The 26th Chronicle

Hello Family & Friends!

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Transfers is two days away! I'm almost 100% confident that I'll be transferred and because of that it would be wise to send all letters (or packages) to the mission office until further notice. I will get my new address out as soon as possible. Thank you!

Holy cow! I can't believe I have already spent six months here in little Logan, Iowa. I'm gonna miss this country town. I have met so many wonderful people. The ward is strong and growing. The members want to help "gather scattered Israel" which makes the work sweet. I'm excited to begin to close this chapter and open up a new one. It is hard to say goodbye to a place that has a piece of your heart, a place that you have lived and served. The Logan Area has treated me well! I can say that I will definitely be sad to leave my companion, ward members, chapel, recent converts, washer/dryer, 2016 Nissan Rogue, and comfy massage chair.

The last few weeks have found me on my knees praying for how I can make the Logan Area be stronger. In Preach My Gospel it states that we as missionaries ought to leave an area better then when we arrived. When I read that phrase during personal study it caught my attention. To leave an area better, starts with "Teaching Repentance" and "Baptizing Converts". We want to make sure that we are helping strengthen the ward with stalwart converts. Yet, it doesn't stop there. As missionaries our responsibility extends past just baptizing a bunch of people or gaining recruits for God's army. We are supposed to build Zion--fortify the stakes. With that in mind we are also supposed to help our ward and area by going after the lost sheep and helping them return to the fold. This is a delicate process. Some of those that are less-active may want more time than we can give. Think of it like missionaries being the lead force of an army, the US Army Rangers, or the Green Berets. We get in, get stuff done, and we get out. Without the support of the main force though (Wards and Stakes) it is all for naught. We identify who needs help, as well as who can receive it, and then pass that info on to the infantry commander (Bishop) who can follow up. The last thing we are responsible for is the "morale of the men". Missionaries have the power to inspire, educate, direct, support, and encourage. The role of members of our wards is to help them get engaged and stay engaged. They are already apart of the army and they may need more tactical training. We can provide some of that. So how do missionaries leave an area better? Inspire the members, strengthen the less-actives, and baptize converts.

Being personable is SO important on the mission. I have seen this proven over and over again. A big reason it's crucial is because our badge happens to be bigger than our face. People see us as robots created in Provo... not as actual human beings. They think it's okay to treat us unkindly because they feel what we're sharing is annoying or false. I have met multiple people that have talked to missionaries in the past. During my initial conversation with them I will ask them, "Do you remember what the missionaries taught you?". About half the time these people will say, "Oh I didn't let them get that far, I chased them off my porch.". The next question is to clarify whether or not they were Jehovah's Witness. Either way, we then proceed to teach them a simple doctrine. It fascinates me how simply being personable and asking the obvious about past interactions can help put people at ease. Something else we usually start with is a genuine compliment or question about themselves. People respond to sincere human connection, even if it is from those "Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" =) Doors are literally opened that way. There are still many who don't end up listening to our message, but at least they can see us in a light of understanding and positive energy rather than just two guys in white shirts and ties.

One cool example of the above mentioned topic is the day we met a new potential investigator. We were walking down the street (in Logan) when something caught my eye. It looked like some kind of geometrical object hanging from a tree. I turned to my companion (Elder Durocher at the time) and said, "Let's go knock on that house!" So we went up to the door and I knocked. Rat a tat tat. No answer. Ding dong! Rat a tat tat. The door opened and out stepped the man of the house! We asked him about that thing hanging from his tree. He replied, "Oh! That's a bird house that I made." I was impressed and asked him what he made it out of. "Pine," he said. We started talking about his job as a carpenter. Long story short, we shared with him the gospel as part of the conversation. Guess what? He doesn’t consider the Book of Mormon as the word of God! Yet... we are still best buddies. Why? Because during that conversation I found out he is a photographer (score!). I also found out he enjoys trips to Colorado and Alaska (he gave us fresh caught salmon). Last but not least, I found out he loves Christ. Despite our differing views, we are still able to visit him because we were personable and we cared about him. It comes down to finding common ground and never burning bridges. The cool thing is that the story doesn't end there. The last time we were over, he started asking us questions about why we came out on missions. He also asked about the Plan of Salvation and what we believe. Who knows if he'll ever accept the fullness of the gospel... but how cool is that?!? Nothing like going from a "No" to a "Maybe" through showing kindness and the humbling effect of the Holy Ghost.

Kia Kaha!

Elder Brady