need to make some changes..." (right there, my stomach dropped and I knew what was coming)... he said that he has some exciting news and that he was going to make me a trainer. As he said that the first presidency was making a BIG emphasis on having the best missionaries train. So now I'm training. It's exciting, but hard. And he said that I would get doubled from Mangere and go to Panmure and be a district leader. And I have the biggest district in the mission! There are a total of 6 companionships including the zone leaders.... it's massive! And to be honest, I was gutted! But I accepted. I'll do whatever the Lord wants me to do... Though I had a huge passion for being a zone leader and loved it!
Right now it's hard. This has been the toughest thing that I've ever had to do.... You could say that I went from being on top! In the biggest zone, the heart of the mission. We were on pace to break the zone best! We had 5 people set for baptism! I was running the Thomas Road Ward. Me and my companion got along great. Everything was just pumping!! Not to mention it was my favorite area by far. I thought that I might finish my mission there.... then I get the call, I'm no longer a zone leader, I'm put into an area that is struggling, we have to build it up. And we need to build up the ward as well. Training is hard. I've been blessed with incredible companions my whole mission. All but 3 of my companions have been a zone leader and one of the 3 was a district leader. My new companion is named Elder Gentry. He's from Missouri, a small town of 300ish. We get along okay, but it's a bit hard. I still love him. I feel like I have all this weight on my shoulders. And it's just ME doing all the work. I know God is there. But I feel that I'm the only instrument. It's hard when I have to lead all the lessons, talk to all the people, make all the phone calls, do happy chappy 24/7, love and lift a district and a ward. It's just so much... and it's hard.
But... I am blessed. I still have a cell phone and guess what? I was just praying that I would have a car. And when the assistants rang, they said I didn't have a car. I was super gutted. But I prayed for a car. And right when we were leaving transfers, one of the assistants ran up to me and said, "You must've been saying your prayers, we got an extra car! And we're giving it to you!" I was like WOW! That is a direct answer to my prayer!
Before I left Manutoetoe, I wanted to set one more person. We were teaching Martha, who's set for the 30th. And her neice just moved in. And so we set her for baptism! That's the way I wanted to leave that area! So there are six people set for baptism and another 3 that could still be baptized this month!!
It was super hard to say goodbye to everyone over there! I was just so close to everyone. I'm going to miss that place, but no doubt I will be going back there! I'm really going to miss all the islanders!! There aren't as many in Panmure!
This week we had a good miracle! We found a former named Paul. he was asking good questions and really wanted to make a change in his life. And so we set him for the 13 of August!!
I need your prayers!!
LOVE YA HEAPS!!!!!!!
OFA ATU!!!!!!!!
Elder Belnap
Monday, July 18, 2011
GREAT WEEK!!! - July 10, 2011
Malo soifua!
We had a great week! We worked really hard this week to help solidify our investigators that are preparing to be baptized! Right now we have 5 people that are set to be baptized this month, Tony (26), Matthew (18), Lois (17), Lawrence (20), Martha (45). But we have 8 people that can be baptized this month!! So we are working hard hoping that we can qualify for God's blessings for it!
President Lekias came on a Mission tour to visit all of the missionaries. It was really good. He had me conduct the meeting. It's different conducting. Haha, looks easier than it is, lol! The missionaries love him! Which is great!
We just stayed really busy this week! We taught like 30 lessons again! And just stayed really busy! I love it! We are putting on a Missionary Stake Fireside for the Manukau Stake on the 31!! Man it's going to be great! A lot of work is going to go into it, but it's going to be mean!!
Not a lot happened, just worked on making sure our investigators came to church, which they did! So grateful! We taught heaps of lessons! Things are looking good for us!
We have transfers this week!!! It's crazy! I can't believe it's here already! I'm hoping to stay, I think I will, but I'll go wherever God needs me!
Funny story. We were knocking on doors, and this drunk Tongan guy yells out, "Yo LDS!" lol! He's like "Brotha's, come over here!" while he was dancing. So we walk over there (I love drunk people, they are so funny, lol) across his grass and he told us that our shoes would get dirty. He came running down the stairs and started cleaning our shoes!! lol!! It was just crack up. Then he invited us in, and I asked him to turn off the music, and he was so wasted that he couldn't figure it out! It was funny. Sad that he was drunk, but funny.... Hopefully we can help him....
LOVE YA HEAPS!!
THANKS FOR YOUR PRAYERS!!
Elder Belnap
We had a great week! We worked really hard this week to help solidify our investigators that are preparing to be baptized! Right now we have 5 people that are set to be baptized this month, Tony (26), Matthew (18), Lois (17), Lawrence (20), Martha (45). But we have 8 people that can be baptized this month!! So we are working hard hoping that we can qualify for God's blessings for it!
President Lekias came on a Mission tour to visit all of the missionaries. It was really good. He had me conduct the meeting. It's different conducting. Haha, looks easier than it is, lol! The missionaries love him! Which is great!
We just stayed really busy this week! We taught like 30 lessons again! And just stayed really busy! I love it! We are putting on a Missionary Stake Fireside for the Manukau Stake on the 31!! Man it's going to be great! A lot of work is going to go into it, but it's going to be mean!!
Not a lot happened, just worked on making sure our investigators came to church, which they did! So grateful! We taught heaps of lessons! Things are looking good for us!
We have transfers this week!!! It's crazy! I can't believe it's here already! I'm hoping to stay, I think I will, but I'll go wherever God needs me!
Funny story. We were knocking on doors, and this drunk Tongan guy yells out, "Yo LDS!" lol! He's like "Brotha's, come over here!" while he was dancing. So we walk over there (I love drunk people, they are so funny, lol) across his grass and he told us that our shoes would get dirty. He came running down the stairs and started cleaning our shoes!! lol!! It was just crack up. Then he invited us in, and I asked him to turn off the music, and he was so wasted that he couldn't figure it out! It was funny. Sad that he was drunk, but funny.... Hopefully we can help him....
LOVE YA HEAPS!!
THANKS FOR YOUR PRAYERS!!
Elder Belnap
MIRACLES ALL WEEK!! SET 5 PEOPLE!! - July 3, 2011
Malosoifua!!
We had a killer week!!! Once again, great miracles! We really needed to find some new people that we could baptize for July! We went out and exercised great faith that we would be able to find some new people to baptize! And God provided! We found 10 new investigators and taught 30 lessons! It was great! Then we set 4 of those new 10 for baptism! I was just blown away by how merciful God is! He's preparing people for us all the time, we just need to find them and help them prepare to be baptized!!!
At church last Sunday, I had this impression to go to the Folau's house and just ask them if they had anyone living there that wasn't a member. We went, and guess what? He has 2 boys living with him that aren't baptized and have been coming to church off and on since December! I'm continuously learning that the Spirit will put the thought in your mind; you just need to follow it. Thursday, we are going to teach the boys!!
That day, we prayed that we would be able to find a family and set them for baptism, we first found the boys at the Folau's. But Elder Moss was on a tradeoff with a member named Sanchez and found a Maori family that we set for baptism: Angel (13) and Lois (17). How merciful is Heavenly Father? We read in Moroni: "Whatsoever thing ye shall the Father in my name which is good, in faith believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be done unto you." How true is that? That has been my favorite scripture and probably the biggest principle I've learned. GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS! That day, we found 2 families!
It doesn't stop there! We fasted that God would bring someone to church that we could baptize this month. We didn't see anyone. But a member came up to us and said, "Elders, I have a 14 year old boy that is living with me, and he needs to be baptized!" Last night, we taught Martin, and he's good. I have no doubt that he will be baptized this month. Once again, God answered our prayer!
If we have faith, and just believe, God will help us. He will help us overcome hard days and trials. Because just before all this happened, Ake, who was set to be baptized said that she doesn't want to be taught anymore and doesn't want to be baptized. And we just had a rough day. But the next day, we set 4 people for baptism! Right now, we have 5 people set! And another 4 that still have the possibility to be baptized this month! We just need to qualify for it!
We met President Lekias on Friday. He's really into it and will do a GREAT job! I'm looking forward to working with him. I have no doubts that he will continue to help this mission progress. It was sad to say good bye to President Porter. He rang me before he left and we had a good chat. I told him that I'll see him in a couple of months.
LOVE YOU HEAPS!!!!!!!
ALOFA ATU!!!!!!!
Elder Belnap
We had a killer week!!! Once again, great miracles! We really needed to find some new people that we could baptize for July! We went out and exercised great faith that we would be able to find some new people to baptize! And God provided! We found 10 new investigators and taught 30 lessons! It was great! Then we set 4 of those new 10 for baptism! I was just blown away by how merciful God is! He's preparing people for us all the time, we just need to find them and help them prepare to be baptized!!!
At church last Sunday, I had this impression to go to the Folau's house and just ask them if they had anyone living there that wasn't a member. We went, and guess what? He has 2 boys living with him that aren't baptized and have been coming to church off and on since December! I'm continuously learning that the Spirit will put the thought in your mind; you just need to follow it. Thursday, we are going to teach the boys!!
That day, we prayed that we would be able to find a family and set them for baptism, we first found the boys at the Folau's. But Elder Moss was on a tradeoff with a member named Sanchez and found a Maori family that we set for baptism: Angel (13) and Lois (17). How merciful is Heavenly Father? We read in Moroni: "Whatsoever thing ye shall the Father in my name which is good, in faith believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be done unto you." How true is that? That has been my favorite scripture and probably the biggest principle I've learned. GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS! That day, we found 2 families!
It doesn't stop there! We fasted that God would bring someone to church that we could baptize this month. We didn't see anyone. But a member came up to us and said, "Elders, I have a 14 year old boy that is living with me, and he needs to be baptized!" Last night, we taught Martin, and he's good. I have no doubt that he will be baptized this month. Once again, God answered our prayer!
If we have faith, and just believe, God will help us. He will help us overcome hard days and trials. Because just before all this happened, Ake, who was set to be baptized said that she doesn't want to be taught anymore and doesn't want to be baptized. And we just had a rough day. But the next day, we set 4 people for baptism! Right now, we have 5 people set! And another 4 that still have the possibility to be baptized this month! We just need to qualify for it!
We met President Lekias on Friday. He's really into it and will do a GREAT job! I'm looking forward to working with him. I have no doubts that he will continue to help this mission progress. It was sad to say good bye to President Porter. He rang me before he left and we had a good chat. I told him that I'll see him in a couple of months.
LOVE YOU HEAPS!!!!!!!
ALOFA ATU!!!!!!!
Elder Belnap
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
3 BAPTISMS!!! - June 26, 2011
Malosoifua i lau susuga
We were busy out of our minds! But we had a really great week!!! We had 3 great baptisms!!! Charntay got baptized on Friday night, and Ashleigh and Leisa got baptized on Saturday! Both baptisms were really good! I got to baptize Charntay and Elder Moss confirmed her! And the girls had their cousins baptize and confirm them, it was a great experience for the whole Tafiti family! We finished the month with 5 baptisms! Ashleigh's mom didn't get baptized with the girls, she's going to be moving back to Manurewa and get baptized over there!
This week, we set another 2 people for baptism for next month. Ake is set for July 9 and Nooroa is set for the 16th! so we are super excited about that! We should still be able to baptize at least another for July.... We just need to work really hard to make it happen. Because our pipeline is running a bit low right now, but I know that Heavenly Father will provide and that we will be able to baptize a lot of people next month....
We had a really good miracle. I was running this guy down in the parking lot and I couldn't quite catch him. But along the way, there was this Asian kid just behind me. I turned and said hi, with no intention to talk to him. (No offense to Asians, but you typically never teach or baptize any Asians). But I just asked how his day was. And we got to talking and I told him that we are from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. And he said that he thought that he went to the same church in Cambodia, but he wasn't sure. So he grabbed his mom and asked her. They can't really speak English, they've only been here in New Zealand for 3 1/2 years. But anyway, she said that she is from our church. But there are many churched that have the name of Christ in it, so I didn't quite believe her. But then she said, "Joseph Smith?" I was taken aback.... Yes! Yes! That's the same church! Long story short, this family moved here 3 1/2 years ago and since they have been here, they haven't found the church. And they were praying, asking God that they could find it! We were their answer.... So we took them to the chapel. And showed them around. Then we showed them the picture of Christ wearing the red robe. And the mom said, "We have that." They went out to their car, and grabbed their Book of Mormon and they had put that picture on the cover of it. During their whole time here, they still carried with them the Book of Mormon! Unbelievable.... and yesterday, they came to church, all 5 of them! What a miracle!
Things are going well, we really need to have some BIG MIRACLES because we need them!!
Everyone is doing well!!
ALOFA ATU!!!
Elder Belnap
We were busy out of our minds! But we had a really great week!!! We had 3 great baptisms!!! Charntay got baptized on Friday night, and Ashleigh and Leisa got baptized on Saturday! Both baptisms were really good! I got to baptize Charntay and Elder Moss confirmed her! And the girls had their cousins baptize and confirm them, it was a great experience for the whole Tafiti family! We finished the month with 5 baptisms! Ashleigh's mom didn't get baptized with the girls, she's going to be moving back to Manurewa and get baptized over there!
This week, we set another 2 people for baptism for next month. Ake is set for July 9 and Nooroa is set for the 16th! so we are super excited about that! We should still be able to baptize at least another for July.... We just need to work really hard to make it happen. Because our pipeline is running a bit low right now, but I know that Heavenly Father will provide and that we will be able to baptize a lot of people next month....
We had a really good miracle. I was running this guy down in the parking lot and I couldn't quite catch him. But along the way, there was this Asian kid just behind me. I turned and said hi, with no intention to talk to him. (No offense to Asians, but you typically never teach or baptize any Asians). But I just asked how his day was. And we got to talking and I told him that we are from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. And he said that he thought that he went to the same church in Cambodia, but he wasn't sure. So he grabbed his mom and asked her. They can't really speak English, they've only been here in New Zealand for 3 1/2 years. But anyway, she said that she is from our church. But there are many churched that have the name of Christ in it, so I didn't quite believe her. But then she said, "Joseph Smith?" I was taken aback.... Yes! Yes! That's the same church! Long story short, this family moved here 3 1/2 years ago and since they have been here, they haven't found the church. And they were praying, asking God that they could find it! We were their answer.... So we took them to the chapel. And showed them around. Then we showed them the picture of Christ wearing the red robe. And the mom said, "We have that." They went out to their car, and grabbed their Book of Mormon and they had put that picture on the cover of it. During their whole time here, they still carried with them the Book of Mormon! Unbelievable.... and yesterday, they came to church, all 5 of them! What a miracle!
Things are going well, we really need to have some BIG MIRACLES because we need them!!
Everyone is doing well!!
ALOFA ATU!!!
Elder Belnap
MORE MIRACLES!! - June 19, 2011
Malosoifua
We had a great week!! The temple was great!! Had a really good trip. I love going to the temple, it's so peaceful and every time I go, I receive some kind of revelation that will make me a better person and missionary.... I STRONGLY encourage you to go to the temple to receive the blessings that Heavenly Father wants to bless you with!
On Friday, we set another person for baptism for next weekend! Her name is Chantay. She's a cute little 9 year old girl. She comes from a part-member family, but she hasn't been baptized yet. She's so cute, she said she wants to come to church and get baptized to help her family to go back to church! And that's exactly what is happening, because of this little girl's faith in Christ, she is helping her family change, and come back unto Christ....
Then Saturday another miracle.... Ashleigh and Leisa's mom was at a lesson with us and she said that she wants to be baptized with her daughters this weekend!!!! So we will have the Kennach family all baptized together! What a miracle!
So for the month, we will have 6 people getting baptized!! God is preparing people left and right and center for us. I thank Heavenly Father for every day that I get to serve here and for the success that He has been granting to us!!! We are being so so blessed!
And yesterday we had stake conference! There were so many people. We had something like 24 recent converts, less actives and investigators that attended as well! What a good feeling that was to see so many of our people that we are teaching come to church!!!
Once again, Elder Moss and I prayed that someone would come to church that could be baptized in July! And God once again blessed us with someone. Kylee, who just got baptized, had one of her friends come to church yesterday! And hopefully, we can go teach him and set him for baptism!!!! Right now, we have about 3 people that are doing very well, and are looking good for next month!
We also found 8 new investigators this week!! God is so merciful! He always is hearing and answering my prayers!
It looks like winter is here :(..... Dang, hate the rain. But luckily it has been a late start to the season!
LOVE YOU!!!
HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!!
OFA ATU!!!
Elder Belnap
We had a great week!! The temple was great!! Had a really good trip. I love going to the temple, it's so peaceful and every time I go, I receive some kind of revelation that will make me a better person and missionary.... I STRONGLY encourage you to go to the temple to receive the blessings that Heavenly Father wants to bless you with!
On Friday, we set another person for baptism for next weekend! Her name is Chantay. She's a cute little 9 year old girl. She comes from a part-member family, but she hasn't been baptized yet. She's so cute, she said she wants to come to church and get baptized to help her family to go back to church! And that's exactly what is happening, because of this little girl's faith in Christ, she is helping her family change, and come back unto Christ....
Then Saturday another miracle.... Ashleigh and Leisa's mom was at a lesson with us and she said that she wants to be baptized with her daughters this weekend!!!! So we will have the Kennach family all baptized together! What a miracle!
So for the month, we will have 6 people getting baptized!! God is preparing people left and right and center for us. I thank Heavenly Father for every day that I get to serve here and for the success that He has been granting to us!!! We are being so so blessed!
And yesterday we had stake conference! There were so many people. We had something like 24 recent converts, less actives and investigators that attended as well! What a good feeling that was to see so many of our people that we are teaching come to church!!!
Once again, Elder Moss and I prayed that someone would come to church that could be baptized in July! And God once again blessed us with someone. Kylee, who just got baptized, had one of her friends come to church yesterday! And hopefully, we can go teach him and set him for baptism!!!! Right now, we have about 3 people that are doing very well, and are looking good for next month!
We also found 8 new investigators this week!! God is so merciful! He always is hearing and answering my prayers!
It looks like winter is here :(..... Dang, hate the rain. But luckily it has been a late start to the season!
LOVE YOU!!!
HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!!
OFA ATU!!!
Elder Belnap
CRAZY WEEK!!!!! HAD 2 BAPTISMS!!!!! - June 12, 2011
Malosoifua!
WOW!!!!!!!!! What a crazy week! We had zone council on Wednesday, leadership training and a baptism... I just have to say that this might be the craziest week of my mission. So the assistants asked us to drop off a missionary. So on Wednesday morning, Elder Moss and I were up at 2:50 a.m., yes that's in the morning.... and we went to bed at 11 p.m. So you can do the math, we only got just over 3 hours of sleep. Then we got back to the flat and it was time to get ready to go to Takapuna for our meeting with President Porter at 7. Then we hit the bed at 10:30ish that night, I WAS WASTED!!!! Being up for 20+ straight hours, and being busy out of our minds, I've decided is unhealthy. Especially when you can't catch up on sleep, lol!!
But anyway, we had to get ready for our baptism. So get ready, this is crazy. Everything that could've went wrong, went wrong, NO JOKE! We filled up the font, then we got a phone call that the font had drained! So we had to go back and fill it up, not to mention the baptism started in 40 minutes.... Then I got a phone call that Malia (the girl getting baptized) got sick. We had just seen her at 2 and she was all good. But out of nowhere she got sick, so we had to go get Brother Leakehe and give her a blessing (45 minutes before the baptism).... I had a baptism program on my hard drive and went to plug it into the computer and for some reason, the computer wouldn't read my hard drive. Come to find out, the computer was too old and didn't have the update! So ten minutes before the baptism, I was freaking out! There were 50 people outside waiting to get started with no program. But I looked down and there was a sacrament program. So Elder Belnap's brain began to work. And you'll think this is funny, but I took the sacrament program, got on the computer and changed all the stuff to make it look like a baptism program and got it done just in time.... Wow! I'm getting tired just tell you all of this! But it gets better. Malia started to get really nervous, so I was rushing to get into the water and quickly baptize her.... so I want you to imagine, this little tiny font, maybe 4 ft. x 3 ft. It was small. And it has these little plastic steps that lead right into it. Well, as I'm rushing in, I SLIP, and go gracefully on my butt right into the font, LOL!!!!!!!!!! I hope you are laughing, because the whole Thomas Road Ward was, lol! But don't worry, it gets better! So my whole mission, I've never had to baptize anyone more than once.... well, there's a first for everything. Malia was my lucky number one, I got to baptize her TWICE! UNBELIEVABLE! But at the end of the day, both Malia and Jaysyn got baptized!!! And everything was fine! And they both got confirmed yesterday!!!!
On the 25th, the two sisters, Ashleigh and Leisa will be getting baptized! Can't wait! The Tafiti family is my favorite family that we are teaching! They are so fun! Love them!
It was just a crazy week! Just glad it's over to be honest! I haven't had 2 seconds to myself to just relax.
Tomorrow we are going to the temple!! Can't wait, haven't been in ages!!
ALOFA ATU (love you/samoan)
Elder Belnap
WOW!!!!!!!!! What a crazy week! We had zone council on Wednesday, leadership training and a baptism... I just have to say that this might be the craziest week of my mission. So the assistants asked us to drop off a missionary. So on Wednesday morning, Elder Moss and I were up at 2:50 a.m., yes that's in the morning.... and we went to bed at 11 p.m. So you can do the math, we only got just over 3 hours of sleep. Then we got back to the flat and it was time to get ready to go to Takapuna for our meeting with President Porter at 7. Then we hit the bed at 10:30ish that night, I WAS WASTED!!!! Being up for 20+ straight hours, and being busy out of our minds, I've decided is unhealthy. Especially when you can't catch up on sleep, lol!!
But anyway, we had to get ready for our baptism. So get ready, this is crazy. Everything that could've went wrong, went wrong, NO JOKE! We filled up the font, then we got a phone call that the font had drained! So we had to go back and fill it up, not to mention the baptism started in 40 minutes.... Then I got a phone call that Malia (the girl getting baptized) got sick. We had just seen her at 2 and she was all good. But out of nowhere she got sick, so we had to go get Brother Leakehe and give her a blessing (45 minutes before the baptism).... I had a baptism program on my hard drive and went to plug it into the computer and for some reason, the computer wouldn't read my hard drive. Come to find out, the computer was too old and didn't have the update! So ten minutes before the baptism, I was freaking out! There were 50 people outside waiting to get started with no program. But I looked down and there was a sacrament program. So Elder Belnap's brain began to work. And you'll think this is funny, but I took the sacrament program, got on the computer and changed all the stuff to make it look like a baptism program and got it done just in time.... Wow! I'm getting tired just tell you all of this! But it gets better. Malia started to get really nervous, so I was rushing to get into the water and quickly baptize her.... so I want you to imagine, this little tiny font, maybe 4 ft. x 3 ft. It was small. And it has these little plastic steps that lead right into it. Well, as I'm rushing in, I SLIP, and go gracefully on my butt right into the font, LOL!!!!!!!!!! I hope you are laughing, because the whole Thomas Road Ward was, lol! But don't worry, it gets better! So my whole mission, I've never had to baptize anyone more than once.... well, there's a first for everything. Malia was my lucky number one, I got to baptize her TWICE! UNBELIEVABLE! But at the end of the day, both Malia and Jaysyn got baptized!!! And everything was fine! And they both got confirmed yesterday!!!!
On the 25th, the two sisters, Ashleigh and Leisa will be getting baptized! Can't wait! The Tafiti family is my favorite family that we are teaching! They are so fun! Love them!
It was just a crazy week! Just glad it's over to be honest! I haven't had 2 seconds to myself to just relax.
Tomorrow we are going to the temple!! Can't wait, haven't been in ages!!
ALOFA ATU (love you/samoan)
Elder Belnap
Saturday, June 11, 2011
MIRACLES!!!!!!! 2 GIRLS SHOW UP TO CHURCH, WANT TO BE BAPTIZED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MALOSOIFUA!!! (hello in Samoan)
Wow what a week! It was crazy. Elder Stucki left the mission home. I was without a companion for a couple days but I've got the best ward ever! The Thomas Road Ward treats me like their son, lol, and takes great care of me. My boy Pepe and George came on splits with me while I didn't have a companion and it was mean to just hang out with the boys and do some great missionary work. Both are RM's and have been home for just a little wihle! But I got my new companion. His name is Elder Jeffrey Moss from Boise, Idaho. Yes, he's a farm boy hard. He's completely opposite from Elder Stucki, but he's super righteous! And we're going to get along great! So now I'm the senior companion over the zone, and the most pumping zone in the mission mind you. So it's been stressful. I forgot how much pressure that comes with being senior, but God always provides. And I'm training another zone leader. Elder Moss is young, only been out under a year, and he reminds me of myself when I first came except he's super into consecrated, if that makes sense. So I'm sure I'm here to help level him out and President Porter told me to teach him the ways. I'm really amazed. God put a lot of young district leaders (2 new ones) along with the third that has been out under a year as well. He loaded us up with heaps of young people and young leadership. I was a bit taken back by this just because I thought he'd bring in experience to help us keep things going. But it's all good, God qualifies those He calls. So now, we just have to train up the whole zone. Right now, things aren't going great. We've only got 24 set in the zone, not where we should be. But God will provide, we just need to make sure that everyone has the faith to have some serious miracles and God will give us what we ask for.
So sit back and buckle up for this miracles story... Elder Moss and I prayed and fasted that someone would come to church that was prepared to be baptized for this month! Our pipeline wasn't doing great, we had some good people we are teaching but we needed to find some new ones to keep our pipelines flowing. And we wanted to set the example right away for our zone. So we just believed and expected that it would happen. We got to church and didn't see anyone new, so we went to the back and glanced over everyone again just to make sure that we didn't miss anyone, but still I didn't see anyone new. A bit disappointing, but still held the faith. After sacrament, I was on my way to class and Brother Tafiti comes up to me and says, "Elder, these two girls want to be baptized. They have been coming to church the past couple weeks and want to be taught." I was stoked!!! An answer to my prayer! So I took Ashleigh (19) and Patrisha (17) to our class, and I taught them while Elder Moss taught the other class. Our lesson was really good. We had their cousins come in with us, Nisa (19) and Eva (17) and Demaris (17). They were great in the class. And I brought my Tongan brotha, Brother Leaheke to help me teach. We had a lesson on the Atonement and what keeps us form going to heaven and how Christ provided a way for us to be baptized and to be cleansed from sin and to live with God and our families forever. The Spirit was strong, and then the Spirit told me to ask Nisa to bear her testimony. And WOW, her testimony was very good. It brought the Spirit in very strong and then I closed and bore my testimony. And I shared with them that I was praying and fasting for someone to come to church today that we could baptize. And I was overwhelmed with the Spirit and got a bit emotional and then I told them that God lives, and thanked them for being an answer to my prayer. God is so merciful! I know that as long as we BELIEVE, God will bless us with whatever we ask. I have a VERY STRONG testimony that whatsoever thing we ask the Father, in Christ's name, that's right, it shall be done unto us. Ask and ye shall receive, knock and it shall be opened unto you.
But it didn't just stop there. Sister Sua told us that her grandson turned 8 on Sunday, and that his parents weren't member but he's been coming to church for two years. So we told her that we would fast with her that her son would allow her grandson, Jason, to be baptized. And at church she says, "Elders! Our fast worked!" So if all goes well, we will be having Jason's baptism this Saturday!
And then there is more.... My Tongan brotha, Brother Leakehe came with us and we taught Aki and Malia. We taught the Law of Chastity very boldly with her and her partner. And they are thinking about it. And she still has some things that she needs to overcome, but I then asked if it would be okay if her daughter Malia could be baptized. She said yes! So she will be baptized this weekend!
We asked God to help us baptize weekly before district meeting on Tuesday so we can go to each companionship and tell them that we are doing it and that they can too! Well, last night, we set 4 people! Baptizing weekly baby! God is a God of miracles and will ALWAYS ANSWER OUR PRAYERS AS LONG AS WE BELIEVE!!! PERIOD, END OF STORY!!! Now, there were trials and it took some serious faith, but it happened, and will continue to happen. So if you want to find someone to baptize, pray for it, be bold and invite. And BELIEVE!!! And it WILL HAPPEN! I bear you my witness of it!
Not to mention Saturday we needed new investigators. We were guided down a street, knocked on a door, they let us in and they are keen. When we left, Elder Moss felt like we should knock on another door, and they let us in. There are people prepared everywhere!
I LOVE MANGERE!!!
I LOVE THOMAS ROAD WARD! I feel like I am just part of the family here! The Leakehe's always take care of us. Not to mention she makes the meanest Tongan bread! Almost as good as yours Mom! haha! But I call her my Tongan Mum! But everyone here is great!
LOVE YOU ALL HEAPS!!!!!
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS!!!!!
Elder Belnap
Wow what a week! It was crazy. Elder Stucki left the mission home. I was without a companion for a couple days but I've got the best ward ever! The Thomas Road Ward treats me like their son, lol, and takes great care of me. My boy Pepe and George came on splits with me while I didn't have a companion and it was mean to just hang out with the boys and do some great missionary work. Both are RM's and have been home for just a little wihle! But I got my new companion. His name is Elder Jeffrey Moss from Boise, Idaho. Yes, he's a farm boy hard. He's completely opposite from Elder Stucki, but he's super righteous! And we're going to get along great! So now I'm the senior companion over the zone, and the most pumping zone in the mission mind you. So it's been stressful. I forgot how much pressure that comes with being senior, but God always provides. And I'm training another zone leader. Elder Moss is young, only been out under a year, and he reminds me of myself when I first came except he's super into consecrated, if that makes sense. So I'm sure I'm here to help level him out and President Porter told me to teach him the ways. I'm really amazed. God put a lot of young district leaders (2 new ones) along with the third that has been out under a year as well. He loaded us up with heaps of young people and young leadership. I was a bit taken back by this just because I thought he'd bring in experience to help us keep things going. But it's all good, God qualifies those He calls. So now, we just have to train up the whole zone. Right now, things aren't going great. We've only got 24 set in the zone, not where we should be. But God will provide, we just need to make sure that everyone has the faith to have some serious miracles and God will give us what we ask for.
So sit back and buckle up for this miracles story... Elder Moss and I prayed and fasted that someone would come to church that was prepared to be baptized for this month! Our pipeline wasn't doing great, we had some good people we are teaching but we needed to find some new ones to keep our pipelines flowing. And we wanted to set the example right away for our zone. So we just believed and expected that it would happen. We got to church and didn't see anyone new, so we went to the back and glanced over everyone again just to make sure that we didn't miss anyone, but still I didn't see anyone new. A bit disappointing, but still held the faith. After sacrament, I was on my way to class and Brother Tafiti comes up to me and says, "Elder, these two girls want to be baptized. They have been coming to church the past couple weeks and want to be taught." I was stoked!!! An answer to my prayer! So I took Ashleigh (19) and Patrisha (17) to our class, and I taught them while Elder Moss taught the other class. Our lesson was really good. We had their cousins come in with us, Nisa (19) and Eva (17) and Demaris (17). They were great in the class. And I brought my Tongan brotha, Brother Leaheke to help me teach. We had a lesson on the Atonement and what keeps us form going to heaven and how Christ provided a way for us to be baptized and to be cleansed from sin and to live with God and our families forever. The Spirit was strong, and then the Spirit told me to ask Nisa to bear her testimony. And WOW, her testimony was very good. It brought the Spirit in very strong and then I closed and bore my testimony. And I shared with them that I was praying and fasting for someone to come to church today that we could baptize. And I was overwhelmed with the Spirit and got a bit emotional and then I told them that God lives, and thanked them for being an answer to my prayer. God is so merciful! I know that as long as we BELIEVE, God will bless us with whatever we ask. I have a VERY STRONG testimony that whatsoever thing we ask the Father, in Christ's name, that's right, it shall be done unto us. Ask and ye shall receive, knock and it shall be opened unto you.
But it didn't just stop there. Sister Sua told us that her grandson turned 8 on Sunday, and that his parents weren't member but he's been coming to church for two years. So we told her that we would fast with her that her son would allow her grandson, Jason, to be baptized. And at church she says, "Elders! Our fast worked!" So if all goes well, we will be having Jason's baptism this Saturday!
And then there is more.... My Tongan brotha, Brother Leakehe came with us and we taught Aki and Malia. We taught the Law of Chastity very boldly with her and her partner. And they are thinking about it. And she still has some things that she needs to overcome, but I then asked if it would be okay if her daughter Malia could be baptized. She said yes! So she will be baptized this weekend!
We asked God to help us baptize weekly before district meeting on Tuesday so we can go to each companionship and tell them that we are doing it and that they can too! Well, last night, we set 4 people! Baptizing weekly baby! God is a God of miracles and will ALWAYS ANSWER OUR PRAYERS AS LONG AS WE BELIEVE!!! PERIOD, END OF STORY!!! Now, there were trials and it took some serious faith, but it happened, and will continue to happen. So if you want to find someone to baptize, pray for it, be bold and invite. And BELIEVE!!! And it WILL HAPPEN! I bear you my witness of it!
Not to mention Saturday we needed new investigators. We were guided down a street, knocked on a door, they let us in and they are keen. When we left, Elder Moss felt like we should knock on another door, and they let us in. There are people prepared everywhere!
I LOVE MANGERE!!!
I LOVE THOMAS ROAD WARD! I feel like I am just part of the family here! The Leakehe's always take care of us. Not to mention she makes the meanest Tongan bread! Almost as good as yours Mom! haha! But I call her my Tongan Mum! But everyone here is great!
LOVE YOU ALL HEAPS!!!!!
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS!!!!!
Elder Belnap
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)