A picture I missed back in Dec :)

the good Lord giveth and the good Lord taketh away

I've had a lot of really deep things on my mind during the last week, really for several.  I understand just a little bit better now what it means that "the good Lord giveth and the good Lord taketh away."  Recently there have been a few things that the good Lord has taken away that have made me pause and think a little more about the eternal impact that small things can have.  A cousin of mine passed away this week, it seems like the family has been doing relatively well with the tragedy, but things that happen so sudden are always so hard.  I send my condolences to the McClatchy's and my love.  I'm praying for you, and I know that the Lord will continue to bless your lives for the service that you give to Him.  He will make straight your paths.  Almost a month ago now I learned that a man who I had worked with, who was recently baptized actually, also passed away suddenly.  It was a really hard thing for me when I heard the news, but at the same time the spirit world is a great place for someone with so much faith to be.  Leonid will is one step closer to receiving his perfect, resurrected body, and returning to our Father in Heaven.  Maybe I'll try to do his temple work before I go home from my mission at the end of next year.  That would be a really neat experience. 

 

With those things on my mind, I've thought a lot about the importance of living and using every day.  Leave nothing undone, no kind word unsaid, we never know what will be tomorrow, and it is a shame to not do the things that we'd have liked to, or the things that we really need to do.  I teach a lot of people, over and over, the principles of repentance.  It's never too late to repent, but it's also definitely never too early!  It takes courage to stand on a spot, turn your body and your life, and walk in a new direction, but there is no surer way to improve that which you've been given.  A great example that has affected me and taught me this principle, is my grandpa Bill.  When he decided to be baptized he quit smoking and drinking in one day, and simply never did it ever again.  It's often very hard to change the things that we have let become habits in our lives, but there is little more dangerous than a bad habit.

 

Well that said, I guess I'll tell a little bit about the work I've been doing.  Several weeks ago we decided that we wanted to move our focus to finding new investigators, so that we could spread the work, because the people who have been around for a long time have stopped progressing, or have no real desire to meet right now.  So we've spent a lot of time hunting, knocking doors, talking to people on streets and on busses, and trying to figure out how we can get to know people who we can help come closer to Christ.  Yesterday we were sitting in a Branch Missionary Meeting with our Branch President, Zvyagolskii.  As each companionship talked about those who they were working with and worrying about President went through the list and said "where are all the fresh people?  Why aren't you finding anyone?"  Then it was my turn, and it felt really good to be able to say "we really are only working with 2 investigators right now, but we found them both in the last 8 days and there is a lot of potential with both of them.  He was very proud of us and made a big speech to our district leader and zone leaders (who are the other Elders in Vlad right now) and told them that they need to follow our example.  Haha.  It's good to have the Branch President's trust as a missionary.  He is a pretty intense guy too.  The rock is starting to move. 

 

We also had a cool story about one of the members in our area who was inactive when I came to this area.  After we worked with him a little bit he came back to church and has been doing much better.  Then he started bringing his new girlfriend to church with him.  This week I asked him when we could start working with her to teach her the Gospel, and he gave us permission to try to start.  We had them over to the Bodell's for Family Home Evening on Monday, but then found out that she lives in another area, so we gave her to the other Elders.  After only a few lessons she has a baptismal date set for a few weeks from now, and they have the goal to save up for a year and then go to Korea to be sealed in the Temple for time and eternity.  Higher goals help us to do more, and it was so great to see member missionary work...working.  There's no better way.  The work is moving, the Lord's hand guides it. 

 

Thanks for all of the prayers in my behalf, for those with whom I work, and for the success of this difficult part of the Lord's vinyard.  I know that my strength is not my own.  The Lord blesses us with his tender mercies each day. 

 

--

Elder Fife

Pushing against the rock

If my letter ends up a little harsh, or lame, or short this week, its because the room where I'm sitting is filled with 11 and 12 year old boys who are playing computer games and screaming at each other...it's really stressing me out.  Still working on that patience skill...it's a toughie.

Well the weeks keep rolling on, time seems to be just flying by, and my companion keeps the "old man" jokes coming as he reminds me that before too much more time has gone I'll be over the hill in mission standards.  That's a scary thought.  I am still a long way from the person that I want to become while a missionary.  There are so many things where I find myself lacking.  The time that you have on a mission is far too short, but at the same time the life you lived before you started wearing white shirts and name tags seems like a distant dream.  There's a great talk that President Monson gave, that a lady speaking in our Sacrament Meeting yesterday talked a little bit about, which helps me to keep my perspective.  President Monson taught that we should remember the past, look to the future, but live in the present.  Looking on the lessons I've learned throughout my life, which were all preparing me for this one moment, I am better able to realize the things that I need to keep doing here in the present.  I really am grateful for the counsel and guidance of a living Prophet of God, to help me keep my head on straight and my priorities in cheque.  I don't think that many people realize just how valuable a living Prophet is for the lives that we continue to live every day.  In just a few short months we'll hear from him again in General Conference, and I don't even feel like I've grasped the things he taught us last Conference, when he gave the Priesthood great counsel about honesty and righteous living, and gave the world comfort in our knowledge of the Plan of Salvation and the resurrection. 

I really don't know what to tell from this week, I am really sitting at a difficult part of my mission.  Sometimes I really feel like I've been called to push against a rock, growing stronger little by little, but aching each night because the rock refuses to move.  I'm still happy, depression has never really played a role in my mission, but I often reflect on the phrase I heard once in the MTC.  "Teaching missionaries are happy missionaries."  If we had more people to teach, I know my happiness would fill the world.  We have so many great prospects, even for this week, and we should really start working with great new investigators and helping them to make and keep commitments, leading to covenants with the Lord.  The Lord will bless us, and he will give us success.  In John chapter 4 the Savior said to his disciples "I sent you to reap" and those words apply in my mission too.  Success on my mission has been a little slow, but I know that the Lord will give me the opportunity to help others come unto Christ. 

I'll have more good stories to tell next week, sorry I didn't really tell much about what I've been doing in this letter, I feel like I didn't really share much.  If there is anything that I would really say this week it's this.  Take advantage of the things you're given.  Use the resources the Lord's prepared.  Listen to, and follow His prophet.  The Spirit speaks to us much more than we listen, learn to listen better.  Well my time to write is up so I'll leave with that thought I guess.  Thanks for your prayers and for support.  The work rolls on. 

--
Elder Sam Fife

(No Subject) :)

It's a little rough trying to pretend like you know all the answers about missionary work for a new Elder fresh from the MTC, I'm not gunna lie.  It's a good thing that the Lord teaches us in lots more ways than through senior companions or trainers.  The most important element of this work is the Holy Ghost.  That is one of the things that separates me and other missionaries from the thousands of other people who walk down the street every day, the Holy Ghost will bare testimony of me, my calling from a prophet, and my message to the hearts of those who will hear His voice.  I also am really grateful for the way that the Lord directs us to where He wants us to be. 

 

Last night, for example, we determined to go tracting (knocking on doors inviting people to hear our message and strengthen their faith in the Lord) during the day, in hopes that families might be home and together on a Sunday afternoon.  First we determined the area to start looking in, using counsel Elder Conley received while he was in the MTC.  There's so much that I've already forgotten that I learned in the MTC, I'll need to start rereading the book of MTC wisdom that I kept while I was there.  I have promptings and teachings and counsel from almost every day while I was in that great place.  So we determined an area, made sure to say a good prayer before we left, and we got on our way.  Now we didn't have any miraculous manifestations or work any mighty miracles, but the Lord showed me who leads this work in His own way.  We finally got to the place where we felt like we wanted to go, and found an open door, instead of trying others with intercoms that never seem to work too great.  In the one stairwell that we knocked on 5 doors opened.  To people in 3 of those homes we gave material that they asked for in order to learn more about the Plan of Salvation or the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and 2 of those 3 gave us their phone number so that we can make later contact.  Now this doesn't sound huge to a lot of you probably, but for those who have knocked hundreds of doors, only to have them slammed on your face, or people sneak away quietly pretending that they aren't home (yes, it happens) this was a cool experience.  Maybe nothing will come of it, but we planted a few seeds of truth in the hearts of those who we met, and now they have the option to accept more truth and light in their life, or to reject it and keep living the exact same way as they did a week ago.  You have that option too.  You have the scriptures before you, therefore search them.  That's the counsel the Savior gave in both the Eastern and the Western hemisphere as he taught his gospel.  in 3rd Nephi 23:1 he calls it a commandment.  You can always search for greater light and knowledge, or you can reject the possibilities and keep living like you do right now...Kind of a scary thought, right?  I wonder what opportunities the Lord gives us that we reject or ignore every day.  I'll probably have to start looking a little harder for those. 

 

Oh, I remembered this week another way that I didn't know that scouting, particularly Cedar Badge, prepared me to serve where I am today: cold showers.  Our hot water was finally turned off this week.  When we told our Landlord he just smiled and said  "congratulations" and "probably for a long time too."  Thank you CB for the early morning showers using a hose out of a sink in the middle of the woods...because I never could find time to walk to the real shower house.  Finally paid off.  It wakes me up in the morning too. 

 

Another Vlad tragedy.  Everyone is leaving!  Nastya, our Relief Society President, who has now been a member of the Church for 2 years (today) is moving this week to Utah to go to UVU.  We're really sad to lose her, but I guess it's good that she'll get a good look at how strong a ward can be, and be surrounded by the Saints and by Temples of the Lord.  It will be a great blessing for her...but now there are basically no youth in our Branch.  That's a fun paradox that we seem to always have, oh well.  So if you are in Orem and happen to meet a girl with a funny Russian accent...tell her that Elder Fife says hi and to come back to Vlad.  :)

 

Have a great week.  Do something special or cool for someone around you.  Hey and you could write me a letter and update me on your life too!  That's a neat idea, huh?  Especially if the only address that I have for you (if I have one at all) is for where you were at school last year and I just haven't written you lately because I don't know where to send it.  Just a thought. 

 

--

 

Elder Fife