Dear Mom and Dad!
This week went really well. I was happier, like you guys said feeling more at peace and a little bit calmer. The mind is amazing! Sometimes it feels like my mind tries to trick me or is against me. I feel like I kind of subconsciously let the bad or negative thoughts in. And when one thought slips in, they all slip in. I remember sometimes Mom when you were probably depressed and I didn't know it. Mom, now that I'm feeling all of this stuff, I can see that you really didn't feel good sometimes. You are such a good and positive example!
Our life is really, really simple, but at the same time it's complicated! I am forgetting myself, but even when I serve I still feel bad sometimes. I have sincerely tried my best to do everything I can to help these people. I am getting the hang of changing my thought patterns. It is amazing what the thoughts can do to you. Really I have known what I needed to do all along, but I didn't know how to do it. I really need help to get out of this hole! I feel good. I feel optimistic. Seriously, I don't care about what's happened in the past, I am going to learn from it and go on! My weaknesses are not stronger than me, and I can do whatever I want in this life.
This week we've been working with a family. the Dad's name is Jose Luis, and the mom, is Anna Maria. They are such good people. Their daughter, Magdalena, is a member that was baptized about a year ago, but never got confirmed. Don't know what happened there! They've accepted baptism and want to improve! Magdalena's boyfriend, Antonio, was inactive, but has come back with a lot of resolution and has repented. Pray for all of them. Brenda, was an investigator that we taught, but she started to work on Sundays. She's a good person, my age. She's still a little wild and party-ish, but she wants to be better. She accepted baptism for this Saturday. She told us she feels a little uncomfortable. She's gone to church and has read the Book of Mormon, or parts of it. I think she's afraid of the commitment and still wants the party life. So, you guys should pray for Brenda!
There is something i would like to share with you Mom. It'll help in all aspects of life! It's called the Commitment Model. It's basically the following: Prepare - Invite - Verify - Resolve Doubts.
We need to prepare the investigators, members, other missionaries, the Bishop, by helping them to feel the Spirit. When they feel the Spirit, we invite them to DO something, a commitment. We verify that they've followed through with their commitment. We resolve the doubts that they might have in the process. It's amazing how this works.
We can first A.) Prepare the people to feel the Spirit by: 1.) Establishing a relationship of trust 2.) Base ourselves in what we have in common (in the mission field, common beliefs) 3.) Show comprehension or understanding 4.) service, Christ like love 5.) sincere testimony.
All of these things help people to open their hearts to you and to the Spirit. There can be real communication when the hearts are open on both sides of the relationship. When they feel the Spirit, you can B.) invite or commit them to do things: help you, serve others, be baptized, go to church, fulfill their callings in the Primary! Then you C.) check up on them, or verify to see how they are doing and if they haven't cone their commitment, with love m you help them to do it. Throughout the whole process you should D.) help them to resolve whatever doubt they have. They key to all of it is sincerity!
I love the Model of Commitment. it's pretty cool! It's actually helped me allot! I love you Mom and Dad! Thank you for all that you have done for me. Russell
Elder West
