Elder Bolliger - San Bernardino, CA Week 28: Slower Week, Recent Ward Fast for Missionary Efforts, Prompted Testimony, Gospel Principle- Fast & Pray

Well out this past week was a slower one out here in San Bernardino, California.

We went tracting to get some new investigators but a number of times, when we went there for the appointment, it fell through - angry husbands, not there etc. And sometimes it is really starting to annoy me when that happens. We are working with some new investigators here but they have been busy recently, it seems like stuff is just falling through with return appointments.

But this past fast Sunday our ward held a fast for missionary efforts and we are starting to implement heavily the ward mission plan, we got a new ward mission leader and one of the neighbors of the south guys came to church this past Sunday and it was a very good 3 hour block. I bore my testimony after feeling prompted too, then we had an excellent Gospel Principles Lesson about the Scriptures and finally a funny yet thought provoking elders quorum, more so than in recent weeks. So things are looking up for this ward, some new blood and a new ward mission leader and hopefully with that a ton of new referrals for us to teach.

So for this week the gospel principle is how to pray and fast for investigators.

So as it was fast Sunday this past week I was talking to people on how to find new investigators by fasting and praying.

So this is what I know to do but it may not be perfect, so a couple of days before you start praying for the purpose of having the inspiration to see which of your friends that you know are ready to hear the gospel and prepared to do so.

So the day before fast Sunday start your fast that night with a prayer asking for that goal to have names come to mind for people to teach.

The next part gets a little bit harder, during fast sunday and the next few days, write down the names that come to mind, this is where it gets harder to not judge someone else. For example " You are going about your day and Joe Smith pops into your head, hmm you think I wonder how he would take the gospel, oh he drinks and smokes and would never do it." This is an example of judging someone else. For one the Spirit knows more about someone and how prepared they are then you probably ever would, so don't ignore the spirit and the knowledge that he has for people who are prepared.

Write all of the names down that come to mind.

Pray over each name by itself and ask Heavenly Father if this person is someone that you should send the missionaries over to teach with you as a friendshipper. Then once you have a name or names of people, share with them the gospel, Invite them over to dinner with the missionaries or FHE as these really are a good way to teach people in a not so formal yet inviting way. Onward, press onward. And hopefully someone will have a good experience and get baptized.

1. Start to pray for names of people

2. Start your fast and open it with your purposes plus Finding peoples names to teach.

3. Now comes the hard part, write down all the names that come to mind.

4. Pray over each name individually and ask Heavenly Father if that person is someone to share the gospel.

5. Invite the person over to an FHE with a gospel movie or lesson ( ex. Joseph Smith-Prophet of the Restoration or Testaments etc) with the Missionaries.

6. If they are interested or not at this time you shared the gospel with someone as the spirit directed.

7. Hopefully someone enters the waters of baptism.

I hope yall have a good week ahead!

Elder Bolliger

! Te queremos !