Sister Missionary Elect Lady in Kingdom of God

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: 2012162-PRS@ldschurch.org Date: Tue, Oct 25, 2011 at 4:43 PM Subject: Re: Weekly Report Sent on 11 Oct 2011 To: annika.bruno@myldsmail.net Sister Bruno, Time is flying by so fast. It seems like we waited forever preparing for Elder Holland's talk, and now it has come and gone. I hope you were prepared and that you felt inspiration and revelation from the Spirit during that meeting. It was such a beautiful blessing to sit and learn at the feet of an apostle and prophet of the Lord. As Elder Holland talked, I watched the faces of the missionaries and I felt that you were being taught from on high. All your faces were lifted to the pulpit and filled with light. What a marvelous experience. It's been a couple of weeks since your last letter so I am interested to know how your investigators are doing. You are having so many wonderful experiences as a missionary. These experiences are helping you to grow step by step in the way of the Lord. You may not realize this, but you are becoming an elect lady in the Lord's kingdom. You are preparing to be a wife, mother and angel of mercy to all who surround you. Keep striving to be a great missionary, and in the process you will become a great person. We love you and thank the Lord for your service here President Schmutz

Rejecting the Book of Mormon: Missionary Sadness

President Schmutz, This week I reached my one year mark. It has been the 'best year for my life' for sure. I have learned how to overcome weakness. I have learned how to live with another person for 24 hours straight. I have come to appreciate every blessing from Heavenly father. I have grown to love the Filipino culture, people, and food. My taste, desires, and life has changed on the mission. We are excited for this month, it's going to be busy, but it will be very enjoyable. We just got done with general conference, and then this Saturday is zone interview, and then district conference, and then the 20th of October we will have the once in a life time chance to go to listen to Elder Holland. If you didn't know before Elder Holland is my favorite speaker. I prayed in the MTC that he would be a guest speaker, and he ended up coming twice to speak. This really is a blessing to be once again in his presence. He is an awesome motivational speaker. In the MTC he spoke about if we ever wanted to go home or be disobedient to remember that we are examples to the younger generation, and that his grandchildren look at the missionaries as examples and that if we ever got lazy remember his grandchildren and that not to disappoint them. I still remember his words after a year here in the field. Here on the mission everyday is like a new chapter in life. Anything could happen! The mission is an adventure we can not guess what will happen. For example we were really excited about visiting a new investigator Sister Panga yesterday. We visited her just before lunch. &Because of the storm that was going through Bohol it was rainy and overcast. We reached her house mud speckled our legs. Sister Panga came out of her house holding the Book of Mormon and the restoration pamphlet. She explained that she and her husband had been fighting and that she wanted to work it out with him. She explained that he did not approve of her listening anymore. Our hearts just dropped. Our last visit she had been asking questions and told us she had talked to her husband. He had met us on a pjeepney before and said it was okay for us to visit. I just thought what had changed in those few short days. She wanted to give back the Book of Mormon. We testified. No change she insisted that we take the book back, because her husband told her to. She was kind about it and asked us to respect her decision. Sister Canoneo told her she could hide the Book of Mormon. Sister Panga was afraid if she kept the book that her husband would find it and be angry. We testified that one day her husband's heart would change and if ever that happened not to be shy to give us a call. Sister Panga did this in a very dignified manner and we were not annoyed or mad that she gave us back the Book of Mormon, but rather saddened and our hearts hurt. Walking away we just sang at the same time "magpadayon ta!" (we will continue) and laughed. The storms of the mission can either get you down or lift you up. I'ts a choice and we decided to count our blessings rather look at the disappointments. ;We treated ourselves to Payag restaurant, and got back to work. It was raining all day yesterday, and by inspiration Elder Fisher our fearless district leader sent a text that morning and I quote "Hey team! padayon sa inyong pagkakugi, hinumdumi ng ur effectiveness as a missionary is based on ur effort to find, teach, and bap... so go find dem souls! 'love Elder Fisher & Elder Narvasa'. " (Hey Team! Continue your diligence and remember that your...) His text was inspired because of the rain we were punted all day, but we continued in faith. Thanks to the encouragement of Elder Fisher. Despite being punted we taught Sister Jessie yesterday morning, and she seems to be progressing. She asked when her baptism was. ;Before she said that she wasn't ready for baptism. We also ended the night by having and FHE with the Ugboc faily and Brother Nelson about the Book of Mormon. Our investigators are progressing. The marriage of Sister Margie Casquejo is upon us. We are not sure of the exact date, but we plan that it will be 22 Oct. We will continue to follow-up. Sister Charity Ondoy is very excited for her baptism the 22 Oct. We can see that she really does has a testimony. All of our other investigators seem to be on again off again, but we will use your advise and return to restoration Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. The work is progressing here in the Philippines and we are working hard to stay worthy to be blessed. Sister Canoneo has shown great leadership and has also been a great example. I am grateful for her up beat personality. For her words of encouragement, and for her small acts of kindness. I am enjoying the work. Sincerely, Sister Bruno

Florida Jacksonville Mission Solo Facebook Page: New Social Media Pilot Technique

On Sunday 2 October I read an interesting entry on Sister Marilyn Barry's Facebook page:

Hello Family and Friends, Thank you all for the friend requests. I loved seeing faces of so many people that I love and miss. Our mission is doing a pilot program for the church to see how effective missionary work is on Facebook. We were asked to close out our personal facebook accounts and open a missionary facebook devoted exclusively to teaching the gospel to investigators, keeping contact with local members and keeping contact with our missionaries who have gone home. Though I can't accept your request to be 'friends' on facebook know that our friendship status is alive and thriving in my heart. I love you all and hope all is well in your life. Love Sister Marilyn Barry

I found this interesting and wondered just how they would implement it.  I suspect they would create a Facebook group where they will allow current Facebook missionaries, investigators, and former missionaries to join.  I noticed a new Facebook group for the mission and made the first request to join the group on Sunday.  I clicked on like for  Florida Jacksonville Mission page but so far I have had no response to joining the group.

Just for fun I am going to the invidual missionaries pages to see what they have to say about the change.

Elder Caleb Crites didn't mention it. Yesterday in his last FB message he wrote: "It just so happens that I can track the number of views on the blog I share. And the last post I wrote hasn't had any views! If there be any who wish to hear from me, they don't get any more untill they read what they've got!"

Elder Chad Craig, Elder Christian Bezzant, Elder Cody Jacobs, Elder Cody Maxfield, Elder Colton Wadsworth, Elder Dyerly, Elder Evan Robison,  Elder Garrett Bushman, Elder James Graham, Elder Kenneth Hinton, Elder Matthias Neville, Elder Michael Johnson, Elder Nik Allred, Elder Parker Grant, Elder Riley Day, Elder Robert William Reid, Elder Sawyer Barnes, Elder Trevor Larsen, Sister Amy Surtees, Sister Chelesia Prettyman, Sister Joan Fitu, Sister Martha Liljenquist, Sister Stephanie La Jeunesse, doesn't say anything about the change on any of their Facebook pages or blogs. Several of the missionaries have posted on their individual Facebook pages this week so maybe they will close their accounts out next week.

This is the third mission to close out Facebook pages. The Michigan Lansing Mission did it in a limited way last year reducing their missionaries to only those on college campuses. The Baton Rouge Louisiana Mission dropped Facebook and blogging totally and only put up Mormon.Org profiles. I don't know if this affects blogs too for the Florida Jacksonville Mission.  I wonder how they will be able to assess its effectiveness but it will be interesting to see. It will be sad to not see their individual comments but it might have better responses. I don't know how they will handle blogging but I like the way the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Mission put up a solo blog for most of their missionaries Good Mormon America.  The blog has become somewhat inactive the last month but it was a nice source for missionary input.  I like the way Michael Hemingway and the missionary committee are trying different approaches and commend their efforts.

Purifying Our Hearts

Dear President Schmutz,

This week has been successful. We had fhe with an inactive member and half of the branch was in attendance including the branch presidency.

Brother Noel and brother Jeffrey decided to do Home Teaching every Sunday to all the inactive members in the branch which is a big help to the work.

Sister Margie's seminar is nearing.

Sister Charity is still excited about her baptism.

All of our other investigators though are not seeming to be able to keep their commitments. We are following up, and have been teaching that their are blessings when they read their assignment, or when they go to church.

Sister Canoneo is still amazing. She is so kind I fail in comparison to her. We are both excited about the Cebu trip this coming Oct 20th. Elder Fisher gave an inspiring workshop for district meeting about preparing ourselves for the conference. Sister Canoneo and I am working hard to encourage each other to purify our hearts for the coming of Elder Holland.

I see the work progressing here in Baclayon. Sister Canoneo and I always talk about how people say that Bohol is hard, but we know that is not true. Bohol is the same as any other area it has its challenges, but there are so many people that have been prepared for us.

Thank you President,

Sister Bruno