Springfield

Mom and Dad, 19 July 2010

Its so good to be back in the normal missionary work! I love it here in
Springfield! Things have gone so good here these past few days! I think with
having to deal with meeting so many new people and having to establish a
quick connection and relationships with missionaries and members in a matter
of minutes has prepared me for this last transition. Normally when a
missionary is transferred into a new area it takes two Sundays to find their
place in the ward, and in the missionary work itself, but it hasn't taken
that long. The ward is super friendly and has the potential to be the
highest baptizing ward in all the mission. The way missionaries have done
missionary work here over the past few years has pretty much excluded the
members. My philosophy for my last little bit here is to do what I have
always done, work and help members. I am not going to help the missionaries
in the zone become better and more persuasive tracters, but help them know
how to use members. Missionaries tend to have this idea that because they
are missionaries and they deserve referrals from members, and they
completely forget that members are normal people and use them like objects.
Its really sad. I think that we just get so caught up with thinking that we
know whats best and know how things need to go, and in so doing we forget
that this is Gods work, not ours. I have realized that Gods work is not
frustrated, nor can it be stopped by anything. Gods work is to bring us back
home, and He will accomplish what He needs to in order for that to happen.
He has already created this earth for us, allowed Adam and Eve to fall, and
has had his Son come and atone for us. These three things are the three
pillars of eternity, or the main three things God has done in order to bring
to pass His work. He can easily bring someone into the church.

My first day here in Springfield we had a pretty amazing experience. Even
though it has been amazing to be back in the mission field, it has been a
very tough transition with somethings, if you could imagine. Well, we parked
our car and took a walk to follow up with some potentials on a street and
ended up walking a half a mile up and down this street. While walking back
from some failed attempts at visiting with any one, a man on a bike came
riding up to us and asked if we would council him. His name is Aaron. We sat
down at a park on the side of the road and we listened to Aaron talk about
his struggles in life. I have learned that telling someone what to do never
works, even as a missionary, you have to let others come to the conclusion
on what they should do. You teach them correct principles and allow them to
govern themselves; when you start telling someone that they need to do this,
or should do that, for the most part they don't do what you tell them to do.
So with Aaron we just sat there and listened and counselled and let him talk
his way through his troubles. He came to many conclusions that were good and
inspired through just talking it through to himself. We invited him to
church and on Sunday he was there! Hes a good guy, and from the sounds of it
his life is beginning to get back together, its going to be a long road for
him, but he can make it.

Another miracle that happened was that on Sunday a recent convert named
Jessica, that I have met and taught on exchanges here before, invited one of
her new friends to come to church. Her friends name is William. He
participated in class and read out of the scriptures and answered the
teachers questions. We set up an appointment with him for Wednesday, but
after church he called and said he wanted to be taught that same day and
wanted to know how he could join the church. So we taught him on Sunday at
Jessica's. It's neat to see when someone actually responds to the Light of
Christ and how by them acting on it, leads them to lead a life where they
are already to live and except the gospel. William is an amazing learner and
already believes all the doctrine of the first lesson and has begun reading
the Book of Mormon and will soon be finding out for himself that it is true.

There are other things happening to, we have been going around contacting
less active and in active members updating the ward list and seeing if there
are any prepared people yet. On Saturday we went by the Raymond family and
visited with Bro Raymond and got a return appointment on Sunday for dinner.
The Raymond family is my favorite family here so far. They have six kids and
two are three year old twin boys. They are the sweetest little kids, first
thing they did when they met us was ask if we were twins and started to try
and beat us up. They made me way trunky.

Anyways, I make life sound like its perfect, but with all these blessings
there are oppositions. Things will work themselves through as long as we are
diligent and work through the oppositions.

I have got to go, we are playing basketball with some returned missionaries
here in a few minutes. I love you Family! thank you for all that you do for
me!

Love,

Elder Kelly Conrad

PS, I spent some money today on food, and I am going ot be spending some
money on sending two boxes home with some of my study stuff and my journals.
So be expecting that in the next few days.

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