We Call, Place Our Order and Hang Up

12/02/2013

This week I don’t really have much to share.  I’ve been studying in Preach My Gospel about the spirit and its role in conversion and other things.  It is so critical in missionary work, especially here.  People here are really uneducated.  You ask a direct question and rarely do you get a direct answer. So it’s really critical that the spirit carries the message to the hearts of these people.

I also read about prayer and how powerful it is in seeking for the spirit.  Prayer is awesome. I have had experiences with prayer here in the mission that are awesome. I remember one day my old companion and I had nothing to do because all of our appointments had fallen through.  I didn’t want to go home because we still had an hour until we should go home.  So I said a prayer that someone would be put in our path or we would be guided to someone to teach.  After, we went and talked with some members for a little while and lo and behold, in walked one of our investigators. I know that was an answer to my prayers.  I just feel bad because my companion and I are working so hard and at the end of the day, it’s really hard to say meaningful prayers.  And quite frankly to stay awake! But I know that as we try to say meaningful prayers, and when we meditate about our needs and the needs of others before we pray, prayer will take on a special significance.  One of the things I’ve noticed about my companion is that after we pray he sits for a second with his eyes closed.  I never understood why until one day it hit me. He’s listening for the spirit.  I have never thought about doing that.  But I have learned how critical it is.  A quote in Preach My Gospel by President Hunter (I think), says that we all too often come to think of prayer as a grocery call-in order. We call, place our order and hang up.  I sometimes find myself doing that. In my morning prayers, I pray, finish, stand up and go eat breakfast. I know I want to try and use a little more time after I pray to listen for the spirit.  I know that when we do that, prayer will be a powerful tool in our lives to receive revelation and counsel.  Anyways, just a short tidbit for today.

…Dad I would love to send you some conversion experiences, but honestly we only have one.  We are working on a baptism of a couple right now, but we need money and papers, and in a corrupt country it’s really hard.  So you’ll hear about one soon I hope.  …you guys, I love you so much and I’m so glad you are my parents.  Till next week!

Elder Ollis