To catch everyone up, I'll give you a quick run down. Salem, Indiana has been hard!! It's been an adjustment with a new companion, and an area that doesn't have a lot going on. I try and find things I am thankful for every day. I know that during the hardest times in our lives, that is when the Lord is the closest to us.
We have 1 person in our teaching pool. Her name is Kacie and she is awesome. She really wants to be baptized, but when she asked her mother if she could, she said no. She won't let her get baptized in any other church than her own. Kacie is awesome and will get baptized someday, I don't have any doubt in my mind about that. We continue to teach her every week because we haven't found any other new people to teach in this transfer. It has been really slow.
I recently talked to my mission president and he gave me some great council on what I need to do. I took his advice and I have been doing a lot better ever since. I do things even when I don't want to. And every time my mind or body tells me not to do something I just get up and do it. I don't think twice about it. By doing this, we found 2 new people this last week. We had long hard days of no progress or any potentials, but on the last door that we knocked one day, we found someone. They even set a return appointment! It was a miracle. We also got a referral. It is the only referral this area has seen in 5 months. So that's pretty dang awesome!
The branch is really loving and awesome here. We got a new branch president and he talked about the flocks being gathered to the place of water. He referenced Alma 17 and related it to us as members of the church. He gave us a charge to bring people to the waters of baptism. Those who aren't members, obviously we want them to be baptized into the fold of God. And those who are inactive, we want to bring them to the Sacrament water and Atoning blood of Jesus Christ. Christ is the living water and as we bring others to it, the promise is we will never thirst.
I've been reading the book, Saints. It has helped me become more converted to the gospel and eased my mind about different anti-mormon literature people throw at missionaries. Be careful of this literature, it is meant to deceive, confuse, and lead away God's children from what is right. If you are first converted to Christ and His Atonement, then converted to the Book of Mormon as a foundation of your testimony, you can lean on that as you learn and progress in the everlasting gospel. The Holy Ghost can confirm the truth of these things to us after we have studied them out.
It's sad to see those who were introduced to this literature without first having seen the goodness of the restored gospel and how perfect it is. I can promise, that if we will search the scriptures and pray, we will come to have a testimony of the truthfulness of it. I know of its truthfulness and as I study, my understanding of the gospel is strengthened. It takes time. For those of you searching, I wish that you lean on other people's testimonies and trust in God. Lean on mine if you need to. Say "I don't know that the gospel is true or that this principle is true but Elder Greenlaw does".
One day you can say for yourself that the gospel is true. I promise you will. There are blessings in store for those who can endure. I'm doing my best to live this way and endure to the end, It's sad to see others who are struggling and not enduring very well, but as we all reach out to them, minister, and put our arms around them, we can lead them back to the living water. This is the gospel of Jesus Christ.
I love you all. I'm doing a lot better this past week. It was almost like a mud slide (lack of investigators and contacts) had blocked the road to Jesus Christ for me. I have been slowly moving rocks and clearing the road so I can get back to Him. I'm not perfect, no one is. But if we will repent, we don't need to worry about our imperfections. I have been learning about the prophet Joseph Smith. He wasn't perfect. He messed up a lot, but he always repented and the Lord used that to his advantage in restoring the church. This is why he was able to do what he did.
If you get a chance, read The Saints, you will learn a lot about the church.
Anyways I love you guys, every single one of you. Let us all move forward in such a great cause.
Love, Elder Greenlaw
Elder Greenlaw was in charge of a district activity and he did sculpturing. If you know my son, you know he loves doing stuff like this. He was so excited about it when we talked on the phone. After not writing for a few weeks, these were the only pictures I received. Gotta love my boy!
So talented! #GreatTherapy
