Monday, July 6, 2015
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
What a week!
Dear Family and Friends,
To those who noticed, which may have only been my dear mother, it is tuesday, not monday. Yesterday
there was a huge party in my city. Everyone was out on the street, and for the last week almost non stop
there have been drummers playing in the street. Constant noise for 8 days or so. They just play the same
beat of 4 seconds on loop for days. I am happy that part is over. There were horse races and stuff. Way
to much alchool, but other than that a pretty family friendly party, except that they were also technically `
worshiping` Saint Peter which is a big no no. Everything was closed except the chinese stores, so we
couldnt email. I love the chinese. The Chinese here in sao nicolau are better than in all the other islands
because their isnt a huge seperation between them and the natives. You dont really ever see the chinese
and cape verdians just chatting in front of a store on any other island. I love them.
So, just a reminder, Please do not be materialistic. The things you have doesnt matter nearly as much as
who you are. Dont let what you have get in the way of changing who you are through the atonement of
Christ.
Another thing. Prioritys. How far are you willing to go? Are you willing to go the extra mile to help one
in need. The Lord answers our prayers. Are you ready to go when he commands?
So this week we have been trying to keep everything from falling to the ground. Like in high school when
I was building a toothipick bridge. The hardest part is getting a strong foundation. Once it is built, it is way
easier to get more and build higher. Please pray for us. We are still not solid, but if we are patient The
Lord will do his work in his time. There are so few people right now fighting for the right. One of them is
Alexandro. On Wednesday, our group leader forgot to designate someone to teach institute, and didn't
show up, but Alexandro jumped up to it. He doesnt understand the scriptures super well, but he just puts
his weaknesses behind him, and just goes for it. What a man of faith.
He is also helping our only progressing investigator, Adilson, who has huge addiction problems. He has
some mental scars that come from years of bad choices and depression, and he is learning how to beat
his addictions and to forgive. Alexhandro is helping a ton, and he seeks to do stuff without being asked
which is amazing. He goes beyond the basic because of the changes that have happened in his life.
Our church was pretty normal, just without the other elders who opened tarrafal. We dropped 2 people, f
rom 13 to 11 which is expectable because 2 left.
but,
Tarrafal was a huge success!!! We helped them move down on tuesday and get their house set up.
The first sacrament meeting happened with 31 people! They could bearly cram them into this tiny room
in their house. One of the members that is less active that came was a man I rescued in one of my other
areas who moved back here. We are super excited. They have the first baptism on saturday and Elder
Barrus just fininshed his interview. Pray for them too!!!
I know the church is true. It is a fight. But, Those who are with us are more those who are with them.
Love,
Elder Sampson
Monday, June 22, 2015
Another Week of the Battle
Dear All,
So this week was a battle! We started fully taking on the other Elders area. They move tomorrow to Tarrafal on the other side of the island to open it and we are all very excited. They found a good house there and have some less active members that live there come up to them on the street making the first contact. The first sacrament meeting will be there this sunday.
We got to have a few good lessons this week with our ancent branch president, who shared a bit about how he was prepared to finally come back. He is coming super good. He asked us for scriptures because he has pretty much forgotten how to navigate them. He also asked for some thoughts about how to help teach his kids some important principles of the gospel. His older son who is 14 wants to come to church too, but he is taking it slow, trying to get himself orentated before helping his family. His family has no idea of his old filiation to the church, and he is seeking divine help to know how and when to start that converstation. It is a blessing having him though!
I had a great experience with fasting this last week. Two weeks ago was stake conference so we didnt fast, and last week we forgot, so we were fasting this week. I have been studying and fasting about how to help our group leader, Hivandro, be the strong force that he needs to be. Yesterday we showed up to church, and he had changed. He was excited about everything, and had decided to take some steps that he had talked about but hadnt ever done. He gave a great talk on repentance, and it was super good. Fasting has power. I am grateful for the resored gospel and that we can help others come unto Christ.
Elder Barrus is awesome too! I am super grateful to be serving with him. He pushes me and grounds me (in a good way) and puts up with me and stuff. He really knows how to talk with God, and to seek for and follow the Spirit. He is our district leader right now, and has started us focusing a lot on families with the goal to be working with at least 10 families before the end of the transfer, and so we have the goal to get a reference of a family every day, and contact 4 families. The church really needs true families. There are so few good families here in this country and so it will make all the diference in the world to establish the church more centered in the family.
I love you all!
Especially those who are part of my family. And those who are my brothers and sisters. Let us remember to treat everyone as they are. Our brothers and sisters, sons and daughters of Christ!
Love,
Elder Sampson
Monday, June 15, 2015
What a great week
Time is fleeting like the dews of heaven flee from before the roaring dandilions. or... Something like that.
This week went by really fast.
So Elder Jarvis showed up this week! Our mission is great because you can be in the same mission as someone for 2 years and never ever see them. I have met around half the people that are here in the mission. We got a letter today with all the missionary birthdays this month. I know 2 of the 9 people or so. It was great to not only have Elder Jarvis here, but I also spent two days with him on divisions while Elder Willes showed Elder Barrus all of their area.
Miracle of the week!
The church was first opened on this island 17 years ago. It stayed for 2 years or so and then was destroyed. We dont know exactly why, and have tried to find out a bit, but to no avail. The man who was the branch president back then lives in the other elders area. When the church was put back here a year and a half ago, they went to him first, and he wanted nothing to do with the church. 6 months or so ago he threatened the Elders to call the police if they came to his house again. This last tuesday, the Elders tracted into his 9 year old son. They told him to go get his dad just for a min, and his dad said no, but they insisted, and so they went in and talked to this guy for a few mins, and found out by the end that he was the old branch president. While he was branch president here, there were like 40-45 people who came every week, and was growing super well. The Elders just took it slow with him, and checked for a testimony which he still had. Elder Barrus went up there on saturday, and he said on his own that he would make an effort to come to church, and... He showed up! What a miracle! after 17 years. The spirit got him at the right time. He is awesome! I was the only one who hadnt met him yet, but met him in church yesterday. We are hoping and praying that this will be the turning point for this area.
We take the whole area tomorrow, as the elders are going to Tarrafal to open the area. Pray for them!
We also thought we got our first media referal ever today, then it turned out that it was just one of the members who had been messing around on the church website.
When I first got here it was a struggle to teach 10 lessons a week, and this last week, we taught at least 3 lessons a day. It has been growing slowly but steadily. We havent seen tons of success, but we are still loving the work!
We had 1 investigator in church yesterday too! What a blessing!
The Lord is Blessing us a ton. We have so much potential, and He is helping us to share the gospel with everyone.
I know the church is true, and that this work is true!!!
Love you all!!!
Elder Sampson
Monday, June 8, 2015
What a Wondrous Week
So,
This week was a faith growing experience. There are many blessings that we have, and we have to learn
to be more dedicated to The Lords will in all times and in all things and in all places.
He Knows Best
As we pass through struggles, and dificulties and even times of great success, the best solution is to do
our best to be like the Christ and leave the rest in His hands. He knows what we need and what we can
become. He knows what we need to do and what we need to stop. The Book of Mormon has a great power
to stregnthen our faith so that we can do that.
This week we found one of our investigators in the street. We sat down with him right there because he
is very difficult to find, and shared a few scriiptures with him from the Book of Mormon. As we shared them,
he asked us to write them down for him, and exclaimed that he never understood the book of Mormon and
thought that it was completely different and that all people need to understand that. What a great feeling to
find someone who, at least to a certain extent, understands. He felt it. The spirit testified to him, and he
went home and started reading for reals. The Book of Mormon is true, and serves as a convincing power
in these days.
It is so simple.
The World Needed A Restoration
God wanted to give it, but knew that His children would not all believe on the words of His new prophet.
He wanted to give them a way to exercise faith, and to find confidence.
What if He gave them more of the words of his forgotton prophets of old.
And, that is exactly what He did.
Let us become like little children and recieve the truth as taught from Heaven itself.
This last week I also got to talk with a few of my recent converts. One of them, whom I havent spoken to
since december of 2013, is my first baptism, Tony. It was awesome to talk to him and hear about everything
he is doing in the church, and his plans and stuff. He is going strong, and that brought me great joy.
So yesterday were transfers. I nor my companion were transfered. But, our area is changing. The area
here is really struggling in general, and there has been a thought of opening the other big city, Tarrafal, on
the other side of the island. The last we heard is that it was decided that they were not going to do it
anymore. (Last transfere they were going to send all 4 of us to open it, and then decided that it wouldn't
work) But, that changed, and we will take over the rest of this huge area, while Elder Willes and Elder
Jarvis, who is coming in today to replace Elder Dos Santos, will be opening the other side of the island.
It is going to be great. We are all super excited. Also, I am excited to see Elder Jarvis, because I haven't
seen him since the day that we all showed up in this country.
The Lord Knows Best. He gives us Power as a proof of our authority. His work is true. Like it says in D&C 3,
it is not the work of God that is frustrated, but the work of men.
June, being the month of invites, is a great time for all of us to join in the work of God, inviting at least 1 soul
to come unto Christ each day.
Love,
Elder Sampson
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Monday, June 1, 2015
Missing the Pumpkin Prophet
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Today will be very short because it is a holliday, and there is only 1 computer open in the whole city.
I was sad to hear about the death of out Pumpkin Prophet, Elder L. Tom Perry. For those who have forgotten,
or never knew why he is our Pumpkin Prophet, years and years ago as I recall he and his wife brought us
some pumpkins that they had recieved at a parade in provo that they didnt want. I am greatful for the
dedication to the Gospel that he has demonstrated.
This week was a great changing week. I think I have learned more in this last week than most other
weeks of my mission. I have found many answers that I needed.
I was studying this morning about Salvation, and how, in exaltation, we will sit down with Abraham, and
Issac, Moses and Peter, Alma and Nephi, Joseph Smith and President Monson. I asked myself a question
that I would like you all to ponder. How can I ever get up to the level of these noble and great ones? I was
devistated as I thought about it, until I remembered what is writted on a passalong card that we give out to
lots of people. Faith brings Hope. Through faith in the atonement of Jesus Christ, Even I can be changed
enough to be put away out of my sins and weakness, to be reclothed in power. I dont know how, because
I cant come anywhere close on my own, but it is possible throught the Atonement of Christ, because the
Atonement is INFINATE. It can cover EVERYTHING and not just right now but FOREVER.
I was setting goals for what I wanted to achieve in my life so that I could make subordinate goals as to
what I want to achieve before the end of my mission, and I wrote, Be as much as possible like Christ.
Then I paused. I had a feeling of a deep decision. It would be easy to just put down, Be like Christ.
That would be easy. I can make progress to be like Christ and strive to be like him. That isnt a question.
But I knew that in deciding that I would be as much like Christ as possible, I was setting myself up for
consistant straining and pushing. For time that I would fail, and for the hardest thing that I will ever do. I
had to decide what I would do, and not just decide with my mouth or with my pen, but with my whole soul.
I pondered about if I could do it and if it was worth it. Then, I realized that I have made that decision before.
There was an offer for a first estate which I kept, given before this life. All of us knew that we would have to
give consistant straining and pushing, that we would fall flat on our faces over and over, that it would be hard
and at some times we would ask if it was worth it. I chose right then. And I chose right today. And for ever
I will have to choose again and again and again, and each of us will likewise have to do. Will you give your
all to follow Christ all of the time. Will you sacrifice and strive, pray and plead, until throught the Atonement
of Christ you are made to sit at His right hand. His holy right hand of glory, pierced for your transgressions?
I know that this work is true, and happiness comes through repentance and spiritual progression.
This is all true.
Love,
Elder Sampson
Monday, May 18, 2015
Keep Pushing and Be Grateful
Kristin's editorial note: This picture came to me by itself and I just added it to the rest. More letter and pictures below.
On Mon, May 18, 2015 at 7:31 AM, Jared Sampson <jared.sampson@myldsmail.net> wrote:
This week was great.
We Struggled a lot, but we are learning to be better, and to be grateful for what we have.We really need new investigators. Pretty much everyone that was making progress before is no longer making progress. This area needs a big push. A change of heart.
As I studdied the war chapters at the end of Alma this week, I realized more profoundly the power of the snowball effect. Sometimes we dont see the change something small can make if we take advantage of it and keep things going. Moroni goes with a very strong determination and takes back the kingdom from the kingmen, and calls all to take up arms in defense of the truth. Then, he uses them to take back everything from the Laminites, resulting in happiness in all the land.
So, what do we learn? We need to be greatful and see the small and simple blessings and take advantage of them to get things moving. This week we started working on being more grateful. We would go back and forth being grateful for things in the streets. Trying to do our best to see all of the blessings. Because, if we base our happiness on our weaknesses and the sins of others, we will not be very happy. If God was put down every time one of us was bad at life, he would never have the joy he has in being our father. We must have hope.We talked to a guy yesterday who has no hope. He is miserable, but doesnt want to leave stuff that claims to believe but doesnt follow. He says he stays there because of his conscience. Concence? consience? One of those spellings. His church doesnt require anything from him, and so he feels that he can lull himself into a dull sense of conscience. So. Do we do the same thing? Do sometimes we forget that our hope should be in Jesus Christ, and Him only? Do we lull ourselves into a drunken state of buzziness, not feeling, and not wanting to feel? Do we hear what we want to hear, or do we hear what we are told by the mouths of God´s prophets? Let us live the gospel.
This week, we had a big blessings with Tony. He has been meeting with the missionaries for a long time, and then stopped going to church and stuff, and then was picked up again but dropped because he would never come to church. Then we started working with him because 2 weeks ago, his woman had his first child. Except that he still hasnt seen her child because she went to another island to have the baby and hasnt been able to make it back yet but this week she will. He finally came to church this week, and was participating, and it was fantastic. We had a good talk about the Law of Chastity and Family which was a good review for him, and we are praying that his woman will also be opener to accepting the gospel and creating a family! Yeah repentance!
Speaking of repentance, it was my week to teach Gospel Principles in Church, and instutute/scripture study class this week which was super good.
In scripture study class we talked about Mosiah 19, and about moments of pressure, and what we have to do to make the right choice. The people of Alma had fled, so they avoided a difficult moment of pressure, King Noah was so wicked that he didnt even think about making a right choice or not, but the majority of the people had to make an instant decision of righeousness or wickedness. 10 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did pursue them, and did overtake them, and began to slay them. 11 Now it came to pass that the king commanded them that all the men should leave their wives and their children, and flee before the Lamanites. 12 Now there were many that would not leave them, but had rather stay and perish with them. And the rest left their wives and their children and fled..Some made the right choice, and others did not. We talked about what happened for them to make the right choice in the moment of pressure, and how to prepare so that we can be spritually strong.
Choose ye THIS DAY whom ye will serve, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. -Joshua.I shared a story from Bishop Stevenson from Converence in October of 2012:Some years ago, John was accepted at a prestigious Japanese university. He would be part of the international student program with many other top students from around the world. Some enrolled with a hope to deepen their understanding of the culture and language, others viewed it as a stepping-stone to an eventual profession and employment in Japan, but all had left home to study in a foreign country.Soon after John’s arrival, word of a party to be held on the rooftop of a private residence spread among the foreign student population. That evening, John and two friends made their way to the advertised address.Following an elevator ride to the top floor of the building, John and his friends navigated the single narrow stairway leading to the rooftop and began mingling with the others. As the night wore on, the atmosphere changed. The noise, music volume, and alcohol amplified, as did John’s uneasiness. Then suddenly someone began organizing the students into a large circle with the intent of sharing marijuana cigarettes. John grimaced and quickly informed his two friends that it was time to leave. Almost in ridicule, one of them replied, “John, this is easy—we’ll just stand in the circle, and when it is our turn, we’ll just pass it along rather than smoke it. That way we won’t have to embarrass ourselves in front of everyone by leaving.” This sounded easy to John, but it did not sound right. He knew he had to announce his intention and act. In a moment he mustered his courage and told them that they could do as they wished, but he was leaving. One friend decided to stay and joined the circle; the other reluctantly followed John down the stairs to board the elevator. Much to their surprise, when the elevator doors opened, Japanese police officers poured out and hurried to ascend the stairs to the rooftop. John and his friend boarded the elevator and departed.When the police appeared at the top of the stairs, the students quickly threw the illegal drugs off the roof so they wouldn’t be caught. After securing the stairway, however, the officers lined up everyone on the roof and asked each student to extend both hands. The officers then walked down the line, carefully smelling each student’s thumbs and index fingers. All who had held the marijuana, whether they had smoked it or not, were presumed guilty, and there were huge consequences. Almost without exception, the students who had remained on the rooftop were expelled from their respective universities, and those convicted of a crime were likely deported from Japan. Dreams of an education, years of preparation, and the possibility of future employment in Japan were dashed in a moment.Now let me tell you what happened to these three friends. The friend who stayed on the roof was expelled from the university in Japan to which he had worked so hard to be accepted and was required to return home. The friend who left the party that night with John finished school in Japan and went on to earn degrees from two top-tier universities in the United States. His career took him back to Asia, where he has enjoyed immense professional success. He remains grateful to this day for John’s courageous example. As for John, the consequences in his life have been immeasurable. His time in Japan that year led him to a happy marriage and the subsequent birth of two sons. He has been a very successful businessman and recently became a professor at a Japanese university. Imagine how different his life would have been had he not had the courage to leave the party on that important evening in Japan.3Let Us have courage to stand up for the right, choose today, and act true under pressure.Also, at church I taught about Repentance and as everyone came in, I gave them a closed note from God. Those who showed up on time got a note saying that they would receive all the Father hath. and those that didnt make it on time, a not from God saying that they hadnt qualified, and that he couldnt save them. We talked about repentance, and then at the end they opened their notes and realized that all debts have to be paid. The Law of Justice is not nulified by the law of mercy, but that we must repent to have the effects of it. Then we read in D&C 19:16-1916 For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; 17 But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I; 18 Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink— 19 Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men.I Love you All!!!Elder Sampson
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