Monday, January 26, 2015
Wonderful Week
Dear Family!
I do not have much time this week, but here it goes!
This week one of our 4 people was baptised.
Janaina was baptised before church on sunday because she had to work on saturday. It always happens and is a testimony of it, but I can feel a diference in here now that she has the gift of the Holy Ghost. Because the baptism was so early, there weren´t that many people there, actually, just us 4 missionaries, her, and her sister who is 12, but as she said it. Só mi ma esh ma Deus, or Just me, them (the missionaries) and God. God was there, and she will be a strong adition to this branch.
Also, the other attached picture is of me and Américo. For those who don´t remember, Américo was baptised a bit over a year ago my first week in santo antao. He served as a recent convert as the ward mission leader, and institute teacher, and a lot of other stuff as he tried to figure out all the things he needed to do. He is preparing to serve a mission. He is one of my best friends here in cape verde, and this last week he moved to Sal, and I got to see him this morning. It was so amazing. I love being a missionary.
Also this last week in district meeting we learned about a great process that is required to use in teaching, that president Monson also taught as the process required to follow the spirit. They say it a little differently, but the principles are the same.
Preaching the gospel the Lord’s way includes observing and listening and discerning as prerequisites to talking. The sequence of these four interrelated processes is significant. Please note that active observing and listening precede discerning and that observing, listening, and discerning come before speaking. Employing this pattern enables missionaries to identify and teach to the needs of investigators.
As we observe, listen, and discern, we can be given “in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man” (D&C 84:85)—the truths to emphasize and the answers to give that will meet the specific needs of a particular investigator. Only by observing, listening, and discerning can we be guided by the Spirit to say and do the things that will be most helpful to those whom we serve.
Mormon, the principal compiler of the Book of Mormon, is described as being “quick to observe” (Mormon 1:2). Recall that Ammaron counseled the youthful Mormon to both remember and record all of the things he had observed concerning his people (see Mormon 1:1–5). His ability to look, to notice, to respond, and to obey provides an impressive example for us to study and follow.
Being quick to observe is a vital preparation to receive the spiritual gift of discernment. Discernment is seeing with spiritual eyes and feeling with the heart—seeing and feeling the falsehood of an idea, the goodness in another person, or the next principle that is needed to aid an investigator. Discerning is hearing with spiritual ears and feeling with the heart—hearing and feeling the unspoken concern in a comment or question, the truthfulness of a testimony or doctrine, or the assurance and peace that come by the power of the Holy Ghost.
I frequently have heard President Boyd K. Packer counsel members and priesthood leaders: “If all you know is what you see with your natural eyes and hear with your natural ears, then you will not know very much.” His penetrating observation should help all of us to appropriately desire and seek for these spiritual gifts of observing, listening, and discerning.
President Monson said it like this about following the spirit
President Thomas S. Monson has counseled us to never postpone aprompting. “We watch. We wait. We listen for that still, small voice,” he said in general conference. “When it speaks, wise men and women obey.We do not postpone following promptings of the Spirit.”
I love you all, and hope that we can all conciously be quick to observe, listen, descern, and the follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost.
I know that he is waiting to guide us.
Love,
Elder Sampson
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