Week 9 in Loveland, CO

It is definitely an adventure to be a missionary! It is exciting. You really can never predict exactly how investigators will respond to your message!

I don't know why it hit me this time, but I was sharing a message based on the scripture I included in the email last week (Mosiah 4:17-22 and more after that) and discussed the idea of service. When asking for ideas or thoughts about what I had shared, the wife mentioned something about asking the question, "who can I serve? What can I do today for someone? Who can I reach out to and help? What can I do for my companion today to help him?" I had been struggling with daily prayers for a while because I wasn't really praying for anything that I could actually receive and answer for and do something. I was more praying in thanksgiving and for God to help people change. But in that conversation I learned (and am working to implement) clear specific prayers that I can act on in service of others. It really has helped me already just thinking about it because sometimes I feel like doing things that will annoy/frustrate people in authority - like a mission president or zone leader or whatever. But that question has helped me remember that they are people like me that have a lot on their plate. Trying to think of what I can do to help them or my bishop or etc has done a lot to help me remember we are on the same team and work together better.

There wasn't really one best experience this week. Having an opportunity to teach a couple of our investigators was awesome. I have really started to love them. Gabe, Melissa, Chris & Haley, Candice & Jerry and more. They are amazingly special people who God loves. We had the opportunity to visit all of them and teach about the book of Mormon, the plan of Salvation, and just to simply encourage them and remind them that God loves them and cares about them. Building the faith of the people we work with is by far the most important thing. It surprises me to learn how often it is simple faith that holds people back. But now, I think that is pretty much the only thing that holds people back. Faith that God is in charge and knows what He is doing. Faith that because Jesus conquered death everything can be made right - if not now, in the eternities. Faith that we can really change and overcome addictions that have held us back for years. I listened to a talk this morning from last general conference that talked about that "What Manner of Men?" He talked about how a man told him "I have a temper and that is just the way I am." It is so wrong to believe that!!! We can change. It is a miracle. We can be forgiven. We can change. We can be born again every day. Because of Christ. He has truly taken upon him all our sins and stresses and challenges. He can help us!

Elder Campbell!!