MLC and Baptismal Interviews - November 11, 2013

Nearer, My God, to Thee

 

Highlights from the week. Missionary Leadership Council (MLC) is a council made up of the Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders where they discuss their zones and items for the mission. They also receive training. This last week, Brother Jarman, head of the training at the MTC, and his companion Brother Steinagle, director of 8 of the 14 international MTCs, visited the Iowa Des Moines Mission. They invited the district leaders to attend, so I got to be at a full day of training! I saw many missionary friends I've made over the last 15 months and made many more friends! They trained on us really INVITING people to come unto Christ and HELPING them to receive the restored gospel. Emphasis is placed on HELPING people (not just hoping them) 1) to pray, 2) read the Book of Mormon, and 3) attend Church (especially Sacrament meeting).  This emphasis on HELPING people rather than HOPING they will respond will increase our ability to bring souls unto Christ as we are guided by the Holy Ghost. It reminded me of much of my MTC training. Those of you who will be entering the MTC shortly. Take great notes and take advantage of what you will learn!

 

One of the responsibilities of a district leader is to interview candidates for baptism. I had the opportunity to conduct my first baptismal interview on Saturday. It was fantastic as the man I interviewed, Richard, is very ready to be baptized!

 

At our Zone Training Meeting on Saturday, the Zone Leaders showed a video slideshow of pictures of baptisms that have happened this year to get us excited for reaching our goal of 550. We are at 409 right now! Once of the songs they had as background was Vocal Point's arrangement of "Nearer, My God, To Thee." That arrangement is one of my favorite songs ever, and to hear it in such a spiritual setting for the first time in 15.5 months was an incredible blessing. I also played an original arrangement of "Nearer, My God, To Thee" as a special musical number in our Story City Branch Conference yesterday. I was going to accompany another missionary serving in the branch as he sang Come Thou Fount, but he wasn't up to it.

 

Come nearer to God this week. Some questions to evaluate where you are at now:

• How are your personal prayers going?
• How is your Book of Mormon reading and studying going?
• How seriously do you take the Sacrament as you partake of it at church each week?

Love you all!

Elder Zachary R McKenzie

Iowa Des Moines Mission

D&C 6:34, 36

  Doubt Not, Fear Not.

The Power of the Scriptures - November 4, 2013

51 days until Christmas! :) (For some reason today has felt very Christmassy for me, when I was playing basketball, of all times to feel Christmassy...)

 

This week was a good one. Elder Fiso and I were with other missionaries on exchanges for 2.5 days this last week. It was pretty crazy. We had a good time at our branches Halloween party on Wednesday. We have had all of our investigators but 1 drop us in the last week. If you get the chance, please pray that we will find new investigators this week! Elder Fiso was sick Saturday, so we stayed in all day, it was a very productive week considering we were not able to work Wednesday or Thursday night or at all Saturday.

 

I have had some very good, personal experiences this week. I don't want to share them in detail with you all, but I want you to know that I truly have come closer to my Savior, Jesus Christ this week. I know my Father in Heaven knows me and is aware of me.

 

The scriptures are the most powerful resource we have, next to prayer, and the sacrament. Take part in all of these things as often as time permits. And give yourself some time to ponder and meditate upon the things therein. It is so easy to just get in the motions of reading, praying, and going to church. It is even easy to say, "I've read these things before, there is nothing I haven't read." And that may be true, but God reveals through His Spirit to us. This great article from Elder Mervyn B. Arnold in the August 2013 ensign tells us one way to receive revelation through the scriptures. President Boyd K. Packer in the October 2013 General Conference said:

"Years ago, Elder S. Dilworth Young of the Seventy taught me a lesson about reading the scriptures. A stake was struggling with tensions and difficulties among the members, and counsel needed to be given.
I asked President Young, “What should I say?”
He answered simply, “Tell them to read the scriptures.”
I asked, “Which scriptures?”
He said, “It really doesn’t matter. Tell them to open up the Book of Mormon, for instance, and begin to read. Soon the feeling of peace and inspiration will come, and a solution will present itself.”
Make scripture reading a part of your regular routine, and the blessings will follow. There is in the scriptures a voice of warning, but there is also great nourishment."

Read the scriptures daily, know they can help you and that God will help you as you seek to follow Him.

 

He testifies to us and speaks to our minds through the scriptures. Search them diligently, pray, and then continue onward. I know this is true.

 

Love, 

Elder Zachary R McKenzie

Iowa Des Moines Mission

D&C 6:34, 36

  Doubt Not, Fear Not.

It's Halloween! - October 28, 2013

Another week in the life of a missionary...

 

It seems as though I can't find a balance of spiritual things and what is actually going on in my missionary work. Last week, I got on my soapbox a little bit, but this week, I hope to give an update that lets everyone know exactly what I have been doing in Story City.

 

As a missionary, we often go on exchanges. The "Missionary Handbook" describes the what and the why for companion exchanges.

COMPANION EXCHANGES
Normally at least once every transfer cycle, a district leader works with each elder in his district. 

Companion exchanges are conducted by leaders to train missionaries. ... Companion exchanges should be planned in advance and should normally last 24 hours. The leader may bring the other missionary to his own area or work in the other missionary’s area. Usually the leader’s companion and the other missionary’s companion work in the other proselyting area. During the companion exchange, the leader should take part in as many phases of missionary work as possible, including finding, teaching, companionship study, language study (as appropriate), and daily planning.

He should review and discuss the missionary’s area book and daily planner. The leader teaches by example. In a spirit of love, he gives the missionary specific, direct, constructive feedback on what he does well and how he can improve. He helps the missionary understand and apply principles from Preach My Gospel, and he gives leadership training.

At the end of the exchange he reviews with the missionary what has happened and what has been learned during the exchange. He helps the missionary set goals and make plans. The leader reports on the exchange in his weekly letter to the mission president. 

   -- Missionary Handbook, pp. 63-65 

So I go on at least an exchange per week with the other Elders in my district. It is fun to work with my companion as well as see miracles and the teaching styles of other missionaries.

 

As for other happenings, I am coming closer to Christ and my Father in Heaven continually, and striving to help others do the same. Nothing super exciting or monumental has happened recently, so I am going about, trying to find people to teach, help the members become missionary minded, and reactivate less-active members. The weather is chilly, but the truth must go forward. It's interesting, I have had a dream just about every night for the last 5 months. I am not used to dreaming that much, but they all have something to do with good old missionary work! :)

 

That's the Story in Story City,

Elder Zachary R McKenzie

Iowa Des Moines Mission

D&C 6:34, 36

  Doubt Not, Fear Not.

Iowa's beginning to Fall - October 21, 2013

I'm only joking... Iowa is staying where it is. But it is starting to get cold.

 

A sister who will be departing on her mission in the next couple of weeks to the Arizona Mesa Mission spoke in church yesterday. She spoke of two of the inevitable things about the Plan of Salvation, falling and Christ's love. It was a fantastic talk with great insights. A few insights from her talk:

• "Falling is an imperfect state."
• "We must live our lives standing."
• "Christ's love will never be against us. It will always be for us."
• "Don't be stuck in a state of denial."

Repentance is the key to getting back up after we fall. As President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said in the Priesthood session of the October 2013 General Conference:

"When I was young, falling and getting up seemed to be one and the same motion. Over the years, however, I have come to the unsettling conclusion that the laws of physics have changed—and not to my advantage.
Not long ago I was skiing with my 12-year-old grandson. We were enjoying our time together when I hit an icy spot and ended up making a glorious crash landing on a steep slope.
I tried every trick to stand up, but I couldn’t—I had fallen, and I couldn’t get up.
I felt fine physically, but my ego was a bit bruised. So I made sure that my helmet and goggles were in place, since I much preferred that other skiers not recognize me. I could imagine myself sitting there helplessly as they skied by elegantly, shouting a cheery, “Hello, Brother Uchtdorf!”
I began to wonder what it would take to rescue me. That was when my grandson came to my side. I told him what had happened, but he didn’t seem very interested in my explanations of why I couldn’t get up. He looked me in the eyes, reached out, took my hand, and in a firm tone said, “Opa, you can do it now!”
Instantly, I stood.
I am still shaking my head over this. What had seemed impossible only a moment before immediately became a reality because a 12-year-old boy reached out to me and said, “You can do it now!” To me, it was an infusion of confidence, enthusiasm, and strength.Brethren, there may be times in our lives when rising up and continuing on may seem beyond our own ability. That day on a snow-covered slope, I learned something. Even when we think we cannot rise up, there is still hope. And sometimes we just need someone to look us in the eyes, take our hand, and say, “You can do it now!”"

Sometimes we need the love of others to fully repent. Preach My Gospel says "repentance includes forming a fresh view of God, ourselves, and the world." To form a fresh view of hope, enthusiasm, and love. A fresh view includes forgiving ourselves and others. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve said in his talk "Remember Lot's Wife," "The past is to be learned from but not lived in. We look back to claim the embers from glowing experiences but not the ashes. And when we have learned what we need to learn and have brought with us the best that we have experienced, then we look ahead, we remember that faith is always pointed toward the future."

I love you all, may we get up and never look back. Look forward with an eye of faith, hope, charity and love, and to be built by commandment.

 

Love, 

Elder Zachary R McKenzie

Iowa Des Moines Mission

D&C 6:34, 36

  Doubt Not, Fear Not.

Still in Story City... - October 14, 2013

I am still in Story City for another 6 weeks!

 

It came as a shock at first, but I think I oughta stop thinking about what I want to do or where I want to go and to say willingly to God "I'll go where you want me to go dear Lord."

 

It took me a little time to be ok with me being in Story City still. Initially, I was not excited at all for staying in Story City. But I now see, just 5 days after transfers, that it was necessary for me to stay here.

Reason #1. Our Zone split on transfers, but our district stayed the same So I am able to help our zone leaders have some constancy. One of the Zone Leaders is new to the area, but in our district he is only 1 of 3 new missionaries to the area, 9/12 of our district stayed the same. And we have no brand-new missionaries in our district for the first time in 4 months, they all have at least 6 weeks experience now.

 

Reason #2. One of the missionaries in our district had some pretty severe anti-Mormon material thrown at him twice in one day and he was really shaken up. I was able to help him and provide support. That was the day of transfers, so if I had been transferred, I wouldn't have been there to help.

 

Reason #3. A less-active member came back for the first time in years to church yesterday and I was the only person she knew as we visited her a couple of months ago.

 

Reason #4. Elder Newhouse and I found a lady from the Philippines back in June, and we taught her and she is a new investigator!

So needless to say, God kept me in Story City for these 3 reasons, and I hope to find many more!

 

The Book of Mormon holds all the answers we need in life. It is the tool to bring all to Christ. Nephi tells us why he and the other prophets in the Book of Mormon wrote the words they wrote:

For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.

 

And, notwithstanding we believe in Christ, we keep the law of Moses, and look forward with steadfastness unto Christ, until the law shall be fulfilled.

 

For, for this end was the a law given; wherefore the law hath become dead unto us, and we are made alive in Christ because of our faith; yet we keep the law because of the commandments.

 

And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.

-2 Nephi 25:23-26

I add my voice to Nephi's and "I labor diligently to [preach], to persuade [God's] children, [...] to believe in Christ."

 

Love, 

Elder Zachary R McKenzie

Iowa Des Moines Mission

D&C 6:34, 36

  Doubt Not, Fear Not.

General Conference Round 3 - October 7, 2013

Here we are into fall!

 

Well, General Conference was incredible as usual! I would say even more so than usual. Or at least I gleaned more personal touches than I usually do. I changed my approach with my note taking a bit, and I feel, at least as of now, that I was able to receive more complete revelation from my Father in Heaven.

 

I don't know for sure yet, but it looks like I will be in Story City with Elder Fiso for another 6 weeks.

 

Always look to the Lord and His servants. Serve him by home and visiting teaching and sharing the gospel with everyone you meet! Listen to conference. Read it again! Read the Book of Mormon daily and find new ways you can "liken" the scriptures to your life. Stay excited!

 

I want to apologize, for I want to describe many things and how things are going. The problem is, whenever I get to the computer, my brain shuts down and I am not able to share what has been impressed upon my mind. This is a two-edged sword for I simply cannot express all my thoughts and feelings with this short amount of time when I do remember. I really would like to, but I want to bear my apologies to all who tune in weekly to this email. Know that I am doing well, seeing miracles, and loving serving the Lord. It comes with its challenges, but the blessings outweigh the hard times.

 

Love,

Elder Zachary R McKenzie

Iowa Des Moines Mission

D&C 6:34, 36

  Doubt Not, Fear Not.

Bennett's Baptism - September 30, 2013

Come and See

 

Aurian and Vincent were baptized Saturday! It was an incredible ordinance! Brother Bennett was ordained a Priest in the Aaronic Priesthood on the 22nd and he was able to baptize his children on Saturday. Elder Newhouse was able to get a ride from a member in his current area west of Des Moines to see them baptized. It was great to see him and to witness the first baptism he has seen from his efforts.

 

Sorry time cut me short again! I just want to say so much but I have so little time!

 

The attached picture is from the baptism. From left to right, the adults are Sister Bennett, Brother Bennett, Sister England, Me, Elder Newhouse, and Sister Paul. Dalen is the child not in white, he is another of Brother Bennett's children who moved in with them this last week. He is 8 and wants to be baptized! Aurian is the child in the middle and Vincent is the one on the right. Beautiful time!

 

Love,

Elder Zachary R McKenzie

Iowa Des Moines Mission

    D&C 6:34, 36

Doubt Not, Fear Not.
550 Souls to Christ