Wednesday, December 19, 2012
•Hapit na pasko! 12/19/2012
Merry
early Christmas everyone!
Well,
the work seems to be progressing very well in Naga! The ward attendance is now higher than it's
ever been, 145! We still have people
that didn't come that are planning to next time so things are really looking
good here! The chairs are mostly all
full and the part at the back to open up seems to be only for storing chairs -
you can barely fit 6 chairs back there! so we had people sitting in the hall
with the doors open - But we still have to wait for April on the new chapel. I
just think it's a great problem to have too many people at the church, and we
didn't have to pay for or bring a single one, so that means they're coming on
their own which makes it more likely they'll be able to endure to the end!
We're
doing our best to find the elect, even among the groups we're already teaching
right now. I'm trying to do better about this because I would rather refuse
baptism than let them be baptized into inactivity. That would be treating
lightly this sacred covenant and if we look at 20:37, it says "by way of
commandment" in italics and then describes, among other baptismal
requirements, how they must have a determination to endure to the end. so if we
don't ensure that there is that determination and conversion and everything
else before we baptize someone, we are therefore sinning.
So
everything's going good here in Naga, I'm looking forward to the Christmas ward
party and talent show where I can get to learn the people in the area and find
out about more people who are interested and in the area!! It should be a real
eye-opener in that respect, with seeing all the members (active and inactive)
and people interested in learning all in one place!
Hope
all's going well with you and yours! Encourage everyone to remember the real
reason for the season this CHRISTmas!
Og
kakukihang misyonaryo sa Ginoo,
Elder
Dallin Carlson
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
•Hapit na 12:12:12 12/12/12!
kamusta tanan!
The Lord's work is going great here in Naga! I love working with Elder Seumanutafa - it's very different serving with a Polynesian companion, but that just means I have the chance to learn that much more and work/teach with a different person with a different way of doing things.
Our investigators are doing pretty well, we've got two that we went to give them a baptismal date of January fifth, but they couldn't wait that longs so they insisted on Dec. 22 - they're progressing super well, and the only obstacle we may have is getting their parent's permission. This should go a lot better than last time they asked permission because now they have a much greater desire to be baptized and enter into a covenant with their Heavenly Father, so I think they will be successful in obtaining permission this time.
The other main group of investigators is over in Oceanside - they're referrals from our recent converts there who have been unofficially dubbed "seaside boys". My only worry is that they might just be joining because it's the fad or the cool thing to do right now - we'll do all we can to get them converted sufficiently to endure to the end. That's one of the things I have learned from working on trying to reactivate so many inactives- they were entertained and did what was needed to get through the gate of baptism and on that path towards salvation, but in order to endure to the end, they need to experience constant conversion - not just before baptism, but throughout their life. (to more fully understand "conversion", look it up in a dictionary as well as the bible dictionary)There are many people who develop enough to be baptized, but then later they are not converted enough to endure the spiritual storms and floods of life- for that, they need to not only build their lives upon the rock of our salvation, but also to continue to strengthen that foundation throughout their life through constant sincere prayer coupled with regular study of the word and humble pondering. If these things are lost and the focus on the gospel, God's plan for us here on Earth, is lost, then they are lost to the gospel, and as a result it along with the church become a burden instead of the blessing it can be if we are constantly becoming more converted to the Lord.
We all need to follow the warning of King Benjamin and "watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not." (Mosiah 4:30) We need to keep the natural man in check by always being anxiously engaged in a good cause; always striving to listen and follow the spirit, which will tell us what God wants us to do; we all know through the spirit what we should do - the only thing left is to have the commitment left to do it. Sometimes, there are people that served full missions or even as stake presidents that have still gone inactive and thus faltered off the path and need to be brought back in order to endure to the end. I just hope that I can magnify my calling as a missionary sufficiently and fulfill my responsibility and do my part in lifting where I stand. I will do all I can so that when judgment day comes, I will have done everything required and have no sins of commission or omission on my conscience, or in other words that no one will have suffered (spiritually) because I have insufficiently fulfilled my calling.
I am so thankful for this chance to consecrate these two years of myself to the Lord and his work.
a missionary of the Lord,
Elder Dallin Carlson
The Lord's work is going great here in Naga! I love working with Elder Seumanutafa - it's very different serving with a Polynesian companion, but that just means I have the chance to learn that much more and work/teach with a different person with a different way of doing things.
Our investigators are doing pretty well, we've got two that we went to give them a baptismal date of January fifth, but they couldn't wait that longs so they insisted on Dec. 22 - they're progressing super well, and the only obstacle we may have is getting their parent's permission. This should go a lot better than last time they asked permission because now they have a much greater desire to be baptized and enter into a covenant with their Heavenly Father, so I think they will be successful in obtaining permission this time.
The other main group of investigators is over in Oceanside - they're referrals from our recent converts there who have been unofficially dubbed "seaside boys". My only worry is that they might just be joining because it's the fad or the cool thing to do right now - we'll do all we can to get them converted sufficiently to endure to the end. That's one of the things I have learned from working on trying to reactivate so many inactives- they were entertained and did what was needed to get through the gate of baptism and on that path towards salvation, but in order to endure to the end, they need to experience constant conversion - not just before baptism, but throughout their life. (to more fully understand "conversion", look it up in a dictionary as well as the bible dictionary)There are many people who develop enough to be baptized, but then later they are not converted enough to endure the spiritual storms and floods of life- for that, they need to not only build their lives upon the rock of our salvation, but also to continue to strengthen that foundation throughout their life through constant sincere prayer coupled with regular study of the word and humble pondering. If these things are lost and the focus on the gospel, God's plan for us here on Earth, is lost, then they are lost to the gospel, and as a result it along with the church become a burden instead of the blessing it can be if we are constantly becoming more converted to the Lord.
We all need to follow the warning of King Benjamin and "watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not." (Mosiah 4:30) We need to keep the natural man in check by always being anxiously engaged in a good cause; always striving to listen and follow the spirit, which will tell us what God wants us to do; we all know through the spirit what we should do - the only thing left is to have the commitment left to do it. Sometimes, there are people that served full missions or even as stake presidents that have still gone inactive and thus faltered off the path and need to be brought back in order to endure to the end. I just hope that I can magnify my calling as a missionary sufficiently and fulfill my responsibility and do my part in lifting where I stand. I will do all I can so that when judgment day comes, I will have done everything required and have no sins of commission or omission on my conscience, or in other words that no one will have suffered (spiritually) because I have insufficiently fulfilled my calling.
I am so thankful for this chance to consecrate these two years of myself to the Lord and his work.
a missionary of the Lord,
Elder Dallin Carlson
•Deciembre na! magabut ang Pasko! 12/05/2012
Kamusta tanan
We survived the Typhoon! just joking, it went around us. Here in Naga, it was just raining for a bit, nothing super huge, just enough to keep us in the apartment in case the huge storm arrived. but the next area over, Carcar, it sounds like they got hit pretty bad. I even heard that one zone had to be evacuated. At any rate, we were prepared and even though we didn't need to be, I'm glad we were allowed to get some other stuff to make a 72 hour kit.
We survived the Typhoon! just joking, it went around us. Here in Naga, it was just raining for a bit, nothing super huge, just enough to keep us in the apartment in case the huge storm arrived. but the next area over, Carcar, it sounds like they got hit pretty bad. I even heard that one zone had to be evacuated. At any rate, we were prepared and even though we didn't need to be, I'm glad we were allowed to get some other stuff to make a 72 hour kit.
As for the work, it's
going great! the five new converts brought two of their barkada (circle of
friends) who wanted to listen so even though they've only been recent converts
for a very short time, they've given us two referrals!! It's so cool to see
their desire to learn and share the joy from the gospel with their friends.
what's even cooler is how close they are - that will help them stay strong spiritually
and help them in enduring to the end together. Lately I've been learning a lot
about "lift where you stand". I've found that even when someone gets
a position, it's just that - a position where they need to lift from. No
missionary, no member is important than another. we are all part of the body of
Christ;however, it's only by working together and lifting from where the Lord has
placed us. So for me, I am the companion of a district leader so I try to help
him in every way I can from preparing small additions to make to his lesson at
district meetings, to try to help us get home on time so he can take care of
the statistics at the end of the week. The Lord gives each member a specific
assignment because there's something they're meant to learn or do in that
assignment.
As for some of the things I'm learning, is how important the Holy Ghost is in our lives. If we really want eternal salvation, there should be a roadmap, right? It's in the words of Christ. we get guidance from others during church; instructions from the scriptures; and the equivalent of a GPS on low volume with the Holy Ghost. However, if there's too much noise in the car that's distracting, we can go off-course because we can't hear the talking GPS. But if we keep striving to come closer unto Christ, and holding tight to that Iron Rod, the Word of God, we will get to our destination: Salvation and Eternal Life.
Hope all's good with everyone there! Hold tight to the word of God and strive to always apply it in your lives!
Og kakugihang misyonaryo sa Ginoo, Elder Dallin Carlson
As for some of the things I'm learning, is how important the Holy Ghost is in our lives. If we really want eternal salvation, there should be a roadmap, right? It's in the words of Christ. we get guidance from others during church; instructions from the scriptures; and the equivalent of a GPS on low volume with the Holy Ghost. However, if there's too much noise in the car that's distracting, we can go off-course because we can't hear the talking GPS. But if we keep striving to come closer unto Christ, and holding tight to that Iron Rod, the Word of God, we will get to our destination: Salvation and Eternal Life.
Hope all's good with everyone there! Hold tight to the word of God and strive to always apply it in your lives!
Og kakugihang misyonaryo sa Ginoo, Elder Dallin Carlson
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