Jan 25, 2016

What a good week! We had a lot of snow. Well for this area, about 6 inches, lots of places closed down. it was really fun. Driving in it is awesome, having four wheel drive makes it easier.

We are still struggling with investigators. We have one right now. But it's funny, I can see Heavenly Father moving our teaching pool elsewhere and I like it. I have finally found my purpose in being transferred to Maysville. It took me six weeks But I found it. I was sent here to change the branch and to change the area. I was talking on the phone with President Porter and he was helping with some stuff. He helped me see what I needed to do. That really made me reevaluate what I was doing haha. I realized that I had not been living up to my potential these past 6 weeks. I will maker things happen in Maysville. We will baptize.

Elder Verdoni
 

Letter to Mom

And yes one thing I have found is that the Lord will test our Faith in Him and our obedience. Sometimes we will not see results immediately. "Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don't come till heaven...But they come" -Elder Holland. 

Like just yesterday actually I had an experience like this. We have been receiving tons of promptings to go see this one investigator because we knew that he could get baptized this weekend. That was revelation, we knew that. After days of trying and dozens of times knocking and calling, last night, they told us they did not want us by anymore. I was confused. Why would I receive so much revelation for this kid. Why did we have all these promptings and put in so much effort for this? I was left in disappointment and small discouragement. I said multiple times. I asked multiple times what was the point. 

Then in the blink of an eye, I knew. None of those promptings, none of that revelation, none of that diligence, was about me. It was about John(fake name). We gave him many many chances to listen and to accept, but ultimately it was up to him. I'm sure that if he really did accept he would have been baptized this weekend. But it was about him and not me. Heavenly Father wanted to see if I would really obey. If I would really go back again to the place where we have been multiple times with no success. 

Just like Alma and the land of Ammonihah. When he went back, he had very few success. Amulek became one of the most powerful missionaries and Zeezrom was eventually baptized as well. But the rest were burned by fire. Sometimes we are given commandments and promptings to do things that do not have immediate results, even if we fight and struggle to keep them. However He will bless you for your obedience and diligence. 

 

Our District

Jan 17, 2016

O this week was full of opposition and miracles. Actually first, it's 8 degrees outside! cold cold cold!

Well anyway this week was amazing. An elder who left sent president a letter of how his mission has impacted him and how the doctrine of Christ has changed him. It was amazing. It was What I want to be. I want to be a powerful missionary, I want to know how Heavenly Father Speaks to me. I was so intrigued. So as soon as I read the letter I went to pray. This was one of the few times I really turned to Him with a sincere heart, real intent, and faith in Christ that He would answer. And I was willing to stay in that prayer until I got my answer.

I wanted to know how He speaks to me. I got my Answer. It was crystal clear. I heard "I put you in this situation, so you can learn how to talk to me." The situation meaning training right after being trained and then doing it again. I was just wishing I had a senior companion so I could know how to do stuff because the past 6 months have been really hard. But when He said that, I was filled with an overwhelming sense of Love. An undeserved love. What did I do to receive such a blessing?

He let me go through this so I can learn power, not form. The form comes through experience. He let me learn and experience things other missionaries don't for a while. I felt like I didn't deserve His love, but it was truly amazing. I got the prompting to read my patriarchal blessing right after. So I did. And I heard His voice. He walked me through my blessing. He was speaking to me. He re-emphasized a lot. It was amazing. I asked Him questions and He answered. I had to repeatedly ask if this was really true and happening. It was and it did. The spirit bore strong witness that I can never deny. I know His voice. I know how He speaks to me. I realized that this same voice that I heard is the same voice that I have been hearing my whole mission. The same one that I doubted and put aside.

So lately our mission has been facing extreme opposition, especially this last week. It is amazing. The reason being is because of the conferences we just had. President Porter is a man of God. We learned a lot about the 3rd law of obedience and becoming powerful missionaries. It lasted for about 8 hours. It was extremely revelatory. Our mission is on the launch pad for a giant spiritual out-pour. I learned that I am just a tool in Heavenly Fathers hands and that he will change me. I will live the third law and speak what he speaks.

Well during that I got the prompting to go see one of our investigators that dropped us twice. We got back into town at 8:45. So we went, and I bore testimony about Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation and that this is His church. And that he knew that. Well with the spirit we found out that he did not want to go on without his family, so by the end he gave all his family as referrals and we are teaching them tonight. It was so cool.

Saturday was full of opposition because Satan thinks he can win. ha.

Sunday no one came, but finally one of our recent converts did. We had a sweet miracle later that day. All our plans fell through and we didn't know what to do, so we were walking around in the chilling cold and this man walks by. We chat, but he walked away. When he was about a block away the spirit told me to go talk to Him. I really didn't want to but we followed. Then we couldn't find him. The spirit told me to look for him but I didn't want to, but we did. Told me to knock on a door, I didn't know what to say so I didn't want to knock, but we did. We found him on the second door. I opened my mouth and he filled it. This man has been prepared by angels to hear this message. It was amazing. The promises are real. There is elect everywhere.

Then later that night we got the prompting to see a family. It was like 8:40 and far, so I didn't want to, but we did. Turns out they really needed the visit. I shared WOM 1:7. and when we were driving there I remembered that the husband had lost his job that day. They didn't know we knew and still don't. We had forgotten, but the spirit didn't.

It's truly amazing to see the change He is making in me. Now I am not boasting of myself in anyway. There is nothing to boast about there. But I am boasting in the Lord, He is amazing and can change anything. His power is real. I know that Heavenly Father lives, loves and speaks to me. I know that Jesus Christ lives and through his restored Gospel we can change and find peace and joy. I know these things because the spirit bore witness to me.
Elder Verdoni

Jan 11, 2016

This week flew by. It was probably the fastest week of my mission so far. 

Drove out to Cincinnati to have a zone fun day, then we went on exchanges on Tuesday. That was a lot of fun. 

Wednesday we spent most of the day at a health clinic and then we turned in early. 

Thursday we drove to Cincinnati again for new missionary training. I am not a big city person, haha, all that traffic in small roads with a big truck is just not my thing lol. but I'm not a small town person either, lol, but that was a lot of fun. 

On Friday we went on exchanges with the zone leaders, and hat was a blast. I learned so much about what I need to Change. 

On Saturday we had the prompting to visit one of our former investigators, who dropped us a couple of weeks ago. He is 14 and used to be really interested. but his original missionaries left and his fire died. But we went over and followed what the spirit told us to say and we are teaching him again! It was really cool. We found out why he really dropped us and his need, there was a lot of grace there. 

Sunday was good cause its always good cause its the Sabbath. Also it snowed! love you all!

Elder Verdoni

Jan 4, 2016

New Years!

Wow I had an amazing experience this year. sorry, my first long email.

So for new Years we had to stay in and read the entire Book of Mormon in one day.
Yupp all day we were to read the Book of Mormon. Cover to cover, and finish by 10:30 pm. You know me, I am not a reader. We also had to mark evidences of Gods love for His Children and ways we can increase our faith in Jesus Christ. This was the hardest experience of my life. 

I am a slow reader that likes to soak everything up. To accomplish this we had to read at about 35 pages an hour for 16 hours. The first 100 pages took me 4 hours. I was falling behind. But I knew that Christ could deliver me. At 8:36pm I had a melt down. I was in physical pain. Mental pain. Emotional Pain. and Spiritual pain. My faith was being tested. I wanted to give up so bad. I was only in Alma 30. I could not go on. But I knew I couldn't give up. 

The story of 1 Nephi kept coming back to my mind. I had been reading like Laman and Lemuel. for the praise of men. To please my President. To impress others. I was miserable. I was relying on my strength and it gave out. It was no more. If only I could have been reading like I was Nephi, out of pure love for God and for his family. Nephi kept the commandments because he loved His God. He went under so much persecution but his joy was full. And we have been hearing over and over since the mission tour with Elder Bennett that we need to change our why. We have to turn our hearts to God. 

I kept noticing the phrases keep the commandments and I noticed how frequently God delivers His children. So I turned to God. I cried out to Him in for strength. That I too could be delivered. I needed Him. I could not go on. I received a prompting to eat one sour patch kid and he would shock my energy back. Silly, but I followed. It did. My heart took courage. I knew my God would deliver me. I knew with the Strength of Christ I could do all things. I started to read on. I was going strong and fast because now I was reading for my Heavenly Father. I made it now my goal to finish Alma by 10:30. I did. President Porter gave me permission to stay up to midnight. I finished Helaman. I got up At 6 am to finish. I had 107 pages left. I asked that I may read at a pace that I had never seen before and still comprehend what was saying. I finished the Book of Mormon at 8 am. I read 107 pages in two hours. Never could I have done that without Jesus Christ.

I know He delivered me. I know that as we give him all our heart, All our might mind and strength, He will Deliver us. I know that as we come unto him we can be saved. and I know that the book which invites us to do so, The Book of Mormon, is true. No man could have ever written that book. Unless it were true, and he was commanded of God to do so. That Book has so much power. It changed my life. 

I know with a perfect knowledge that God Loves his children. He is Good and He lives. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is His one and only true Church. It has been restored through a prophet. I know that We are lead by Prophets today. His restored Gospel is our only way to true peace and happiness. I beg of you, wherever you are, whoever you are, to come unto Christ. If you are a member with doubts, read the book of Mormon and ask in prayer, He will deliver you. If you are not, I invite you to at least experiment and see of what I'm doing and how this gospel can bless your lives. Talk to me and I will direct you to your local missionaries. This is true. I know it with my whole being that it is. I love my God. and I love you.
Come and see

Elder Verdoni