Week #3 - Free agency

Hey everyone,

I know I have said it a lot in the past three weeks but this is the best decision I have made in my life. I have been able to see with some investigators making the next steps in coming unto Christ. Not baptism yet but getting close.

One experience I would like to share with you that happened yesterday. We got to meet a part member family. The wife is a member, the husband isn't but has had the lessons multiple times. We talked with him and tried to see where he was at and what we could teach him that would help grow his faith in Christ. I can't remember where we were in the conversation but I told him that Heavenly Father gives us certain guidelines to live by to help us grow cause he knows what's best for us. I gave the analogy of a parent giving guidelines for there child to live by, cause the parent knows better because they have had experiences. I thought I gave it clearly and could feel the spirit as I talked. Once I was done I asked him if that made sense. He said quote "that's a horrible analogy". I wasn't expecting that answer. He said he understood what I was meaning but said he would rather hold his child's hand and help them. He then asked why wouldn't God hold my hand and help me with things throughout me life. I answered that he does sometimes but only to help us back on our feet when we have fallen down. If he did it all the time it would defeat the purpose of having free agency.

This was the first time that I really have felt like something I said didn't make sense to the person I was speaking to. I have been pretty good at speaking clearly and it kinda worried me. Some thoughts came to my head of; what if this happened to others I meet? What if they stop taking lessons from us because of me? I then realized where those thoughts were coming from. As long as I study fervently and pray for guidance and is obedient, the Lord will bless those I teach and help me to know what to say.  It was a humbling experience.

I hope you all are doing well. Have a wonderful week. Be good and don't do bad things.

Love
Elder Pearson

Second Week In The Mission Field

Howdie y'all,

I hope everyone has had an amazing week cause mine was. Getting to teach the gospel 7 days a week to people all over in LeCanto is just awesome. Even though the area is really spread out we are starting to find people and it's so exciting. This last week one of our daily goals was to try and contact one of the medial referrals and others that have been contacted before in the past but wasn't followed up on. We had about 10 that we have contacted and going to teach them a lesson this week or starting next week.

Also I got do my first exchanges with the Elders in Bellview. It was good but was a little difficult cause it wasn't as productive as I wanted it to be. We still got to teach a couple of new members which was good.

The LeCanto ward is really stepping up and doing all they can to bring back the less actives and getting member referrals to us. The members are great but it's a very small ward so is a little hard the first week but  we'remaking progress.

I'm so grateful to be here and know that this is where I'm supposed to be. I know that the Lord has called me to the Orlando mission for a reason. One awesome Conference Message I found as I was doing my studying was given by Elder Renlund. When he was talking to his brother about him becoming one of the new apostles he felt very inadequate. This is was his brother said,

 "You need to know that the Lord hasn’t called you because of anything you have done. In your case, it is probably in spite of what you have done. The Lord has called you for what He needs to do through you, and that will happen only if you do it His way.”

I know without a doubt that it wasn't just meant for Elder Renlund but to all of us who feel at times that we aren't qualified for the job but WE ARE!  He also says that when something wonderful happens in a missionary’s service when he or she realizes that the calling is not
about him or her; rather, it is about the Lord, His work, and Heavenly Father’s children.  It is his work and that's the only way us as missionaries with be successful. 

He then gives the story of him operating on a young man named Chad. As they are doing all they can to save his life they finally realize that he was to far gone and declared him dead. although sad and disappointed, he maintained a professional attitude. He thought to himself, “Chad has had good care. He has had many more years of life than he otherwise would have had.” That emotional distance soon shattered as his parents came into the emergency room bay and saw their deceased son lying on a stretcher. In that moment he saw Chad through his mother and fathers eyes. He saw the great hopes and expectations they had for him, the desire that he would live a little longer and get a little better. The emotional were unbearable to hold back. Ironically the reversed roles and the act of kindness he will never forget, as Chad's parents comforted him. I now realize that in the Church, to effectively serve others we must see them through a parent’s eyes, through Heavenly Father’s eyes. Only then can we begin to comprehend the true worth of a soul. Only then can we sense the love that Heavenly Father has for all of His children. Only then can we sense the Savior’s caring concern for them. We cannot completely fulfill our covenant obligation to mourn with those who mourn and comfort those who stand in need of comfort unless we see them through God’s eyes. This expanded perspective will open our hearts to the disappointments, fears, and heartaches of others. But Heavenly Father will aid and comfort us, just as Chad’s parents comforted him years ago.

I'm so grateful for the time I have to serve and I am doing all I can to see those through Gods eyes. He knows them and loves them and wants them to return to Him. Us as missionaries are the only way for them to know and to gain that knowledge. I know that He will guide me to find those that are ready. As we come to have the spirit in our hearts He will guide all of us as full-time missionary or not he will guide us to those that are in need of help, comfort, love, and peace. 

I love you all and hope you have a fabulous week.

#begoodanddontdobadthings

Elder Pearson

Apartment Pictures...

First Area and Companion

Hey Yall,

Its already been a week???  Doesn't feel like it.  Anyway, Orlando is
so cool.  The weather isn't  too bad.  So my first area that I'm in is
called Lecanto but we live in Inverses and its a huge area.  We don't
bike cause the houses are so spread out. Have a great week!

Love
Elder Pearson

Florida Orlando Missionaries (some new, some Senior Comps)

Elder Pearson with his first companionship which is a trio.

Elder Gubler (also new), Elder LeCheminat (Senior Comp. goes home in December)

Mission President and Sister Berry; they are from Utah. 

2 Days Until Orlando and Amazing Experiences!!

Hey everyone!

2 more days till I head to Florida and I'm so excited!!!  This past week has been an amazing experience. 

One experience I would like to share with you is about last night with our teacher Brother Christen.  As we were doing our Book of Mormon reading, a question from one of our investigators popped in my head.  How can I gain faith when I have no faith? I really didn't know how to answer it so we talked about it.  He then showed us a scripture Ether 12:18 that says that having a desire is having faith. It really helped me to know that I can ask an investigator if baptism is something that they want to do and if they say yes, I can explain to them that having a desire is acting in faith.

Another awesome moment was with our TRC investigator. We taught her about to write her experiences to see the Lords hand in her life cause she was struggling to know if God answers prayers.  She is following everything; the commandments, going to church, everything. She and her roommates (which are lds) were singing songs from the children's songbook and secretly she really wanted one for herself. Thursday is when we taught her again. I got her a journal book to write her thoughts in and one of the children's song books. When we gave it to her she told us about her experience with her friends. In her own words "there is only one way you could have known that I wanted one of these books."  AMAZING!!!!!  I also gave her my email so I could see how she does when we are gone. Just awesome. I have a better understanding of the Lords work and how He works through our missionaries. 

I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week! Be good and don't do bad things!

Love Elder Pearson

These missionaries are headed to Florida.