Sunday, August 16, 2015

Working with the Young Men-Only 2 Transfers Left

This is Ben's Letter from July 28, 2015

Hola Familia

This week was great. A little of the same from last week. Elder Leite and I have been assigned as the Young Men’s counselors in our branch (two weeks ago). It turns out that since a district is under the keys of the Mission President, they can just assign us to almost anything they need us to do in the branch and we don´t need to be set apart since we were already set apart before coming. Interesting huh?. 

We’ve been focusing on passing by the members from the ward directory as a way to find people to teach. We’re focusing on less-active Endowed members, Priesthood holders, and large families. Another priority we’ve tried to focus on has been the youth in order to increase the size of our youth program.

Beforehand, we didn’t have anyone. We no have 2 youth that are coming to church and the mutual activities. We’ve had two consecutive mutual activities and had the first Aaronic Priesthood class in who knows how long. The youth are getting excited that they have a class just for them, and now actually want to go to church. Before, if there were a youth that came, they would just stay with the adults the whole time. We’re working with just two for now, but we’ve been able to contact quite a few.

This Saturday we have organized with President Cono (our branch presidente) to start collecting the Fast Offerings with the youth every month (something that hasn´t ever been done in years from what I understand). And this Viernes we have organized, with the Young Womens presidency from our branch, a dance for all the youth in the district and are using the youth we have here in the branch to help organize it. We’re obviously not going to be at the dance while it’s going on, but we’ve been inviting and it should turn out pretty well. There are so few youth in the district that we are inviting ALL youth from 12-17 so that there are enough people for it to be fun. We’ve got a few young investigators that might go to the activity. So we’ll see how it goes.

I recently started studying the Book of Mormon from the beginning again. I started with a new (fresh slate) copy and have learned so much. It’s so amazing how this book adapts to you individual life circumstances. Elder Leite and I are trying to use it more and more in our teaching, along with the "My Family" pamphlet. It’s amazing to preach about the restoration of the Gospel and at the same time testify about the divinity of the family.

We’ve been teaching the members about family history and the Spirit of Elijah and how it is a manifestation of the Holy Ghost that testifies of the divinity of the family unit and showing the video "Meet my Grandma" which shows so powerfully what it is to feel the spirit of Elijah. Y'all should watch it and share it with someone and invite them to start their family history (member or nonmember).

As a zone we are doing well. I’ve really enjoyed this change with the missionaries that were here in the zone. Elder Leite and I were talking of ways that we can improve our interactions with the missionaries. We hope to get to know far more about the other missionaries in order to better help them. As always I´m excited for the new change.
Tomorrow are changes and Elder Leite and I are staying together. 

I now have officially two Transfer cycles left... Better make them the best I can.

I love you all a ton and hope everything is well back home.
I love the mission and love serving the Lord.


Élder Benjamin Taylor
P.S. Ignore my horrible English and spelling. It’s getting far worse the longer I’m down here...

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