January 30, 2012
Hi Everyone! We have had a really good week.
There are several elderly couples who are going to be attending the branch for 3-4 months because they are "snow birds." One of them, the Hawkshaw's, came out with us this week.They are from England. I don't remember what part. He is a music writer and used to be in a rock band. He has worked with Jared Hess (Nacho libre and Napoleon Dynamite, Elton John, Led Zeplin). He has done some pretty cool stuff. His name is Alan Hawkshaw. Look him up.
We also went out with Brother Hepler, and we had an amazing experience trying to look up a less active member. We were looking for Valerie Ortiz, but we couldn't find her house, plus it was a bunch of buildings with numbered doors, and the branch list didn't have a door number for her. We were about to leave and brother Hepler told us to stop and we looked around and we saw one open door with light coming out. It was at night time. we went over there, and it was her. She has been trying to find the church for a while and she was planning on going to church yesterday (we met her last night) but she couldn't find the address. She was so grateful and happy that she found it. She actually lives a walking distance from brother Hepler and he said that he could probably give her a ride and he would ask his wife about it, since she doesn't have transportation.
Also, we have a media refferal named Jona Van Wershin from Germany and she really wants to read the book of Mormon. But she doesn't want to sit down with us. She wants to do her own study. She did say she will stop by the church one sunday. We hope to meet her.
We also had a walk in three weeks ago named Jason Wach. He is a man who was born a Jew and even lived in Israel for several years. He speaks Hebrew, English, and Spanish. His wife is a catholic woman from Colombia. He has a hard time forgiving people, because he very much dislikes the Judaism and the culture of the middle east. He feels that he has been taught hatred and that Americans have an inborn desire to kill jews. He also feels that Judaism is based strongly on the fact that they believe that they are the chosen race and that they are God's elect people and no one else. He was disowned by his family because he left Judaism and he even wrote a book entitled, "Leaving Judaism" that he published. He said that there are good things about the Jewish religion and that he was making it sound worse than it was, but he really is searching for the truth. He is looking into the church very hard. He has agreed to sit with us and read the Book of Mormon. He invited us over to dinner at his accounting office and we ate at Pollo Tropical there with him. He said that it is hard to believe that Jesus is the Messiah because he was taught that that is not true. He said that they even kicked you out of class if you so much as mentioned Jesus Christ. He is a great guy and we have been praying that he will be able to let go of his anger and be able to find the healing power to help him move on and find peace.
We also went to Chick-fil-a again this week.
We also ran into Magda, a Haitian woman who promised she would come to church, but has been super busy lately. She was really excited to see us and she said that she was planning on coming to church a week ago, but she got called into work.
There are several elderly couples who are going to be attending the branch for 3-4 months because they are "snow birds." One of them, the Hawkshaw's, came out with us this week.They are from England. I don't remember what part. He is a music writer and used to be in a rock band. He has worked with Jared Hess (Nacho libre and Napoleon Dynamite, Elton John, Led Zeplin). He has done some pretty cool stuff. His name is Alan Hawkshaw. Look him up.
We also went out with Brother Hepler, and we had an amazing experience trying to look up a less active member. We were looking for Valerie Ortiz, but we couldn't find her house, plus it was a bunch of buildings with numbered doors, and the branch list didn't have a door number for her. We were about to leave and brother Hepler told us to stop and we looked around and we saw one open door with light coming out. It was at night time. we went over there, and it was her. She has been trying to find the church for a while and she was planning on going to church yesterday (we met her last night) but she couldn't find the address. She was so grateful and happy that she found it. She actually lives a walking distance from brother Hepler and he said that he could probably give her a ride and he would ask his wife about it, since she doesn't have transportation.
Also, we have a media refferal named Jona Van Wershin from Germany and she really wants to read the book of Mormon. But she doesn't want to sit down with us. She wants to do her own study. She did say she will stop by the church one sunday. We hope to meet her.
We also had a walk in three weeks ago named Jason Wach. He is a man who was born a Jew and even lived in Israel for several years. He speaks Hebrew, English, and Spanish. His wife is a catholic woman from Colombia. He has a hard time forgiving people, because he very much dislikes the Judaism and the culture of the middle east. He feels that he has been taught hatred and that Americans have an inborn desire to kill jews. He also feels that Judaism is based strongly on the fact that they believe that they are the chosen race and that they are God's elect people and no one else. He was disowned by his family because he left Judaism and he even wrote a book entitled, "Leaving Judaism" that he published. He said that there are good things about the Jewish religion and that he was making it sound worse than it was, but he really is searching for the truth. He is looking into the church very hard. He has agreed to sit with us and read the Book of Mormon. He invited us over to dinner at his accounting office and we ate at Pollo Tropical there with him. He said that it is hard to believe that Jesus is the Messiah because he was taught that that is not true. He said that they even kicked you out of class if you so much as mentioned Jesus Christ. He is a great guy and we have been praying that he will be able to let go of his anger and be able to find the healing power to help him move on and find peace.
We also went to Chick-fil-a again this week.
We also ran into Magda, a Haitian woman who promised she would come to church, but has been super busy lately. She was really excited to see us and she said that she was planning on coming to church a week ago, but she got called into work.
[This is in response to Kent asking Eric about having English speaking companions and whether he is teaching Haitians or English speakers.]
For the first two weeks, It was about 80% of the time. Now we are teaching more English Speakers. We are teaching one woman name Aneceli who is from Mexico. She is super nice. She doesn't speak any English. She is looking to have God more in her life and she has agreed to read the Book of Mormon, but her husband doesn't like religion and doesn't want to hear anything about God. She has us come over in the morning when her husband isn't home. We really need to talk to him about the whole thing.
We also are teaching a girl named Aisha. her real name is Melissa, but her sister took the name since she doesn't like her name, and Melissa started going by Aisha. We found her because we contacted Brea, a 22 year old girl who works at Winn Dixie. She wasn't home for the return appointment, so we went to a neighbor, Stephanie, and harvested her home. Stephanie didn't end up living there. It was her brother's home. We went to Stephanie's home and her sister, Aisha, was there instead of her, so we taught her. We ended up meeting Brea and leaving a blessing on her home, and she loved it. It is amazing how God allows are plans to go differently than we wanted them to so that we can find those who are prepared. Aisha now has a baptismal date for February 18th.
I know that the message I am teaching is true. I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior, and even though I am far from being perfect and I still have a lot of problems to work through, I am being chastened, refined, and blessed so that I can get to the point that I need to be at.
I love you all! Bye!
Love,
Elder Seamons
We also are teaching a girl named Aisha. her real name is Melissa, but her sister took the name since she doesn't like her name, and Melissa started going by Aisha. We found her because we contacted Brea, a 22 year old girl who works at Winn Dixie. She wasn't home for the return appointment, so we went to a neighbor, Stephanie, and harvested her home. Stephanie didn't end up living there. It was her brother's home. We went to Stephanie's home and her sister, Aisha, was there instead of her, so we taught her. We ended up meeting Brea and leaving a blessing on her home, and she loved it. It is amazing how God allows are plans to go differently than we wanted them to so that we can find those who are prepared. Aisha now has a baptismal date for February 18th.
I know that the message I am teaching is true. I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior, and even though I am far from being perfect and I still have a lot of problems to work through, I am being chastened, refined, and blessed so that I can get to the point that I need to be at.
I love you all! Bye!
Love,
Elder Seamons
This is my e-mail to president!
Hi President! I loved the trainings this week on how we focus on the
atonement and on the ordinances and how they help our investigators
access the atonement. I really puts the restoration of the gospel into
perspective. It helps our investigators understand priesthood authority
so much better. I really am beginning to understand how to teach the
atonement and our message. There are times on the mission that I have
been so focused on the Apostasy, Restoration, Joseph Smith, Book of
Mormon, that I missed the reason why all of those are important. It is
Jesus Christ. I love the scriptures that say we should preach nothing
except faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and repentance. It is so much
more powerful. Also, we have been focusing on the sacrament in our
teaching of why our investigators should come to church and it has
been working really well.
Our investigators need to know that our message isn't just another
form of "Daily Bread," it is the only way for them to fully access the
atonement and they need what we have. For Sabastian to Key West, only
160 people hold the key to the atonement for them. Until they realize
that, no amount of teaching will do them any good.
Hi President! I loved the trainings this week on how we focus on the
atonement and on the ordinances and how they help our investigators
access the atonement. I really puts the restoration of the gospel into
perspective. It helps our investigators understand priesthood authority
so much better. I really am beginning to understand how to teach the
atonement and our message. There are times on the mission that I have
been so focused on the Apostasy, Restoration, Joseph Smith, Book of
Mormon, that I missed the reason why all of those are important. It is
Jesus Christ. I love the scriptures that say we should preach nothing
except faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and repentance. It is so much
more powerful. Also, we have been focusing on the sacrament in our
teaching of why our investigators should come to church and it has
been working really well.
Our investigators need to know that our message isn't just another
form of "Daily Bread," it is the only way for them to fully access the
atonement and they need what we have. For Sabastian to Key West, only
160 people hold the key to the atonement for them. Until they realize
that, no amount of teaching will do them any good.
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