I'm Trash at writing emails so it might be a monthly thing now.
Haven't sent an email in a few weeks but I am still alive. Florida hasn't killed me yet.
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Putting on the Armor of God throughout Scripture Study
Intro: Game
Ask for FOUR volunteers and Have each put on the XL T-shirt (so they don’t get their shirt and tie too wet)
Tell TWO volunteers to stand in the boxes made with tape on the floor (one volunteer in each box). Give them each a water gun.
Explain that they will get 60 seconds to get the other person’s shirt as wet as possible! They can duck, block, or try to dodge, but they must keep within their boxes. If either contestant steps outside his or her box, the competition will be over immediately.
Tell the volunteers “Go!” and start the stopwatch.
When 60 seconds are up inspect the contestants to determine which one came out less wet. (you may want to give them a prize)
Then proceed to Round 2—but with one little modification.
Explain that they will do the exact same competition, with the same rules—except for one thing.
Pull out the trash bags and give one to ONE volunteer to put on over his or her shirt.
Then give the volunteers their water guns, say “Go!” and start the stopwatch. When 60 seconds are up, inspect the contestants to see who won. (Give a prize)
Ask the original two volunteers to stand next to the last two. Then ask the audience which two, of the four, ended up the wettest Ask the audience which two stayed the driest.
Point out that the right kind of protection makes all the difference!
I. Armor of God
Paul wrote a letter to the Ephesians while he was in a roman prison. He could have been looking at a soldier as he wrote this letter.
READ: Ephesians 6:10-19
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
As humans we are tempted and worked over pretty good in the world but as missionaries it seems we are fighting battles daily. We NEED the whole Armor of God!
ASK: have you ever found yourself teaching a lesson and feeling caught flat footed?
ASK: have you ever left an appointment or meeting or lesson exhausted maybe even soaking wet like you just sat there and got pelted with a water gun?
Part of the armor Paul talks about that can help us so we aren't caught flat footed comes from STUDYING THE SCRIPTURES.
II. Scripture Study
After the great apostasy, the gospel was restored back to the earth because a fourteen-year-old kid read and pondered his scriptures. ONE scripture, James 1:5, led Joseph Smith to receive revelation.
Think of the influence his scripture study has had on future generations?
We have all heard the primary song “Scripture Power”. Do we believe it? Do we realize the power and protection that comes from scripture study?
ASK: How serious do we take our scripture study?
I’ll be honest, sometimes a nap sounds more fun than sitting in an uncomfortable chair to read.
Sometimes, a quiet apartment is more appealing than a companionship scripture study session.
But I know when I am sitting in someone’s home and am able to share something I recently studied or recall a scripture that applies to the life of someone I’m teaching, I am glad I “armored up” instead of taking that nap.
ASK: has anyone experienced this? Anyone want to share a personal experiences when that has happened to them?
Studying the scriptures and learning the gospel is much more than gaining information.
The scriptures are a heavenly gift. They will give us knowledge and conviction that will bless our life and enable us to bless others eternally.
III. Scripture Study makes us Happy
I’m sure all of us have felt homesick or a little down while serving. WE are away from friends and family. We are uncomfortable EVERYDAY. We are doing something that isn’t easy and can occasionally make us inadequate for the call.
ASK: can scripture study help us feel happier?
READ: “His words will fill you —and those you teach —with light and truth. They will help you —and those you teach —live righteously and receive divine protection and strength. They will help you come to know Him and taste His love, which is sweet above all that is sweet. His words will fill your soul with joy”
READ: Elder Dieter F Uchtdorf said: “He created us to have joy! So if we trust Him, He will help us to notice the good, bright, hopeful things of life. And sure enough, the world will become brighter.”
I know, if we let it, one of the greatest blessings of our mission is having a scheduled time to study the scriptures every day.
Conclusion
We only get 18 months-two years to focus on spreading the gospel, studying our scriptures, and inviting others come unto Christ through baptism. It is our ONLY job in life right now. This job isn’t easy and our time is short!
So we have a choice- we can go out each day and come home “soaking wet” OR we can STUDY OUR SCRIPTURES, put on the Armor of God and come home feeling a little brighter. It’s our choice.
I know as we patiently persist in studying the word of God, (even when we would rather have a quiet apartment for a nap) our understanding will grow. We will come to treasure our time with the scriptures.
And in turn each day we will be able to:
Because we will have studied and put on the “armour of God”.
…. How the fetch do you mistake a missionary for a pimp. Florida's not real. 2 things worth noting.
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Teaching with the Spirit
Don’t Think-Just Do
Intro: Don’t Think - Just Do.
Introduce Movie clip:
In 1986, the movie Top Gun was released. Pete Mitchell, aka Maverick, played by Tom Cruise, is a fighter pilot in training. He flies with his best friend Goose. For those that don’t know what happens in this movie, Goose dies during a training exercise and Maverick feels responsible. Maverick goes on to graduate Top Gun. Movie over.
In the summer of 2022, nearly 40 years later, a sequel was released. This time, Pete Mitchell, aka Maverick, is training new recruits - one of which is Goose’s son, Bradley Bradshaw, aka Rooster, played by Milles Teller.
Maverick spends most of the movie training the young men, showing off a little, and of course trying to protect Goose’s son, Rooster. Near the end of the show, the two men are in a dog fight trying to out fly the bad guys.
Show the video clip.
("Don't think. Just do." - Top Gun: Maverick) stop at 2:02
https://youtu.be/6YaH04MZRmg?si=QRWbzuDKwFNwdAyx
ASK: What does Rooster mean when he says; “Don’t Think. Just Do.”?
Rely on what you know.
Let your knowledge and instinct take over.
I have been asked to discuss how we can better teach with the spirit! Sometimes finding and teaching can feel like a spiritual dog fight.
ASK: Any thoughts on how this movie clip applies to teaching with the spirit?
Rely on what you know
Let the spirit do the rest.
I want to break this down into three categories.
This first one is pretty obvious. We have to know our message.
In the movie, Maverick and Rooster have trained for this dog fight. They are familiar with the jet, its gauges, and how to make it work in the best way possible. They know how to fly. They’ve done their research.
ASK: Have we as missionaries done our research?
As missionaries we did a lot of our training at home.
Then we spent time in the MTC learning and perfecting the message.
We continue to study and train in our apartments each morning with companionship and personal study.
We are constantly praying and adding to our understanding and knowledge - line upon line.
I know I rely on Elder Walker when I get stumped on scriptures. I learn everyday from him and his knowledge.
READ: Doctrine and Covenants 11:21 we learn the process the Lord has set for teaching with the spirit.
21 Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, … and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men.
To “obtain” the Lord’s word means to study it and let it sink deep in your heart. As you make this effort, He promised, “Then shall your tongue be loosed; …”
We as missionaries must know our message. We must know that the principles we teach are true. The Lord will help us teach with power and authority as we diligently seek Him and learn His word.
Ask: Does anyone want to add to this?
2. Know Who You’re Teaching
a. BRT
b. Listen
c. Converse
Seeking to teach as the Savior taught is a lifelong pursuit. But to be able to TEACH like the Savior we first need to LOVE like the Savior.
In Matthew 4(:23) we learn that during Christ earthly ministry, He taught in many settings such as synagogues, in homes, on the road, in large gatherings and in private conversations. We know some of His most powerful interactions were very brief or in unusual settings.
His message didn’t change but HOW he taught did. He taught using specific actions or words depending on WHO he was teaching.
WRITE: BRT (Build a relationship of trust)
When talking about the people we are teaching, Elder Jeffrey R Holland says; These people are not lifeless objects disguised as a baptismal statistic.
The people we meet are REAL PEOPLE with real lives and real problems. Those who let us in their homes and into their lives are seeking something and are willing to listen. But they need to trust us.
We have all heard the saying:
“People don’t CARE how much you KNOW
until they KNOW how much you CARE.”
ASK: How do we do this?
Learn about them.
Ask about them.
Compliment them.
Learn what they like, what they don’t like.
Know what is happening with their lives (family, school, work, etc.)
Find things in common. Look around their homes for anything you can ask about (family photos, sports teams, pets, art work, musical instruments, etc.)
Build a relationship of trust. Make them your friend first. Then………. if the setting is right, ask deeper questions such as:
what their fears are
what they yearn for
what they feel is missing in their lives.
I promise you that something in what they say will always highlight a truth of the gospel about which you can bear testimony and about which you can then offer more.
WRITE: Listen
READ: Elder Jeffrey R. Holland taught:
“More important than speaking is listening. … Ask these friends what matters most to them. What do they cherish, and what do they hold dear? And then LISTEN.
ASK: How do we better Listen to those we are teaching?
Listen with Genuine Caring
Listen with INTENT.
While others talk, make sure you are concentrating on what they are saying.
Avoid the tendency to be planning what you will say next.
WRITE: Have a CONVERSATION
My grandpa used to talk about learning the “Art of Conversation”.
ASK: Anyone care to guess what that means?
Don't think about what you're gonna say beforehand.
Let it come to you
Just talk as you would with a friend from home.
Just talk!! If God wanted ROBOTS to preach His gospel He would have created them. But that isn’t how He works. There is a reason He has an Elder Walker and a Sister Perkins. We all have our own set of strengths and weaknesses. We have our own experiences to share. We all have our own unique personalities.
If we go in with a memorized plan it can often come across “rehearsed” and insincere. If we listen with love, we won’t need to wonder what to say. It will be given to us—by the Spirit and by our friends.
I know this can be scary and we sometimes doubt ourselves and think that we are not qualified. However, our Heavenly Father, who knows us perfectly, called us because of what we can offer as a committed follower of Jesus Christ. He will not forsake us.
Ask: Does anyone want to add to this?
3. Don’t Think - Just Do
Finally, we have been PROMISED that as we teach the restored gospel and rely on the Lord for help in doing such, He will be there.
READ: Doctrine and Covenants 84:88
“And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up”.
TRUST the process.
If you KNOW YOUR MESSAGE and KNOW WHO YOU ARE TEACHING - If you have done your part and INVITED the spirit to be there - the only thing left is to TRUST that the Spirit will magnify your abilities and will teach the truth to those who are receptive.
Don’t think - Just Do!
Conclusion:
The spirit is THE MOST IMPORTANT PART of our work.
Rely on the Spirit to help you know what to say.
He will bring the doctrine you have studied to your remembrance.
He will help you plan and adjust what you teach according to a person’s needs.
When you teach by the Spirit, He will carry your message unto people’s hearts. And He will confirm your message when you bear your testimony.
I challenge us all to spend the week trying this. Don't think - Just Do. I know the spirit will give you the words and touch the hearts of those you teach.
Sadly, Walker still doesn't have a phone and his driving privileges have been rebuked 
. So im game 7 Bron now. Team on my back. It's been great though because It's taught me a lil more responsibility because I'm doing most everything right now (without a license or money still).
... You don't say. 
