Hey everyone this was a great week here in Timisoara!!
So this week we had TRANSFERS!! So usually I don't freak out because of transfers but since a lot of missionaries are coming in and out, a lot of things are going to happen regardless of who you are. I am one of those people who faced some change because of transfers. I will no longer be training Elder Strobel here in Timisoara, but I am a Zone Leader with Elder Dahl in Cluj. So I'm pretty surprised, but excited at the same time. Even though I'm leaving Timisoara and Elder Strobel, the work still goes on and I know that I am needed in Cluj for a reason. I'm excited to be with Elder Dahl and to learn from him and to work hard alongside him in Cluj. I'm excited to be a Zone Leader and to lead this West Zone and to help it bring success and see the fruit of our labors. I am very grateful for the time I spent in Timisoara and I know I am a better person and a better missionary because of it. I am ready to bring souls unto Christ in this new adventure in Cluj!
We really focused on members this week and didn't succeed that much with finding and teaching friends. We did, however, have a very good lesson with Raul and we are starting to figure out what he needs in order to be baptized. We reviewed the baptismal interview questions and he believes that God is our Eternal Father and Jesus is our Savior and Redeemer which is a good start. He then believes that Joseph Smith restored Christ's church and Gospel, something we weren't expecting but we'll hopefully elaborate so he fully understands what he believes. He did not, though, say he believes Russell M. Nelson is a prophet of God yet so we spent our lesson trying to help him understand President Nelson's prophetic calling. We watched a conference talk by him and committed him to watch more talks and to pray to know the truth. We are going to now build off of this and help him understand all the necessary items for baptism. Everyone else was non-responsive or just busy this entire week, which wasn't super great but we kept daily contact with people despite lack of meetings. We also started trying to broaden our searching methods with the winter weather. Since it recently snowed, we took to the sidewalks and shoveled for people and we had our most successful contacting in weeks. We talked to 6 people and explained our purpose here and while no one was interested in our message, they were much more accepting and willing to listen, much like Ammon and his desire to SERVE King Lamoni before preaching. We will definitely be doing this more in the coming months in our respective cities in an attempt to Light the World.
Like I said earlier, we focused on members a lot this week, mainly to get the members involved in Lighting the World. We invited members to come to our Christmas party with their family members and friends and while they didn't do so, the invitation is out there and I am really hoping for some more people to come on the 23rd to the special Christmas sacrament meeting. We also did some service for a less-active family, Familia Munteanu, and they were really appreciative for our simple act of service. They have been a focus for us to bring back to church and while we didn't succeed this transfer, the transfers to come will bring more growth and progress and they will come back to church, I know it.
Like I said earlier as well, we had a Christmas party with our branch and it was super great!! Nothing like back home, but we had some great food, great music (thanks Piano Guys, David Archuleta, and the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square), and great entertainment. Who knew a bunch of old ladies would be so hilarious to be around for a Christmas party haha. Lesson learned, invite everyone and you will be thankful for what happens.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." - John 3:16-17 Let us remember the true reason of Christ's birth as we get closer and closer to Christmas. Let us serve as Jesus served and give as Jesus gave. I love you all and I hope you all have a great week!!
Va iubesc,
Elder Bowen
So this week we had TRANSFERS!! So usually I don't freak out because of transfers but since a lot of missionaries are coming in and out, a lot of things are going to happen regardless of who you are. I am one of those people who faced some change because of transfers. I will no longer be training Elder Strobel here in Timisoara, but I am a Zone Leader with Elder Dahl in Cluj. So I'm pretty surprised, but excited at the same time. Even though I'm leaving Timisoara and Elder Strobel, the work still goes on and I know that I am needed in Cluj for a reason. I'm excited to be with Elder Dahl and to learn from him and to work hard alongside him in Cluj. I'm excited to be a Zone Leader and to lead this West Zone and to help it bring success and see the fruit of our labors. I am very grateful for the time I spent in Timisoara and I know I am a better person and a better missionary because of it. I am ready to bring souls unto Christ in this new adventure in Cluj!
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| My Journey so far |
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| A Light the World idea |
We really focused on members this week and didn't succeed that much with finding and teaching friends. We did, however, have a very good lesson with Raul and we are starting to figure out what he needs in order to be baptized. We reviewed the baptismal interview questions and he believes that God is our Eternal Father and Jesus is our Savior and Redeemer which is a good start. He then believes that Joseph Smith restored Christ's church and Gospel, something we weren't expecting but we'll hopefully elaborate so he fully understands what he believes. He did not, though, say he believes Russell M. Nelson is a prophet of God yet so we spent our lesson trying to help him understand President Nelson's prophetic calling. We watched a conference talk by him and committed him to watch more talks and to pray to know the truth. We are going to now build off of this and help him understand all the necessary items for baptism. Everyone else was non-responsive or just busy this entire week, which wasn't super great but we kept daily contact with people despite lack of meetings. We also started trying to broaden our searching methods with the winter weather. Since it recently snowed, we took to the sidewalks and shoveled for people and we had our most successful contacting in weeks. We talked to 6 people and explained our purpose here and while no one was interested in our message, they were much more accepting and willing to listen, much like Ammon and his desire to SERVE King Lamoni before preaching. We will definitely be doing this more in the coming months in our respective cities in an attempt to Light the World.
Like I said earlier, we focused on members a lot this week, mainly to get the members involved in Lighting the World. We invited members to come to our Christmas party with their family members and friends and while they didn't do so, the invitation is out there and I am really hoping for some more people to come on the 23rd to the special Christmas sacrament meeting. We also did some service for a less-active family, Familia Munteanu, and they were really appreciative for our simple act of service. They have been a focus for us to bring back to church and while we didn't succeed this transfer, the transfers to come will bring more growth and progress and they will come back to church, I know it.
Like I said earlier as well, we had a Christmas party with our branch and it was super great!! Nothing like back home, but we had some great food, great music (thanks Piano Guys, David Archuleta, and the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square), and great entertainment. Who knew a bunch of old ladies would be so hilarious to be around for a Christmas party haha. Lesson learned, invite everyone and you will be thankful for what happens.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." - John 3:16-17 Let us remember the true reason of Christ's birth as we get closer and closer to Christmas. Let us serve as Jesus served and give as Jesus gave. I love you all and I hope you all have a great week!!
Va iubesc,
Elder Bowen
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