Dear Mom and lovely family!,
What a week! As I reflect upon this week I do not know where to begin. But the thought I would like to share is the power of serving others with all our heart, might, mind, and strength.
I remember President Brown teaching us about this a while ago where we come out to our missions ready to work with all our energy. We come wanting to talk to everyone: sun-up to sun-down. But he shared how if we do it with our all our heart and mind therein lies the true power source of the Lord. We could very easily do missionary work and do missionary things but if we start becoming Christ-like missionaries then you tune in with the Lord's frequency and miracles start to happen.
This simple lesson has changed my life. As I have strived (and still try to) to give my heart to Him by dedicating everything I have to His cause- I personally have felt and seen His miraculous power in my life and in the lives of my investigators.
I wish I could describe every experience like movie but that will have to wait until judgment day or when we get to watch THE BIG MOVIE in other words from start to finish (not Finnish)
One experience I would like to share: A, one of my investigators, who now has a baptismal date for May 7th. This past week we had a teach with him after an intense break from meeting due to the devil. Anyways in that meeting he brought some anti-literature which bothered him. As I looked over some of the general points I was praying for the Spirit to help me know what to say because I wanted to answer to the ''root'' of the problem not at the ''leaves''. So whenever I do not know how to answer I testified and then the Spirit helped me teach by using a passage from the Book of Mormon to help him understand how he needs to understand the basics before greater things. And during which the Spirit calmed his spirit and resolved any worries. At the end of the teach I asked him if he still needed the paper and he said, ''No.'' What a miracle! The Spirit does miraculous things in people's hearts and the Book of Mormon is one of the most powerful tools in that.
Thank you for your prayers. We still need them for A and also for S that he will feel the power of the Book of Mormon.
Love
Elder Hamner
Monday, April 18, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
Apr. 11, 2011
Dearest Mom and family,
What a wonderful week! This past Tuesday Elder Esplin, before he left for Hyvinkää, and I went to the temple which was needed. This past week has been full of prayer and fasting as I prepare to train my new companion and finish as strong as ever for my last 6 weeks. I know that as I consecrate this time even better the Lord will lead me to those people I need to find.
These past two weeks have been quite rough but what a great learning. Our whole teaching pool did a flip-flop (Test of Faith). All of our investigators have not been able to get a hold of including A. Soo weird. So I have been praying for the Lord to guide us to those elect even more. And sure enough the Lord has helped guide us to two families and many others within a couple of days. I love how the Lord will have us walk into the darkness with the knowledge/testimony He has given to us and then expect us to act. So we did and the Lord answered.
Currently A has dropped his baptismal date but we are striving to work with him. He has not answered his phone for a couple of days. He is very nervous about his upcoming baptism. He is ready, but the devil is doing his thing (btw I would like to punch him someday :)) So we are upping our efforts even more.
My companion, Elder Merkley, is doing well. He has a strong desire to learn Finnish and I am doing everything to teach, coach, and motivate. I love him. Immediately when I met him I could feel that he has a heart of gold.
I hope you are doing well. Thank you for your prayers. Each one helps and I know that He answers.
This next week is district meeting where we will be focusing on how the investigator must develop their personal line to heaven- through prayer.
Good Story of a good member- There is one member in our ward who is always willing to come to teaches and occasionally invites us over for food. Well this past week he invited us over to eat and to allow my companion, Elder Merkley try on extra jackets. So we did and during dinner he gave us two personally framed pictures. I asked him to sign it. Then we gave a short spiritual thought about Alma 37:37 regarding counseling with the Lord in prayer. He was touched by the passage because at this time in his life he needed to hear that. He shared that with us. My heart grew ten-fold for this older saint who is trying to do his best. And I know there are many more whether inside or outside the church who just need comfort and guidance. And the scriptures provide that.
Excellent quote from Elder Esplin's dad- ''The Lord does not usually reward faithfulness with success but with greater faith.'' What a humm-dinger!:)
With Love
Vanhin Hamner
What a wonderful week! This past Tuesday Elder Esplin, before he left for Hyvinkää, and I went to the temple which was needed. This past week has been full of prayer and fasting as I prepare to train my new companion and finish as strong as ever for my last 6 weeks. I know that as I consecrate this time even better the Lord will lead me to those people I need to find.
These past two weeks have been quite rough but what a great learning. Our whole teaching pool did a flip-flop (Test of Faith). All of our investigators have not been able to get a hold of including A. Soo weird. So I have been praying for the Lord to guide us to those elect even more. And sure enough the Lord has helped guide us to two families and many others within a couple of days. I love how the Lord will have us walk into the darkness with the knowledge/testimony He has given to us and then expect us to act. So we did and the Lord answered.
Currently A has dropped his baptismal date but we are striving to work with him. He has not answered his phone for a couple of days. He is very nervous about his upcoming baptism. He is ready, but the devil is doing his thing (btw I would like to punch him someday :)) So we are upping our efforts even more.
My companion, Elder Merkley, is doing well. He has a strong desire to learn Finnish and I am doing everything to teach, coach, and motivate. I love him. Immediately when I met him I could feel that he has a heart of gold.
I hope you are doing well. Thank you for your prayers. Each one helps and I know that He answers.
This next week is district meeting where we will be focusing on how the investigator must develop their personal line to heaven- through prayer.
Good Story of a good member- There is one member in our ward who is always willing to come to teaches and occasionally invites us over for food. Well this past week he invited us over to eat and to allow my companion, Elder Merkley try on extra jackets. So we did and during dinner he gave us two personally framed pictures. I asked him to sign it. Then we gave a short spiritual thought about Alma 37:37 regarding counseling with the Lord in prayer. He was touched by the passage because at this time in his life he needed to hear that. He shared that with us. My heart grew ten-fold for this older saint who is trying to do his best. And I know there are many more whether inside or outside the church who just need comfort and guidance. And the scriptures provide that.
Excellent quote from Elder Esplin's dad- ''The Lord does not usually reward faithfulness with success but with greater faith.'' What a humm-dinger!:)
With Love
Vanhin Hamner
Monday, April 4, 2011
Elämä on ihana April 4, 2011
Dear mom and family,
The title of this email is the truth: Life is wonderful. This is what our stake patriarch says every month when he comes up and bears his testimony. That is what I share because I believe it with all my heart.
This past week we encouraged some setbacks; in short, most of our investigators have either disappeared or said, ''No thank you''. A is still heading for baptism on April 16th. He needs your prayers. But about our teaching situation, I feel so happy and positive that the Lord will lead us to more elect who are waiting for us. I know the Lord knows His elect and want us to meet. We are doing the best we can to purify our hearts and work as hard as we can be.
Continuing on the same note of optimism's power. That is one of many lessons that Heavenly Father is teaching me. To be happy and have peace prevailing in our lives is a choice. No matter the situation even when you meet someone who is quite rude to you. You can choose to be positive and just love life. I am having a blast among these precious people. There are so many good people who really ask themselves, ''Who am I?'', ''Why am I here?'', and many other soul-searching questions. Your prayers help us as find them. Thank you. Finding them and baptizing them mean so much to me because I know how happy they will be. And we need more happy Finns:)
Also this past week the sister missionaries in Haaga found us a beautiful family. The mother is searching for her ''thing'' and she could not have possibly found a better ''thing'' than the Restored Gospel of our Savior. We met at the church and the teach was led by the Spirit. We brought a member along who afterwards was in tears because of how willing this lady is to find truth and Him. The mother said she would be baptized when she receives an answer from God that the Book of Mormon is true. Please pray that J will read and pray. She plans on coming to church with her young family.
FYI- My companion Elder Esplin will be transferred to Hyvinkää. (a little north of Helsinki...still in same zone:)) I have learned a lot from Elder Esplin. I still have a day to learn before he leaves tomorrow. My new companion is coming fresh from the MTC. I am looking forward to making this next and last change the best. I am working on that as we speak.
I love you all
Elder Hamner
The title of this email is the truth: Life is wonderful. This is what our stake patriarch says every month when he comes up and bears his testimony. That is what I share because I believe it with all my heart.
This past week we encouraged some setbacks; in short, most of our investigators have either disappeared or said, ''No thank you''. A is still heading for baptism on April 16th. He needs your prayers. But about our teaching situation, I feel so happy and positive that the Lord will lead us to more elect who are waiting for us. I know the Lord knows His elect and want us to meet. We are doing the best we can to purify our hearts and work as hard as we can be.
Continuing on the same note of optimism's power. That is one of many lessons that Heavenly Father is teaching me. To be happy and have peace prevailing in our lives is a choice. No matter the situation even when you meet someone who is quite rude to you. You can choose to be positive and just love life. I am having a blast among these precious people. There are so many good people who really ask themselves, ''Who am I?'', ''Why am I here?'', and many other soul-searching questions. Your prayers help us as find them. Thank you. Finding them and baptizing them mean so much to me because I know how happy they will be. And we need more happy Finns:)
Also this past week the sister missionaries in Haaga found us a beautiful family. The mother is searching for her ''thing'' and she could not have possibly found a better ''thing'' than the Restored Gospel of our Savior. We met at the church and the teach was led by the Spirit. We brought a member along who afterwards was in tears because of how willing this lady is to find truth and Him. The mother said she would be baptized when she receives an answer from God that the Book of Mormon is true. Please pray that J will read and pray. She plans on coming to church with her young family.
FYI- My companion Elder Esplin will be transferred to Hyvinkää. (a little north of Helsinki...still in same zone:)) I have learned a lot from Elder Esplin. I still have a day to learn before he leaves tomorrow. My new companion is coming fresh from the MTC. I am looking forward to making this next and last change the best. I am working on that as we speak.
I love you all
Elder Hamner
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Helaman 5:12
And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.
