Week 77 Lehi's Dream

Monday 4/17/2017 

Our day started with a game of rugby at the park. We ended around noon then grabbed some lunch before PDay activity. They had a few different sports going on. We got a call from a member to help move, so we did that with the truck Elders. The uhaul was finished and packed. That ended our night. 

Tuesday 

We spent most of our day finding till dinner with the Jensens. They took us to the church but they canceled ward council again and did not telling anyone. So we talked with Brother Freeman the Elders quorum President. We hit Joe's before the night ended 

Wednesday 

In the morning after studies we had President interviews. That was good he talked about going to were the people are in our area. Also being fishers of men and where to find places to fish. We had dinner with the Nelsons. While we were walking we had a random guy call us to his car and hand us two Gatorades. We went to go see a referral and caught him in his Spanish lie. He told us he only spoke Spanish so Elder Hugie starts speaking Spanish. The guy just kind of was like oh have a good night. So we left him. 

Thursday 

We started the day with district meeting. We talked about finding with family history and former instigators. After we had lunch at In N Out. We did some street contacting on our way to dinner. We had dinner with the Freemans. They are a cool family. After dinner we went to go see Brother Valencia but he wasn't home sadly, then it was time to head back in for the night. 

Friday 

There was a three zone service, up in Fullerton. The university there was putting on their annual special games. We spent the day taking the athletes around to the different activities. They had it was a good time. The athlete I worked with was named Richard, he had some communication problems. He had a good time with all the activities. He played some soccer, hit some baseballs, shot some hoops and other things. All the missionaries got a good amount of sun. That took up most of our day. 

Saturday 

We started our day with some street contacting down by Disneyland. It was a hot day. We met a good amount of members here for Disneyland. We had a meeting with Brother Vargas at the church before district finding. We went to the A3 area to do our finding. A member gave us a referral as we walked through the neighborhood. Brother Vargas got us dinner. We did some finding for the rest of the night. 

Sunday 

We had a good amount of people at church. There is summer sales people here for a while so that is going to boost our ward. We had a great discussion in elders quorum about missionary work. After church we went out to try and see a few people but didn't catch them home. 

Lehi's Dream 

I recently read Lehi's dream in my studies, I gained a few insights that I thought I could quickly share. We see those that are in the dream pressing forward holding fast to the iron rod or the word of God. Eventually reaching the tree of life and partaking of that fruit that brings eternal life. There is the great and spacious building with all those scorning and mocking. There were those that partook of the fruit and felt ashamed soon falling off being lost. Those that fall away ashamed are lacking a that strong root. In Luke chapter 8 Jesus gives the Parable of the Sower. We must make sure that we plant the seed in good ground making it be fortified against times of temptation. When we are planted with the gospel of Jesus Christ, we will be able to resist the scorning of those of the world. 

I like the words of the apostle Paul in his epistle to the Romans

1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

May we be not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, it brings eternal life. 

Week 76 Knowledge

Monday 4/10/2017

We started our day with laundry with the Esplanade Elders. We went to the park and played a game of rugby with the polynesian programs. There was a stop at Joe's before we went to the Orange PDay activity. We played a few rounds of two ball pivot. They have some pretty good PDay activities. We closed out the night with a little finding. 

Tuesday 

We were able to see Christopher and finish up teaching him the lessons. He really has started to pick up what we have been teaching him quicker. He understands all of the principles we have taught him. While heading back we stopped by and saw Cindy. She has cancer now which has prompted her to stop smoking cold turkey. She will be going to a center that specializes in cancer treatment. When she gets out we are planning to start teaching her again. Sometimes it takes time for people to be prepared. She has been taught multiple times before maybe she is ready now. We had our Tuesday dinner with the Jensens. After we found that they canceled Ward council so we did some finding. 

Wednesday 

After our studies Elder Russell/Park were in the area so we grabbed lunch. We tried some contact attempts, but no one wanted to meet with us. A woman stopped us and asked us to pray with her for her house. She lives in a ward in Costa Mesa and might be moving into the ward were she owns a home. A new temporary move in needed some help moving a mattress. We got the truck Elders to help move it. Sister Vargas gave us some dinner. A little finding to end the night. 

Thursday 

In the morning district meeting focused on finding people to teach. We grabbed some lunch at Subway with Elder Dodd. The zone did a service, moving the family history center from one side of the building to the other. The service took quite a while. We were able to see Christopher and review the baptismal questions with him. At the end of the night we exchanged with Elder Francis/Perez. The assistants are in our district. 

Friday 

In the morning we went to go see Brother Bolts. We asked what he thought of general conference and followed up on his scripture study and prayer. He has been doing really good at sharing the gospel with his friends. We hurried back for a service at Mary's Kitchen. When we got back we had Christopher's baptismal interview with the zone leaders. He did well on his interview and is prepared. District finding after was in the assistants area. We were able to teach the restoration to a woman and got a return appointment. Sister Valencia dropped off some dinner before we exchanged back early for a planning meeting. We met Brother Vargas at the church building to finish going over the baptism program. 

Saturday 

We stopped by the Easter party real quick before we went to the Jensen's to print the program. 

They made us some lunch before we went back and got ready for the baptism. We got to the church and made all of the preparations. Christopher was really excited and the baptism went well. After we finished up the Bryant's picked up some panda and we colored Easter eggs with their family. 

Sunday 

We had no one for Elders quorum so we joined the Samoan Elders quorum. I had the opportunity to confirm Christopher in sacrament meeting. Which was great. We sat down to bless the sacrament after the confirmation and they started playing the sacrament hymn. We sat there and forgot what we were doing till the third verse. So we stood up quickly and broke the bread only taking a little time. That is good we realized before the whole hymn ended. We had a great sacrament meeting. Our closing hymn was Rise up, O Men of God a song meant to be sung by men's choir which was interesting. Sister Harris invited us over to her home for Easter. She asked us to bring some guests that didn't have dinner, so we brought the A4 Elders. After dinner we tried to finish getting some papers signed. 

Knowledge 

One of the great attributes of God. Also one of the gifts from the Spirt (John 14:26). We must always seek to be building our spiritual knowledge.

We know that no one can be saved in ignorance of the gospel - Doctrine & Covenants 131:6 

We should always be studying his words through scripture and his chosen servants the prophets. We must need always remember that we can't always gain all knowledge at once it takes time. 

Isaiah 28

9 ¶ Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.

10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: 

Someone shared this little quote with me recently I really liked it. 

One progresses only as fast as he gains knowledge (HC 4:588)

Gaining our knowledge takes time as we learn precept upon precept. It takes patience it takes a lifetime of study just to find the littlest things. We can progress as we continue to go forward feasting upon the words of Christ (2 Ne 32:3) and treasure them in our hearts (D&C 6:20). As we learn we will be able to build up the things  which we get to bring with us in the life to come. 

Doctrine & Covenants 130

18 Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection.

19 And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come.

Love you guys have a great week

Elder Caleb S. Bailey 

Week 75 Importance of Daily Scripture Study

Monday 4/3/2017

Our morning consisted of getting some shopping done and helping people with transferring. At Pday activity we played a game called Gaga ball. We finished up the night helping the Jensens setup for a pinewood derby at the church. 

Tuesday 

We started our day with helping the truck Elders move somethings around. We stopped at this cool international store. We went back and did some street contacting before we met the Jensens at the church building. They fed us and we helped finish setting up for the pinewood derby. They canceled Ward Council without notice so we went back in for the night. We stopped at Joe's before. 

Wednesday 

After lunch they had leadership meetings. I went with Elder Russell to pick up Elder Nelson/Parker from the body shop. We hit Joe's then went back to pickup our companions. We were able to do some finding after dinner. In our lesson with Jesse we dropped him. He really wasn't keeping his commitments. He wasn't to surprised and recognized he needs to start acting. 

Thursday 

We started our day with district meeting. We discussed a lot of applications of the Easter initiative #PrinceofPeace. We talked about the Gospel of Jesus Christ being able to bring peace to our lives as well to those that we share our message with. After district meeting we had a group that went to Red Robin. After lunch we met a former missionary to say hello. We had a lesson with Christopher. We taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ to him. We have to make sure he has a good understanding before he gets baptized. The Valencias gave us some dinner before we met with Brother Valencia to read from the Book of Mormon with him. His family has started to have family home evening and he has enjoyed it. We stopped by Joe's as we went in.

We also saw the guy that ran in to a pole.  

Friday 

After our studies and lunch we had weekly planning. We did our planning outside for a while it being a nice sunny day with a light breeze. We walked by Joe's and saw some missionaries there so we stopped to see what was up. We attempted some contacts before dinner, but didn't catch any. We saw the Samoan Elders walking out of our complex as we were walking in. We got dinner together. We were able to do some more finding for the rest of the night no one seemed to be home that we tried. 

Saturday 

Our passoff lesson with the Tongans fell through. We went to go see Christopher, but there was no answer. We talked with these guys about their cars and talked about our purpose as missionaries. After dinner we were able to do a little more finding. 

Sunday 

After church we were able to teach Christopher some more of the commandments. He will be ready for baptism on Saturday. 

I didn't have much time to write something up, here is something from true to the faith. 

Importance of Daily Scripture Study

The principal purpose of scriptures is to testify of Christ, helping us come unto Him and receive eternal life (see John 5:39; 20:31; 1 Nephi 6:4; Mosiah 13:33–35). The prophet Mormon testified:

“Whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked

“And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven, to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and with Jacob, and with all our holy fathers, to go no more out” (Helaman 3:29–30).

Latter-day prophets counsel us to study the scriptures every day, both individually and with our families. They encourage us, as Nephi encouraged his brethren, to liken the scriptures to ourselves, finding ways that the sacred accounts of old apply in our lives today (see 1 Nephi 19:23–24). They exhort us to “search the scriptures” (John 5:39) and “feast upon the words of Christ” (2 Nephi 32:3).

You will benefit greatly by following this counsel. Daily, meaningful scripture study helps you be receptive to the whisperings of the Holy Ghost. It builds your faith, fortifies you against temptation, and helps you draw near to your Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son.

Develop a plan for your personal study of the scriptures. Consider setting aside a certain amount of time each day to study the scriptures. During that time, read carefully, being attentive to the promptings of the Spirit. Ask your Heavenly Father to help you know what He would have you learn and do.

Continue reading the scriptures, particularly the Book of Mormon, throughout your life. You will rediscover the treasures of the scriptures again and again, finding new meaning and application in them as you study them at different stages of life.

If you are married, set aside time each day to read the scriptures as a family. This effort may be difficult, but it will yield wonderful, eternal results. Under the guidance of the Spirit, plan scripture reading that will meet the needs of your family. Do not be afraid of reading the scriptures to small children. The language of those sacred records has power to touch even the very young.

Love 

Elder Caleb S. Bailey 

Week 74 The Great Gift of the Holy Ghost

Monday 3/27/2017

When we went out and picked up Elder Dodd/Sparto in the morning to give them a ride. We went to the Mall so Elder Hugie could get his iPad fixed. At Pday activity we played a few rounds of floor hockey. Elder Hugie's screen had problems so we brought it back to have them take care of it. We finished our laundry at the end of the night. 

Tuesday 

We helped Elder Thomas/Sami with a move in the afternoon. We went to seen Christopher to help him get ready to reach his baptismal date. After dinner we had Ward council, they are working on moving people along the covanent pathway. We are setting up a ward baptismal date. We exchanged at the end of the night I stayed in the area with Elder Dodd. 

Wednesday 

We did finding for most of our day. We were able to get some good contacts and meet some potential investigators. After dinner we went to see the Para family. Ally was home so we talked  to her about reading from the Book of Mormon and finding an answer if it true. We invited her to watch general conference. We saw Sister Melido and shared a message with her. We exchanged back at the end of the night. 

Thursday 

We had zone training in the morning. We focused on finding people and working with members to find. The Easter initiative was also a topic #PrinceofPeace. We did finding before dinner with the Vargas family. Brother Valencia was available for us to read the Book of Mormon with him. The night ended with us stopping by and seeing Brother Boltz. We are going to help him start getting back with were he left off in his lessons. 

Friday 

In the morning we had a service for Mike the owner of Joe's ice. We helped him move some stuff to one of his storage facilities. After we had service at Mary's kitchen. We did more finding for the rest of our night. 

Saturday/Sunday 

We were able to watch the sessions of general conference. There was a lot of great talks. 

The Great Gift of the Holy Ghost 

Soon after we are baptized, we receive a gift called the gift of the Holy Ghost. Through this we are always able to feel the constant companionship of the third member of the Godhead, as long as we are worthy. With this gift you are able to receive revelation, comfort and spiritual gifts. One of the great parts of the role of the Spirit is being sanctified from sin. As you continue to repent and keep the commandments, you are blessed. Also as you do those things you will feel the spirit in more abundance in your life.