More Questions...

1.How was this last week? Great we had an investigator come to church! He likes our church more than any other church, but I think he fears marriage and that is one thing that may be holding him back.

3.  Investigator Report: So one sister finished reading the book of mormon ( I don't know if I told you that already) she had some concerns about women and leadership, we were able to resolve her concerns and gave her a family proclamation to read.

4.  Spiritual Experience? When our investigator came to church we had a lesson in priesthood on mothers and that lesson really hit home with him, I think that was that message that he really needed to hear.

5.  Funny Story? Elder Hampton got three flat tires on his bike this week, and the last one he got was when we were 15 miles away from home and we had already used up all the tubes and we had to have a member come pick us up, (sorry not super funny but that's the funniest thing we got this week)

6.  How did the crab fishing go...details please! So it was raining bad last Monday so we are going crab fishing this Monday.

7.  What are you going to do today for fun? crab fishing

8.  If you could be any animal, what would it be? (random, I know) I would so be a megalodon duh!:) The largest most powerful apex predator of all time:) I could just explore all of the oceans aswell:)

10.  I love you sooo much!!!

Questions...

1.  How is your mission changing you? As I have been out here I have been able to see my confidence grow, I didn't realize how insecure I really was and it is being overcome slowly but surely.

2.  Tell us all about tracting, and how much time you spend doing that: We tract a lot, President James tracted his whole mission and he is pro tracting. Me and Elder Dudley tracted a lot, probably 2-3 hours a day less so with Elder Hampton. The hours from 6-9 are considered prime time proselyting so President James really wants us out contacting during those hours. 

3. Give us an investigator update: We have not really had any progression with our investigators, J finished The Book of Mormon but she still has her concerns, hopefully we will be able to work those out. We haven't been able to see our investigators that we have had because they are all so flakey, but we did find a young family that seems like they are wanting to learn the gospel. They didn't come to church this week, but hopefully they will want to progress. 

4.  Spiritual experience for the week: I gave a less active member a blessing this week on Wednesday and that was a good experience, he texted us afterward and he said that it really helped improve how he was feeling and gave him more spiritual strength.

5.  Funny experience for the week:

6.   What does an average PDay look like? Wake up and do studies, go to the library and email, then we go out some where for lunch and then we will do something fun, we might go crab fishing with string and chicken legs today:)

7.  Please just tell us how you are doing…for real:

I have been doing great, but honestly, these last couple weeks have been hard, I feel as though I haven't been able to have the spirit with me and I have been worrying about things that I don't need to be worrying about (schooling and work) and the more that I am out here the more I recognize my weakness, and I worry that it will keep me from being successful in life and in missionary work. I have been working hard on trying to just focus on missionary work but these thoughts keep coming back into my head. So that's what I have been struggling with recently. Hopefully it passes and I think it will. But I definitely need to work on not thinking about and dwelling on the future.  

8.  What things make you the most nervous? Teaching Instructions and lessons in front of other missionaries and members.      

9.  What things are becoming easier for you? Just talking to people and worrying less about what others think of me, and teaching and talking in general.

10.  What makes you the happiest on your mission? What makes me happiest is probably when I make a plan or lead a lesson and it goes well and the person wants to progress.

11.  Is there anything you need or want? Nope i am doing just fine:)

With Love from Elder Shields

The 1st Epistle of Jacob...

The First Epistle of Jacob to The President Shields:

Jacob, a Missionary of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Master, yea, even our Savior.  I write unto you at this time concerning the ministry of Elder Shields, a servant of our Lord and his brother, yea, even his fellow Elder, Elder Hampton.

And, lo, they did go forth among the children of men in the land of Southport.  And they cried repentance unto this people all the day long, yea, even until the hour of nine p.m.  Yea, they did voice this message unto this people everyday, even until this late hour.

And lo and behold the people of Southport were angry with them, and they sayest unto them,"Why doth thou come unto this people, know ye not that this people is already a righteous people?  Yea, the Lord hath already saved us in our sins."

And behold Elder Hampton spake unto them saying, "Oh ye wicked and perverse generation, ye have forsaken thy Lord and Savior, ye go about continuing in your sins."  And Elder Shields spake unto them saying, "Yea, this thing of which Elder Hampton spake is an abomination in the sight of the Lord.  Know ye not that ye must not continue and live in your sins?"

Now when they said these things they we're angry with them.  And they cast them out of their presence.  But, lo, there were a few who believed on their words, and they journeyed out with them and were baptized.

HAHA, sorry I just wanted to do something fun and different.  So, my new comp, Elder Hampton is a great missionary, we get along great and we work and teach well together.  He was a debate guy in High School. I have been very fortunate and blessed with the people who I have been working with.

Our investigators:

We have one who has almost finished reading the Book of Mormon and wants to come to church but always bails at the last minute.

We also have one who has still quit smoking and has read the whole standard works and the Book of Mormon three times and began reading for the fourth time.  His wife does not want him to pay tithing, so that is what is holding him up.  He wants to get baptized.

We have two younger kids that we met.  We have mega trust with them, they think we are amazing.  Their guardian loves us because one of them hasn't accepted Jesus yet, and she wants us to get her there.

We are also teaching a young couple.  Very, very nice people, but not taking the lessons for the right reasons, we will try to change that!

One spiritual experience we had this week was when we were not going to go over to someones house but I had the impression that we needed to go over, and turns out their grandparents that they were close to passed away so we were able to share a little bit of the plan of salvation with them, and they were very interested in hearing more.

I love teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the restoration.  I don't always feel comfortable, I'm still getting there and working on it , but I am improving.

love to all,
Elder Shields

Keeping the faith...

Southport Library…This is where we get/send email

Hi Family,

We found a new guy to teach, he is paralyzed from the middle of his back down, very humble guy, he was a professional fisherman before but his accident ended that.  He's excited to keep meeting with us.  We found him when we were going to teach one of our other investigators (we were on the verge of dropping him) and he introduced us to his friend.  It was a friendly reminder not to be so willing to give up on someone.

It's very hard to keep investigators and to get them to keep any big commitments.  No one seems to be very motivated at all here.  They are either old and set in their ways, or on disability, relying on the government to take care of them so they don't have to do anything.  But not losing faith :).  It's just frustrating and sad to see some of the states that these people are in.

Just a couple of the funny situations that Elder Hampton has experienced on the mission are that he found one of his investigators dead in his apartment, and he got totally cussed out by a guy who was gay.

One funny thing that i experienced was when we were out tracting and there was a guy who answered who was so high, we asked him if he knew about the Book of Mormon and he said "Yeah, I know a little, but don't ever read the Quran, the book is evil, that's why some people are so messed up.  Not long ago Thomas Jefferson sent over a handful of marines to go kill them all."  Then he proceeded to rant about how his neighbor is a (bad word) because he shot her dog and he lost his job because of it.  Needless to say the guy was nuts, we run into quite a few crazies out here.  I like it though! haha

The weather has been beautiful here except yesterday it rained.

When we are at our apartment we mostly eat various panini's and leftover whatever we have gotten from members and pancakes.

Love,
Elder Shields

Elder Hampton…

My New Companion, Elder Tyler Hampton

Hi Family,

Elder Dudley got transferred last week and my new companion is Elder Hampton.  He is from American Fork and went to West Lake High School.    I love Elder Hampton, he is great!  We get along just fine.  He has been out for 19 months, and is a great missionary.  Some of the funniest moments this week have been hearing some of Elder Hampton's stories on the mission, he has some crazy ones!

As far as my stress levels with the change, they weren't too bad, but I was a little nervous about the whole transfer thing and taking over Southport, I was a little nervous because everyone in the branch loved Elder Dudley a lot so it was a little scary having to fill that gap, but things are going well.  It was a little crazy for the first few days but it's OK now,  I'm starting to get the hang of it.

We had six families lined up to teach last week and, fart noise, they all fell through but we have appointments for this coming week so hopefully those will stick.

We had a fireside for members to bring friends to and they all failed the test, but one of our investigators came to it so it helped them see that we are actually doing work and trying hard out there, members don't really trust missionaries so hopefully this built some trust.  Not the most spiritual week, but it was still such a blessing that she was able to make it.

Grocery shopping is going good, and yes, I have enough money and am getting enough to eat.

I love you all,
Elder Shields