Hello Everyone, it was around 60 degrees yesterday, now we're back to the 30's again. If you ever dislike the weather in Upstate New York, wait 5 minutes and it'll get worse.
This week I'd like to talk a little bit about a subject that's been on my mind lately. We've been focusing on finding here in Liverpool since two of the people we were teaching regularly have now been baptized and we find ourselves in need of finding new investigators. One of the best ways I've been able to find people on my mission has been through OYM-ing, or street contacting. I can't tell you how many times I've stomped up and down busy streets at all times of the day and how many miles I've put on my shoes.
But one of the hardest things to do is to actually say something to the people that you come in contact with. Being outside and walking is hard enough, but actually talking with people is often where this opportunity to find becomes and opportunity to walk around aimlessly. As I've thought over my mission and all of the walking and talking that I've done, I had the thought come to mind "Well I'm willing to talk with people, that's not as hard as my mind makes it seem. But what out of the entire scope of the gospel can I share with THIS person in particular?" I pondered for a while and turned to one of my favorite scriptures about opening your mouth, namely Doctrine and Covenants 33:8.
All I have to do to be like Nephi is to open my mouth? Just tell me where to sign!
But as most, if not all, of us have come to find out, having an open mouth while you're walking around is only going to guarantee you a few bugs to fly to the back of your throat. To ensure blessings akin to those received by Nephi there is more we must do. And oddly enough as scriptures have a habit of doing, they expounded the problem of "Well I can't just open my mouth and have it be filled by any old idea. What guideline could I have to base whatever I say off of." In the following verses, specifically verses 10 and 11, this guideline is given:
11 Yea, repent and be baptized, every one of you, for a remission of your sins; yea, be baptized even by water, and then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost."
We could exactly copy the above phrases, which would carry all of the principles that need to be conveyed, but as I was reading I noticed that this phrase is nothing more or less than a brief summary of the Doctrine of Christ. Well this helps me as a missionary and is then necessarily a help to all members of the Church. If we teach or preach on a gospel subject in a missionary manner, it should in some way relate back to the Doctrine of Christ. If you think about most questions that arise, they can all be tied back to the Doctrine of Christ in some fashion. The Doctrine of Christ is the thesis statement for the gospel, and as such can be tied to any point found therein.
Isn't it amazing how much beauty can be found in simplicity? I think it is.
But I hope you have a great week, I'll write to you all soon!
Love, Elder Gailey
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