New Zealand Hamilton Mission, May 2014 — Insights, wisdom, and truths learned
Truths and thoughts from May 2014
- Zone Meeting, New Plymouth chapel, May 2014
1) Have investigators invite nonmembers to their baptism.
2) During the ‘gap time’ at a baptismal service, have a missionary explain what baptism means and how it should be performed.
3) Have member families invite nonmembers to the baptismal services of their young children.
4) Use baptismal services as a major teaching tool.
5) Don’t use abbreviations (TWE, P-day, ZL, DL, etc.).
6) Key indicators should lead to baptisms.
7) Taranaki Zone focus points: a) Goal setting b) Chapter 8 of Preach My Gospel c) Good, better, best! d) Do not let ANYTHING hold you back. e) If we
. become master planners, our baptisms will double.
8) Two lumberjacks were asked to cut down two trees, equal in size, and to see who could cut down their tree the fastest. One lumberjack took a break
. every 10 minutes, and the other lumberjack sawed continuously. Who do you think won the competition? The lumberjack who took the breaks won
. because he used his breaks to sharpen his axe. We as missionaries need to take time to ‘sharpen our axes’.
9) The Bible Dictionary states that faith is a gift. This gift will not be given without OBEDIENCE on our part.
10) Brigham Young stated: “More people have gained a testimony while standing up trying to bear a testimony, than those who have remained on their knees
. praying for one. - Scriptural ‘Life-Changer’, May 17, 2014
This morning during my personal scripture study, I had two insights borne upon my soul by the Holy Spirit. As I read in 1 Nephi 18, I thought about the three times that Laman and Lemuel bound or tried to bind Nephi. In the first instance, the Lord untied the cords. In the second instance, they couldn’t physically bind Nephi because he ‘shocked’ them, and in the third instance on the boat, they succeeded in binding Nephi. There was no shocking, no untying, no loosening; Nephi ended up with swollen ankles and misery. Why? Only the threat of their own personal demise could sway or influence Laman and Lemuel. When the storm didn’t abate and they were threatened with destruction, Laman and Lemuel untied Nephi themselves. But their action was a result of Nephi praying unto the Lord for assistance. The Lord responded to Nephi, a worthy servant, and not to Laman and Lemuel, rebellious trouble-makers. - Multi-zone Zone Conference, May 27, 2014, held in a Maori marae
1) Brother Herewini Jones: Polynesian people are receptive to the Spirit. Joseph F. Smith said that their ancestors were ‘led’ to the Pacific islands, and that
. the Lord was leading these people to places prepared especially for them. The Polynesia genealogical lines come from the Ontarios, the Incas, Easter
. Island, Hawaii, and they join in New Zealand. Legends say that these people ‘rode a whale on a whale current’ to New Zealand. There were apparently
. priests and captains on the canoes that came across the sea. The Maoris carve three fingers on the entrance to homes and maraes, representing that
. this home or building is under the protection of the three members of the Godhead.
2) Alma 5:11-15 talks of having a mighty change occur in our hearts, such that we become humble and put our faith totally in God. Have we done that? Do
. we exercise faith in the redemptive power of Jesus?
3) 2 Nephi 33:10-11 contains doctrine that serves as a great ‘sifter’ in the missionary field: if you believe in Christ, then you will believe in the truthfulness of
. the Book of Mormon, for the Book of Mormon contains the words of Christ. You and I (Nephi) will, at some future date, stand together at the bar of God
. and you will know that I was commanded of God to write these words.
4) In Mormon 8:30-31, Mormon pleads with us not to condemn his words due to imperfections, but to give thanks to God that we can learn to be more wise
. than he has been. What a humble attitude.
5) Jeremiah 16:16 describes two types of missionaries — fishers and hunters. Fishermen cast a line into the water and sit and wait. Hunters aggressively
. go into mountains, hills, and holes in rocks to find their prey. Being an ‘aggressive’ hunter rather than a ‘passive’ fisherman is desirable.
6) Doctrine and Covenants 105:15-18 — “I have commanded my servant Joseph Smith to say unto the strength of my house, even my warriors, my young
. men, and middle-aged, to gather together for the redemption of my people…”
7) Daniel 2:44-45 — God will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, it shall stand forever, and a stone shall be cut out of a mountain and it shall break
. in pieces the brass and gold and clay.
8) Jeremiah 24:7 — “And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the Lord; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return
. unto me with their whole heart.” (Blood lines can recognize the Spirit).
9) President Rudd:
. a. There is a difference between ‘who’ you are and ‘what’ you are. Who is ‘a child of God’, What is ‘a plumber, a doctor, a missionary, etc.’ Concentrate
. on the ‘who’.
, b, Consider our pre-mortal life: We are in the presence of God our Father, we are all brothers and sisters, we have all accepted the gospel of Jesus
. Christ, we have accepted the plan of salvation, we come to earth knowing that we will all progress differently. Now here we are as missionaries
. inviting people to ‘remember’ who they were. The Holy Ghost will help them remember what they have already accepted! In the preexistence
. we made a covenant to help others ‘get home’.
. c. We should be focusing on families, helping them put the pieces back together. We are not here solely to baptize, but to help them remember.
. d. There is no boundary between missionary work and temple work. It is the same redemptive work. Use family history as a tool in your work.
10) Sister Rudd:
. a. Go out of your way to give three sincere compliments every day.
. b. Discipline your thinking; never, never, never let your mind wander from your work or your purpose.
. c. Read the Joseph Smith History once per month!
. d. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result each time.
. e. Consider ‘going the extra mile’ as a commandment.
. f. Pray without ceasing; love God with all your heart.
. g. Introduce your investigators to the priesthood leaders who hold keys.
. h. Bird-headed man = Quetzalcoatl = Manaia.
. i. Ezekiel 37:15-20 speaks of the stick of Judah and the stick of Ephraim; 2 Nephi 3:12 speaks of the two sticks coming together; 2 Nephi 30:3-5
. speaks of other writings that shall come together.
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