Focus on Christ

 Wow! I heard Christmas music in Walmart for the first time today, so that just started the day off right!

These last few weeks have flown by! We've had four of five days of Zone Conference and about eight or more exchanges within that time frame as well. Things are incredibly busy, but it's been so good to stay focused and motivated. Building relationships with the missionaries is still just one of the highlights of my service, being able to interact and work alongside one another.

Lately I've been refocusing my studies into the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Those studies have placed me primarily in the New Testament Gospels as well as in 3rd Nephi in the Book of Mormon. It's been stunning to learn more about, and see His characteristics in action. It seems to me that we all too often talk about following Christ's example and replicating His attributes, yet we don't fully comprehend how He Himself exemplifies those characteristics. Because of those thoughts I'd been having, my study has been simply following His actions and looking for ways that I can replicate them.

Simply put, I think it's time we all study and learn a little more about Christ, as He is the center of all we do. Join with me! Study the 2200 references for Cjrist in the Topical Guide, or find something that works for you, but develop some way that you can come to know your Savior better!

John 17:3 

"And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."

 It has been an insane week, but as always, somehow everything worked out extremely well! Time and time again the Lord magnifies our efforts and helps for everything to work out as He desires. 

" Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people. For they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, Make them sit down by fifties in a company. And they did so, and made them all sit down. Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude. And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets."

The Lord will always enable us to do more, and be more, as we trust in Him and His power. Great miracles are in store for all of us!

Come Listen to a Prophet's Voice

 Well I just recently realized that I didnt write last week, so sorry about that! 

General Conference was INCREDIBLE, especially the third session. That one really answered many of my key questions. Lately I've been trying to recognize what is most important for me to work on and develop, and simply, my answer has been to get to know Christ  and the Father better. To get started I've been diving into the New Testament and studying from the Jesus Christ section in Gospel Library. It's crazy to see how much we truly do know about Him! 

The true value of knowing Christ is incomparable. It allows us to see what we lack, what we can achieve, and the means by which we can get there. Luckily, I've found that consistent effort to live like Christ is truly what brings us the most joy!

Mosiah 4:9-12

Letter from President Ames

 THE CHURCH OF

Jesus Christ

OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS



MISSOURI INDEPENDENCE MISSION

517 W. Walnut Street

Independence, Missouri 64050-6050





 



Dear Parents,
 
Greetings from the Missouri Independence Mission.  I hope to periodically write a letter to all of you to report on the mission.  I know you get some information from your children but this may give a big picture view.  Sister Ames and I prayed and fasted that we would be filled with love for each and every missionary.  I can say that I have felt that love for these wonderful missionaries.  As you are likely aware, we have a large number right now.  We have 231 currently and will be getting 35 new ones in two weeks.  We will be sending 10 home so a net increase of 25 missionaries that will put us at 257.  It has been a joy to get to know each of them. 
 
It is good I am writing as I get a little emotional when I talk to people about this band of missionaries serving here in the center place of Zion during a global pandemic.  I am happy to report, that to date, we have not had a single missionary test positive for the COVID-19 virus (knock on wood).  We have had many scares and have had to quarantine a number of them for a time due to some exposure of one kind or another.  Missionaries are still restricted from tracting, street contacting, and teaching in the homes of people they teach.  They are also not allowed to eat inside a member’s home.  They have been able to eat outside a member’s home but sadly, the weather is cooling off a little too much for that to be comfortable.   They are allowed short meetings in member homes where all involved are masked up.  Sister Ames and I have a serious focus on keeping the missionaries safe as well as those with whom they meet.
 
The work itself is moving ahead in a big way.  We no longer feel too restricted with the pandemic.  We are finding more effective ways to find and teach people that will ultimately hasten the work.  It is not likely we will go back to the old methods much.  Tracting may be a thing of the past.  We do best when we work with members to find people and this is happening more than ever before.  This is a result of the pandemic.  We manage 17 Facebook pages in the mission right now and we run ads on those pages which have proven to be successful.  We have miracles reported around the mission every day.  For the first few months, the finding process was very hard on missionaries and mainly focused on them getting on Facebook and trying to connect with people.  It was long, boring and difficult.  We now have some organized efforts around using Facebook pages and ways to better engage the members.   Our teaching pools are generally up as are the spirits of the missionaries.  The COVID clouds are parting and we can see the sun.   Missionary work in the future will be some much better than before.  These missionaries will likely need to do very few outdoor things during the cold weather months.  So, we are seeing happier, busier and more productive missionaries than we did just two months ago.  I must say it is really impressive to see all they can do on just a phone, they are all pretty amazing.
 
We consider it a great honor to serve with your sons and daughters.  They are truly among the very elect of God.  I am confident that the Lord Jesus Christ is fulfilling His commitment to watch over them and protect them.  We feel the power of Christ each day in this work.  Thanks for helping to prepare these wonderful missionaries to serve the Lord.
 
Warmest regards,
 
Lynn J Ames
President
Missouri Independence Mission
816-830-3604

 All I can say is it has been another week!

 Camilo hasn't been super responsive lately which had been tough, but we've been seeing many miracles with a girl named Alyssa! She is so cool and loves being able to feel the Spirit! Expect big things here soon!

The weather has also been incredible this week, so we've done a lot of driving with the windows down. It's been a memorable week!

Great Scott!

 My goodness, it has been a long week! We had 20+ hours of meetings with Elder Wong this week, which was such an incredible to be a part of! He taught so interactively while helping us both with our personal conversion as well as how we can improve as a mission. I've definitely felt the drive to improve and take my efforts one notch up. That was one message he shared often and very powerfully throughout the various meetings. He compared our efforts to high jump, and that when you practice, you can't just leave the bar low and make it every time; sometimes you've got to take it up a notch. Though you will likely knock it over often, it's the only way to improve! I have a goal to take my efforts up one notch each day, and I'd invite you to find a way to do the same for yourself!

Vale la Pena

 This previous week has been an good one. We were able to take a lot more time and work in our area which was super beneficial! As of last Friday we began a mission tour when a general authority comes to the mission to see how everything is going. This time around Elder Chi Hong Wong of the seventy has been zooming in to some meetings with us. On Friday we had a meeting with him just as the leadership of the mission and it was incredible! He is a very funny but straightforward man and is pushing a lot of faith and heart into the mission right now. That's pretty much been the theme of my week. I'm trying to find way that I can continue to grind and push myself with greater heart, and help other missionaries to raise the bar, and ultimately lead to greater success and conversion. It's definitely an uphill battle, but the cost is worth it!