Polar Bear Blast

Friends and Family,

 

What a blessing good weather really is! I feel like I have so often taken the mild, pleasant weather at home for granted. This week was just nutty weather wise. And for your meteorologist report: Tuesday a high of 8 degrees...oh but there's going to be a light breeze of 35 mph to make it a brisk -14 degrees. AKA, perfect tracting weather...if we want our hands to fall off after the first knock. Needless to say, we weren't outside much at all that day. It was just miserably cold. And New York even broke a 118 year record low...my that's cold. Hey but we were able to stay warm. We actually taught our soon to be 91 year old (Happy Birthday Grandma Clyde!) investigator Bill the Plan of Salvation using my wooden puzzle. The visual helped him grasp the whole layout. And the scriptures in the Bible outline the different degrees of glory in Heaven. A lot of times he just expresses his loneliness now that Jackie is gone, and he just waits for the Lord to take him.

 

Other than that, we had a mutual "Drop talk" with our investigator Cardin yesterday. He hasn't been reading or coming to church and he made it sound like he just wants to learn more. Ofttimes we have to help people understand that -this is more than 'Bible Study' this is a life changing process. This is Eternal Life. If only we could just impart that understanding to others that this is so much more than the eye or mind can behold. But, there is order in all things. And I have learned to trust that the Lord is taking care of His people. Whether they drop us or not. So we planted the seed and welcomed him to still come to church and basketball on saturday.

 

Speaking of, with Elder Allred here, we started  basketball at the church on a carpet gym with a half court, but it was still fun and we had a good turn out. And believe it or not, I made a few shots! My teammates were just surprised as I was, guess the Lord can give us a hand in sports too if we're humble enough! Sure wasn't me! Right after basketball at 8am on Saturday, we did service with our ward mission leader, Brother McVicker who volunteers at the Smyrna Historical Museum downtown on Main St. It just involved moving wood and junk from the basement to trucks outside. And we have been seeking to do a lot more service for members and non members and all over the community. It's a much more effective way of getting the name of the church and the name of Jesus Christ out there. I mean, as much as I lovvvveee knocking doors, I think I'd prefer service any day. So no we haven't done much service yet, but we're waiting for applications at a local hospital and Rehab Center, etc. At the museum I got to play my first pump organ, with the two foot pedals that pivot up and down to blow air like an accordion through the pipes housed in the piano looking console. It was quite the multi-tasker's delight! Props to organists in the olden days who had to create their own air! We get off easy Sister Carsten!

 

In the mean time, we have spent more time with less active members, especially one man named Bro Churchill. We found him on the roster several months ago and began visiting. Got him a home teacher and taught him a few lessons. Then yesterday, I saw him walk through the church doors. And seeing a less active member walk through those doors is just as exciting and heartwarming as a baptism. Because it's a lost sheep coming back to the fold of God! I love it, and we knew that our efforts the past few weeks have not been in vain. Although we have no progressing investigators right now, we know that the Lord is preparing people. Ha, I may not see the fruits of my labors...but, the seeds have been planted. Well we have an investigator, Miguel (Spanish Speaker in Millington with the chickens)  But he's not really progressing because he's not keeping commitments like coming to church and reading. And we don't have them do it for us. It's all to help them come unto Christ and learn for themselves whether or not this is God's restored true church.!

 

We spent some time inside this week because I've had a cold and was coughing, then E. Allred kind of caught it and it was just a little rough. My companions had to force me to stay in because I'm stubborn like that, but as I thought about it, the passage in Mosiah 4:27 came to mind. "It is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength." I liked to think that missionaries were invincible, because we're "on the Lord's errand" which we are. BUT, we're still mortal/human/subject to all manner of afflictions. Soooo, I learned my lesson. I like to work myself to the ground, and I'm sure you can all atest to that. But..the Lord taught me in a personal way, that I need to take care of myself first so that He can make me a more powerful instrument in His hands. "And it is expedient that he should be diligent [but not crazy] that thereby he might WIN THE PRIZE {eternal life}." I love you all and pray for you and feel your prayers as well. The Lord sustain those who love and follow Him. Have a wonderful week and know that someone in Delaware loves you!

 

Love,

 

Elder Jake Robins

And this is why we love knocking so much!

Can't remember what it's called, but it's a 400 year old desk that was used to hide Bibles because it was against the Law for people to have or read the Bible

Perfect surfing weather, a balmy 8 degrees.