Sunday, August 2, 2015

Week of March 29 - The Church is Perfect, the Members and Missionaries Aren't

Hello Everyone.

Sounds like things are going well in Colorado. Transfers were pretty good. I got a new companion who is from New Zealand. His name is McPherson. He is a solid guy who has been out about 16 months. He is very confident and I feel more confident in myself when we go out and tract and teach. He just spent 7 months down in Tasmania. I still feel like I have lots to improve in, but I think that the hardest thing for this transfer will be to try and break some old habits without being too "holier than thou". Sadly our investigators have been hit with some opposition from the most likely of candidates, the father. Apparently, he has been feeding the boys anti-Mormon literature and stuff and is against Evelyne being taught in his home. They still are coming to church though and really love it so I have resorted to just praying hard. This is a first for me, but I imagine it is not going to be the last. It's just sad to see a family that is so keen and ready for the gospel be hindered by someone who should be looking out for their happiness. 

My new companion and I are really close friends. I feel like we can get some work done and get the members to enjoy our personalities more than the last couple of transfers.  I plan on us continuing to work hard, while still maintaining and being true to who I am (I have found that those who put on a false persona often drive me crazy). 

Adam's New Companion - Elder McPherson (Big and Small)

I am very much like David (Adam's cousin) in that I dislike hypocrites in the Church. They are everywhere. The only thing that matters is that you are true to your personal convictions. There are many missionaries who are hypocrites themselves. They preach about change and conversion when they don't even have the personal strength to go out and work. Many of them also have not let go of their old lives and still resent the rules and then break them, but teach others about changing their lives. It is a sad thing to see and sometimes I feel like I am a hypocrite whenever I do not work my hardest each day, or when I encourage the members to share the gospel, but sometimes feel apprehensive about sharing the gospel myself and also the fact that I did not do it back home. I have felt that most people do intend to do the right thing, but lack the conviction to do it. People are imperfect but as long as personally we our true to our beliefs, I feel that God is pleased with our decisions. Perfection is a process, and I am far from it. I know that I have changed incredibly while on my mission, but I recognize that I am not at the level I hoped to be at. I know that as we continue to put our trust in the Lord and then ACT, that is when we will have a change of heart. I would like to say that I have no disposition to do evil, but that would be an outright lie. Missionaries are not perfect, but they are doing what they believe is what the Lord expects of them and by doing so hope to have that change of heart. My heart has changed, but there is still a long way to go. 

Love Elder Otterson

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