Elder Partridge in Washington: Elder Larsen

Hey family! Its been a good week. We're all a little sad because in 2 weeks the Greer's are going home. We had a specialized training so they could say goodbye on Thursday.

In other news transfers are this week, Elder Young is getting transferred down to Hermiston. I will be getting Elder Larsen here with me, so that will be fun, It is sad to see Elder Young go but I'm glad to stay in this area, I'm really liking what we have going on. The members have responded positively on all fronts to our increased emphasis on member missionary work. Everything is working out nicely.

We gave talks in sacrament meeting in our branch yesterday. The topic assigned was the Plan of Salvation. We had the advantage of being able to collaborate with your speaking partner, so Elder Young first outlined the plan in his talk, and then I focused on the atonement of Jesus Christ. It really went well!

We're going around giving a challenge to the members of our wards, and so I'll pass it on to you too.

You're challenge, should you choose to accept it is to make a list of neighbors, friends, coworkers, and acquaintances, ANYONE; whom you could share the gospel with.

Can you guess the next step?? If you guessed, hand the list to the missionaries, Sorry, you are wrong.

From there prayerfully consider what you could do or say to them to move them towards taking the lessons and coming to church. I say move them towards that, because oftentimes people will reject a flat out invitation to come to your church, unless they are looking for a church to go to. But this step could include baking cookies, getting to know them, fellow-shipping them, inviting them to a church activity, inviting them to dinner or a family home evening etc.

Once you have that figured out with some of your names, get to work!

If you need help figuring out what you could do or say, "Ask the missionaries! They can help you!"

In closing, a spiritual thought.

Brothers and sisters, as surely as the Lord has inspired more missionaries to serve, He is also awakening the minds and opening the hearts of more good and honest people to receive His missionaries. You already know them or will know them. They are in your family and live in your neighborhood. They walk past you on the street, sit by you in school, and connect with you online. You too are an important part of this unfolding miracle.

If you’re not a full-time missionary with a missionary badge pinned on your coat, now is the time to paint one on your heart—painted, as Paul said, “not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God.”¹³ And returned missionaries, find your old missionary tag. Don’t wear it, but put it where you can see it. The Lord needs you now more than ever to be an instrument in His hands. All of us have a contribution to make to this miracle.

It's a Miracle