Vancouver Mission Star
This message was written by President and Sister Middleton. It also appears in the Vancouver Star, the weekly newsletter of the Vancouver Mission. It is sent to each companionship throughout the mission.
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Those Bruises Won’t Kill You
One of our excellent missionaries, Elder T.J. Carlisle, grew up in Star Valley, Wyoming, in a ranching family. While still a boy, Elder Carlisle’s father had him start branding cattle one day. He found quickly that the cattle objected to being branded, and soon his legs were covered with bruises from being kicked repeatedly. Elder Carlisle pointed out to his father the beating his legs were taking, perhaps looking for sympathy. After a moment’s inspection, and reflection, his wise father noted, “Those bruises won’t kill you, they are a long way from your heart. You’ll be alright.”
There is No Time for Discouragement or Rest
The observations made to young T. J. Carlisle by his insightful father apply to him then and now in the mission. They apply equally to each of us, on many levels. While it is rare for us missionaries to receive bodily harm, as those cattle gave to young T. J. Carlisle’s legs, we all experience set-backs throughout each week, from potential investigators declining to hear our message, from turning challenging companionships into loving and harmonious ones, from personal finding through inclement weather, from members not fully embracing the PMG concept of regularly inviting their non-member acquaintances to “come and see,” objecting that it’s too hard and they “have never done it this way,” and an array of other challenges. If we let them do so any or all of our challenges can take us out of the work through discouragement. However, like the bruises from the cattle kicks to the legs of young T. J. Carlisle, none of our challenges and obstacles will kill us; none is anywhere near our heart. As missionaries and disciples of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and with His help, we must boldly and gladly carry on and must succeed in meeting, matching and conquering each and every challenge which confronts us.
The Lord Rewards Us in Response to Hard, Effective Work
President Gordon B. Hinckley has challenged us to double the number of baptisms we have had. With faith and hard work we can. We challenge each missionary to carefully review the number of baptisms per transfer that he or she has been a part of so far, then determine what can be done to double that number. How can we do it? We would suggest there is no other way than through hard, smart work, executed with great faith.
President Ezra Taft Benson said it best when he noted, “Work, work, work-there is no satisfactory substitute, especially in missionary work.” (PMG, page 121) The Christlike attribute of diligence must become our normal pattern. We must learn to work both hard and smart. We should establish the personal goal of “no down time during the day, ever,” and must strive to couple our working hard with working smart. We promise you that the Lord will bless you with His richest blessings if you do.
Seeking Many Contacts Each Day Brings Blessings in Many Ways, by Elders Hiram Knapp (and Kelby Godfrey.)
“The Kelowna 2nd Ward has been doing very well in missionary work. We have seven ward missionaries with whom we go on exchanges once a week, and they help considerably because they have a lot of non-member friends and they know a lot of people whom we don’t. We think that working for a high number of contacts each day has been paying off, not only in meeting many people, but in other areas of our work as well. The members have started giving us many more referrals the last couple of weeks, and most of all they have helped us with fellowshipping a couple of less active members who have been going through some challenges. They both were at Church on Sunday, and we think they felt very welcomed. The ward missionaries are leading the rest of the ward and helping to motivate the members to do missionary work.”
Hard Work Brings Baptisms and Blessings in Victoria, by Elders Noueru Shibayama (and Jared Fullmer)
“Elder Fullmer and I are doing great! We are working hard, and as a result are blessed with one baptism this coming week and another one the following. My personal goal is to see 9 baptisms by the end of my mission.
“One of our investigators, Matt, is going to be baptized this week. All of the YSA Victoria 4th Branch members are working with him. I’m so grateful for the branch members, because they have come to understand missionary work and the value of team play. We also have a branch activity almost weekly, and usually two or three non-members come to each activity. There is huge potential in Victoria and we are going to see an explosion of missionary work in the YSA 4th Branch as well as the Victoria First Ward. Last week, two districts of the Victoria Zone achieved over 350 contacts each, and we feel the Lord is blessing us for our hard work.”
“Do Things You’ve Never Done Before” – Our Zone Goal, by Elders Spencer Mun (and Woong Choi and Junjune Huh)
“’To do things you’ve never done before, you have to do things you’ve never done before!’ I love this as our basic zone goal. While language work is different from English work, this goal serves not only for us, but for all the areas in BC. Because each area in this mission differs from other areas, in order for us to do something that hasn’t been done before in our respective areas (ex: baptisms, contacts, other goals, etc) then we have to do things we have never done before. Consistent with this goal we are doing our best to increase our key indicators, and I can see that we can increase our key indicators by doing things that we’ve never done before. I can see many baptisms coming from PoCo fairly soon.
“Our companionship is doing amazingly well right now, because we all are doing our best to be united in one heart and one mind, and surely many blessings will come from our unity.”
That we all might redouble our efforts to “do things we’ve never done before” is our constant prayer. We love you!
President and Sister Middleton
(Check off weekly whether you have achieved each of the eight goals below.)
q Ask for a referral name in every conversation with a member or non-member alike… “Will you bring an acquaintance on a Spiritual Tour?”
q Challenge members to Set-A-Date for a Spiritual Tour or a Church event which can be coupled with a Spiritual Tour with their non-member friend at least 3 times yearly.
q Our goal is to find at least one new investigator daily.
q Our goal is to teach 15 or more full lessons weekly…
q …with at least 3 Spiritual Tours weekly.
q Extend at least one baptismal invitation and commitment each week.
q Remember our mission goal: 10 Gospel contacts per day per missionary outside our usual finding and teaching duties. That includes a Gospel message to everyone you see.
q As weekly goals are set for each Key Indicator, pray for inspiration, and set goals that are lofty yet achievable. Our ultimate long-term goal is for at least 3 baptisms per companionship per transfer.
“For with God nothing shall be impossible.” --Luke 1:37
The Coveted “Off the Hook” Award:
(Week-ending Feb 3, 2008)
In Recognition of the following:
Baptisms Year to Date
Kelowna and Prince George (3 Baptisms)
Baptisms this Week:
Victoria (1 Baptism )
Investigators with a Baptismal Date:
Abbotsford (12 with Baptismal Dates)
Honorable Mention: Vernon (8)
Investigators Attending Sacrament Meeting:
Abbotsford (25 Investigators at Sacrament Meeting)
Lessons with a Member Present:
Abbotsford Zone (19 Lessons with a Member Present)
Other Lessons Taught
Vancouver Language (142)
Contacts
Victoria (23 contacts per day)
Progressing Investigators:
Abbotsford Zone (27 Progressing Investigators)
New Investigators:
Vancouver (13 New Investigators)
Honorable Mention: Surrey Language(11)
Full Lessons:
Vancouver (15.5 Average per companionship)
Surrey Language ( 15 Average per companionship)
Full Lessons to Non-Members
Surrey Language (13 Average per companionship)
COMPANIONSHIPS:
Elders Choi, Mun and Huh: 3 at Sacrament, 38 other, 3 progressing, 4 new, 230 contacts, 22 full, 20 to non-members
Elders Shibayama and Fullmer: 1 with baptismal date, 4 at Sacrament, 6 member present, 21 other, 3 progressing, 169 contacts, 2 new, 15 full lessons
Elders Brown and Mather: 1 with baptismal date, 1 member present, 62 other, 2 progressing, 100 contacts, 18 full
Elders Earnest and Knapp: 2 with baptismal date, 2 at Sacrament, 9 member present, 37 other, 2 progressing, 163 contacts, 15 full, 10 to non-members
Elders Barker and Klekas: 4 at Sacrament, 3 member present, 27 other, 6 progressing, 2 new, 133 contacts, 18 full
Elders Roberts and Smith: 2 with baptismal date, 5 at Sacrament, 4 member present, 30 other, 4 progressing, 20 full, 18 to non-members
Elders Hatton and Weinert: 3 at Sacrament, 5 member present, 20 full
Sisters Falk and Burt: 1 with baptismal date, 1 at Sacrament, 47 other, 4 progressing, 103 contacts, 17 full, 8 to non-members
Elders Roberts and Smith: 2 with baptismal date, 7 at Sacrament, 3 member present, 36 other, 3 progressing, 7 new, 119 contacts, 21 full, 18 to non-members
Elders Godfrey and Hea: 42 other, 160 contacts
Elders Harrison and Reynolds: 6 with baptismal date, 6 at Sacrament, 4 member present, 22 other, 6 progressing, 132 contacts, 16 full
Honorable Mention:
Elders Bowles and Heinzen: 2 with baptismal date, 8 at Sacrament, 6 progressing, 169 contacts, 15 full, 12 to non-members
Elders DeHerrera and Tolleson: 5 with baptismal date, 7 at Sacrament, 20 other, 7 progressing
Elders Johnson and Ramsey: 4 at Sacrament, 6 member present, 15 other, 4 progressing, 103 contacts, 15 full
Elders Spongberg and Walton: 7 member present, 27 other, 2 progressing, 141 contacts, 16 full
Sisters D’Amours andAnderson: 7 at Sacrament, 4 member present, 15 full, 10 to non-members
Elders Cornwell and Green: 5 at Sacrament, 148 contacts,
Elders Scoffield and Fisher: 4 at Sacrament, 4 member present, 3 progressing, 2 new
Elders Thompson and Zmoos: 3 at Sacrament, 25 other, 172 contacts
Elders Thompson and Gonzalez: 26 other, 137 contacts
Elders Marcum and Homer: 1 with baptismal date, 3 at Sacrament, 3 progressing, 17 full
Sisters Overlock and Chevalier: 45 other, 146 contacts
Elders Lassetter and Douglas: 2 with baptismal date, 3 at Sacrament, 5 member present, 26 other, 4 progressing, 19 full, 10 to non-members
Elders Heaton and Weeks: 4 with baptismal date, 6 at Sacrament, 5 member present, 5 progressing
Sisters Caribou and Dye: 1 baptismal date, 1 at Sacrament, 2 member present, 24 other, 3 progressing, 15 full
Elders Ruesch and McAllister: 2 at Sacrament, 34 other, 113 contacts, 15 full
Elders Whittenburg and McDowell: 2 at Sacrament, 18 other, 2 progressing, 188 contacts, 15 full
to read past messages.