Becoming Strong Members

Well this has been a fun week. We found and started working with this family and we saw them almost every other day this week and it was great. Every time we went by we had a member with us and it was so fun to just let them go. We are trying to help our members take charge and invite people to do things more now. I don’t know if ya’ll had the chance to watch that Work of Salvation broadcast that the church put out but ya’ll should do it. It’s sweet and I always want to but there is not time to do it. I would make that a FHE for ya’ll and just go through the different videos and see what ya’ll learn. The Lord is changing the way that he works. It was crazy, something that hit me the other day. With the way the mission has changed what they are really doing is trying to train the missionaries on how to be strong members. The way they have changed the work makes us see what a difference family night does or daily scripture study or praying as a family or going to church. They are making it so that for sure, however many missionaries that there are right now, we will be strong members who will come home and add strength to our units (wards/branches) and it’s crazy to me! That was something I thought was really cool.

So yeah, our ward is doing really well. We have several members who are really stepping up and giving a great example and we are really excited for all of them to start seeing the blessings that come to their families for doing it. I hope that you all are having missionary experiences or that you are having time to read and pray.

I love ya and hope you have a great week.

Love ya,

Elder Birks

Saved from Danger

So yes we did have a baptism this Friday and it was great. It’s the wife of a member and now she is a member and they are trying to get ready for a year down the road when they can get married in the temple! They were great. The Spirit was way strong during the service. We also got there right as a big storm came rolling in and that was really fun. I still love the rain here. It’s just so strong.

So cool thing that happened. So I was biking and I was running late so I was biking fast and I was heading for a parking lot that we use as a short cut. As I was going, I was about to cross a closed road (there is lots of construction so it’s just not ever used) and I was about to cross when I felt like I needed to check to my right. Now there are never cars on this road and the road doesn’t go anywhere so there is no reason for cars to be there but I felt like I needed to check and when I did there was a white SUV just flying down this road and they were not even trying to stop or slow down. So I grab my brakes and came to a sliding halt as the car went flying by. As I sat there for a second it was a cool moment to realize that God had just protected me from physical danger. That He had told me to look and allowed me to stop in time and really not to have any problem. We were still running late at that point so we took off again but it was a cool moment for me. It’s cool that God will give us subtle hints and tell us what we can do in order to stay safe. All we have to do is listen.

This has been a really fun week, kinda strange without Elder F* but not too bad. We were able to teach a lot and were able to find some new people through referrals and now we have some great people that we are visiting. We had a week that was really fun. I’m telling you attitude makes the biggest difference. If I just told you what happened this week ya’ll would be like “Oh I’m sorry” or something like that but as I think back on it I just want to smile or laugh. For example we were able to get a ride with a member during a rainstorm but his car was fogging up so we had to roll the windows down and it was raining sideways so it just came straight in the car. We had to keep wiping the window because of all the fog and his car started to overheat, (see it could be taken as a rough night right , haha) but cool things happened. One, because he was with us we were able to go visit a family that we hadn’t seen all week. They weren’t home but their friend was and he let us in because it started to rain so we met J* and he said we could come back. Next because of the rain our member was able to stay out with us and because of windows being down we still got to have the fun of biking in the rain! And I didn’t even have to get tired. Then we taught a lesson with a family and they were really nice to us because we were wet and they all accepted dates to be baptized. I feel like God has never meant to give us a bad day. He just sets up what we need and all we have to do is look for the miracle that is there or that will come. I love working as a missionary. I love biking or driving in the rain. I love getting to talk to people and I’m really happy to be here. I hope ya’ll have a great week and are able to do something fun. I love ya'll.

Love,

Elder Birks

Staying Put

I have not been transferred. As for now it will just be me and Elder S*** together in Mo. City. I will find out more on Wednesday. I just dropped off Elder F and it's going to be strange. We will be having a baptism this Friday and that will be great.

Yes the alligators were wild and it's just a big park that you can go to.

Well I'm way short on time and I've got to run.  This has been a great week though. We got to do service and go to church and we were able to teach more and help some of our old investigators progress. I'm doing really well. I'm pumped to be staying and Elder S*** is a boss so I'm sure we will do great.

I love ya'll and hope you have a great week.

Love,
Elder Birks

Transfers are coming!!!!

Hi family. So transfers are coming!!!! Ahahaa I don’t know how I feel about that. It’s going to be crazy to lose Elder F*. He is my Spanish dictionary who knows all the scriptures. It’s going to be strange to not have him around. He is a really great guy and I have liked being his companion a lot. It’s funny how they put comps together. They have you go to a meeting and then they say ok Elder _______ and Elder ________ you now live together. Have fun!  And then off you go and you just start working. You go home and out to work and after a while you start to know what they are good at and why you are with them (what you are supposed to learn) and from that you can start to progress and start to make those changes. Sometimes I feel like the Lord puts us in these places and areas just because of our companion. Elder F* has helped me a lot in my time here and I’m really grateful for what he has taught me.

Elder S* is doing great out here. It’s funny. I keep trying to give him the phone because he is really good at Spanish and the faster he can work with the phone the better but he doesn’t like the phone and it’s always kinda funny to watch him try and keep it out of his hands. It’s been great to have two comps that are just so strong in the gospel. They really know their stuff and I feel like it is just awesome to be a part of what’s going on here in Mo. City North East. My district is doing great as well. We are all getting close and starting to work really well together. I’m with one of the sisters that I came out with, Sister G* so that’s been great. I’m having lots of fun.

This last pday we went to an alligator park and it was sweet. We got to see some big gators and we got to touch a little baby. It was sweet. I have some good pictures of it.

I have to go but I’m doing good. I hope ya’ll have a great week.

Elder Birks