Keeping the faith...

Hey Family!

I got my birthday package, thank you so much!  It had everything that I wanted!  I was most excited for the little scripture set.  One of the protein powders in it opened so there was powder over everything but we got it cleaned off.  I am working on making a little cardboard case for my scriptures, I will send you a pic when I get it finished.

To celebrate my birthday we went and got ice-cream near the end of the day, oh, and late Saturday night, after curfew, the first counselor asked me to give a talk on Father's Day.  Luckily it was just a youth speaker talk, but I got up at 4:30 AM to prep for it.  I talked about how God is our Father before he is our God.

Funny Story:  We got a new car and we named it Lady (it is red and is a girl car, and looks like a lady bug).  We were a full time car for a few days , but the zone leader stole it and gave it away the day before my birthday.

Investigator/finding Update:  Still in the works, finding has been a struggle.

I have had a really hard last few weeks, we haven't been able to find anyone and all the people we have found have dropped us which has been really disheartening.  It has been a struggle to stay happy and keep the faith that we will find someone.  I am doing OK and I am not keeping my feelings hidden in me.  This is a test from the Lord to try my patience and to motivate me to try new things.
Mosiah 23:21  "...yea, he trieth their patience and their faith."

Scripture for the week:  Alma 60:23-24

Six Month Recap...

Hey Family,

So I am pretty happy be staying here in Raleigh with Elder Lofgreen.  I thought that I would be staying, but I'm pretty sure I will be transferred next transfer.  We get along great.  There were some things that we had to talk about and get worked out, but the good thing is that we can communicate with each other and both of us are willing to adjust.

My investigator update won't take too long.  We got dropped by everyone, H got antied and doesn't want to meet anymore and no one is answering our calls or the door so we are back at square one.

Scripture for the week:  Be Like Moroni!

Alma 48:17  Yea verily, verily I say unto you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men.

Six month recap...What have you learned on your mission so far?
I have learned how to truly understand and study the scriptures and that life is a whole lot easier when you don't focus on yourself.  The best thing you can do is get our of the way and let the spirit take over and guide.  It knows everything a whole lot better than you do.

Love,
Elder Shields

Elder Smyly Goes Home...

Hey Family,

So I will be staying here in Raleigh with Elder Lofgreen.  We are going to Red Robin today to celebrate Elder Lofgreen's birthday and Elder Smyly going home.  I have my bike back now and it is working even better than before.
I was hardly in our area this week because of meetings etc so I don't have much to update you on as far as our investigators go, and none of them came to church this week.

I found a cool connection between my two scriptures of the week.  While we were teaching Ken about the priesthood I was telling him about the Matthew scripture and the connection just came into my head about the Ephesions verse.

Matthew 18:18  Verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven:  and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Ephesians 1:10  That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

The gathering is taking place as we speak both on earth and in heaven.  I am so grateful that we have God's authority here on the earth to make the ordinances binding and recognized in heaven.

Rear Tire is Toast...

Raleigh, North Carolina Skyline

Hi Family!

We found four new investigators this week!  One is a recovering drug addict living in a recovery home, and three others are all young college guys who actually found us and called us into their house because they wanted to hear what we had to say.  We actually tracted into them earlier and they weren't interested, but when we were biking in that area the other day one of them came out and invited us inside.  Our last "find" is also a young college guy who has friends on missions.  The Lord is always preparing His children.  The girl we found a few weeks ago, "H" is progressing well.

I'm not sure what we are doing for PDay this week, we usually wing it; there is a zone activity, but it is falling apart at the seams as we speak.

I got hit by a car on my bike this week and the rear tire is toast :(

Scripture for the week:  Alma 26:35  Now have we not reason to rejoice?  Yea, I say unto you, there never were men that had so great reason to rejoice as we, since the world began; yea, and my joy is carried away, even unto boasting in my God; for he has all power, all wisdom, and all understanding; he comprehendeth all things, and he is a merciful being, even unto salvation, to those who will repent and believe on his name.

If you had $50 extra dollars and had no restrictions, what would you buy?  A mini pocket set of scriptures.

What did you eat for all three meals yesterday?  Haha, I fasted, so not the best day for that question, but the usual is:

• Breakfast:  Spinach/berry/banana protein shake
• Lunch:  A panini with various items on it
• Dinner:  Member food or the leftovers given last time.  I have honestly been eating pretty well and healthy, wrestling has paid off.  Elder Lofgreen is a good cook too, so we have had homemade pot stickers and other good stuff that I can't remember at this moment.

Hope y'all have a great week!
Elder Jake

Defying Gravity...

Our new favorite thing to do on PDay

Me with President and Sister James at Duke Gardens

Elders Weiss, Smyly and Me

Hi Everybody!

This last week went so much better.  We were able to teach people this week and find!  Hopefully, we can keep the ball rolling into the coming weeks.

We met with "H" again yesterday, we discussed more of the Plan of Salvation and the diffrence between the trinity and the Godhead.  She has a really good returned missionary friend so he will be a huge help for her.

Also, one of "H's" friends, that she brought to our discussion, is now investigating and we found two older women who we will also be teaching!

One fun thing that we have been doing for Pday is going to "Defy Gravity", it is a trampoline/sports arena.  Not as good as "Airborn", but we love it.

Spiritual Experience for the week:  I was praying about how we could best help "H", address her concerns and teach her and I had a picture come to mind of what we needed to do, I have it drawn out, but I don't have a picture of it, I will send one.

Funny Experience:  I can't really write it down but me and Elder Lofgreen just have a good time together, lots of little funny things.

Scripture for the week:  Alma 5:26  And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experience a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?  We have all felt the change of heart at some point, that is why we are here.

If you had $10 dollars left in your account for the whole month, what would you buy?  A big 10 lb bag of pancake mix, the krusteaz, kind that are cheap and big, so I could live off that for awhile.

My District:  Our district leader is Elder Widdison, he is very short, and big into scouting; his companion is Elder Clifford who is a redneck.  Elder Smyly is a pokemon geek like me; his comp is Elder Tellez.  Sister Bluemel who leaves next week, because her visa expires (from Canada) her comp is Sister Peterson, who is quiet, but starting to come out of her shell.  Sister Trawick who is a greenie, her trainer Sister Smoot, who doen't really talk much.  Elder Lofgreen and Me.

Have a great week!
Elder Jake

MOTHER'S DAY!!!

Nobody appreciates Mother's Day like a missionary mom!  For our family it is one of the few times over the next several years that we all get to be in one (virtual) room and have one conversation all together.  Google Hangouts is my new best friend, as we were able to all connect for a sweet hour of joy.  Tyler was even able to facetime the call making our family hour complete.
Most of all, it was just so good to see Jake, his smile, his personality, and get a sense that he is actually as happy as he looks.  The South is a tough mission, but this guy seems to take it all in stride.  He loves his companion and gets a lot of support from the ward mission leader.  (Matt Clawson, from the Raleigh First Ward, thanks for hosting the missionary calls!)

Here's Jake's letter:

It was so great to see everyone!  Everyone looks so good!

The lesson went very well last night :)  We taught the restoration/plan of salvation jumbled into one! The main concern that "H" has, is that she believes she has already been saved (shocker) and that she doesn't need anything more to be saved.  We taught about baptism and she is willing to read and pray about the Book of Mormon.  She brought her very Baptist friend, which made things a bit more difficult, but they definitely were taught the truth; the spirit was present.  Pray for them that they will let the seed sprout :)

Scripture for the week:  Alma 19:16-17  Abish was a great missionary who was  praying for her people, her prayers were answered through Alma and she helped bring to pass much righteousness. The Lord was preparing people to receive the word and she was preparing herself so that when the time came for her to share, she was ready to help.

Love you all,
Elder Shields

New Comp, Elder Lofgreen...

New Companion, Elder Zach Lofgreen

Hey Everybody,

So last week was transfers and my new comp is Elder Lofgreen.  He is from Alaska.  He is a gymnast and a snowboarder, and he likes hunting.  We get along very well.  I saw Elder Hampton at tranfers and we talked for a little bit, and I saw Elder Garrick, we chatted and he is going to Cary.  Elder Hampton and Elder Norris are now companions.

Still no info on the Mother's Day call.

Teaching Update:
We found no families and dropped the one we were teaching.  "M" is a young lady who we talked with and shared the restoration briefly, and said she was going through a hard time and that we came at an opportune time.  "B" is a young college student who is currently majoring in English, and "S" is a college student at St. Augustine.

I turned the calendar page yesterday and was happy to see Jane and Lucy.  (I saw Lucy in the New York photo, she is so fat!)

Spiritual Experience:
We said a very specific prayer this week that we could a least talk to someone nice while tracting and it was answered.  We talked to someone who was nice and interested.

Scripture for the week:
Alma 14:6  Godly sorrow is a very important thing, our physical bodies show pain in order to protect us from physical harm, and our spirit also exhibits pain to protect us from spiritual danger.  many people have numbed themselves to godly sorrow and don't experience it as they should because they have been desensitized to spiritual matters.  Don't do that, keep the sensitivity!

love y'all,
Jake