Service Atonement and Teaching

Again, not to much to report on from this last week. The companion is going okay, lots of stuff going on but I don't want to bag on it to much. Uhm....We are teaching members and that is fun! Always a awesome chance to be in the members home and get to know them and who they are and how they got to where they are. 

“O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him will all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.” Doctrine & Covenants 4:2

Uhm...We had a service project this morning, we are in the process of pulling a stump out of the ground, it is a Palm stump that is about 2 feet in diameter and we have 4 shovels, a pick, 2 dull axes and a hack saw. So it will be a long process to get the thing removed out of the ground. But it should be fun, I miss doing manual yard work and stuff like that, something I am surprised that I miss from back home, actually getting to go out and work in the yard. 

Hmmmmmm.......

15

Yeah honestly cannot think of anything. You know whats crazy, I have 15 weeks left hahaha!!!  the only reason I know that is because I am starting my 15 week study of the atonement and so it will be done the day before I go home. So I should have a much better understanding of the atonement repentance and forgiveness when I close up the mission and come home. see - https://www.lds.org/youth/learn/yw/atonement/what?lang=eng

also note;

  https://www.lds.org/ensign/2001/03/missionary-work-and-the-atonement?lang=eng

"Throughout the teaching experience, missionaries bear testimony of the Savior and His gift of salvation to us. Obviously you should bear testimony regularly of all the principles you are teaching, but it is especially important that you bear testimony of this central doctrine in the plan of our Heavenly Father.  There are several reasons for bearing testimony. One is that when you declare the truth, it will bring an echo, a memory, even if it is an unconscious memory to the investigator, that   they have heard this truth before—and of course they have. A missionary’s testimony invokes a great legacy of testimony dating back to the councils in heaven before this world was. There, in an earlier place, these same people heard this same plan outlined and heard there the role that Jesus Christ would play in their salvation".    -Holland

Yeah, nothing else to report on ... parents, again sorry, I will work on taking better notes and bringing them with me to use when I write home this next week, I just don't have anything to report on really so I don't want to bore you with a break down of each day. I love you a lot, I really do, I truly appreciate all you do for me and all you do to help me out everyday. 

Look for the tiny miracles and the opportunity to help people in any way. 

Love you so much!!!

-- 

"Fourth Floor Last Door"

Elder Amric Zane Sobczak

California, Carlsbad, USA

January 2013-June 2013

California, Irvine, USA

July 2013-December 2014

Social Media and the Gospel of Jesus Christ: To Sweep the Earth as With ...

I Pray When... #didyouthinktopray

I Invite you to Act, I am!

• So not to much to report on from this past week hahaha!!!
• Work is going great so it is super fun. 
• Always good to be staying busy. 
• Uhm, what else, companion is going good
• Got the stuff thank you for the clothes. What was up with the towel? haha I love it just surprising hahaha!
• Anyways not really too much to report on...
• Members of the ward are awesome and love helping us out, so it will be fun to continue working here. 
• Teaching, tracting and praying thats my life!
• Jacob 5  I invite you to read it this week.
• Temple trip was awesome I will tell you about it in more detail in a tape.
• I invite you to Act this week using one of the following ideas.... Links are attached for your reference. 

Quotes for the day and times -  Scripture, Written, Video and Audio cuz thats how I roll!

• There is so much to be done, so many people depending on me, and I always let them down. If you are feeling discouraged and inadequate remember life happens to all of us, but when these feelings become a way of life, or even frequent visitors, they're signs of trouble. Be aware, especially if they become clinical state of depression. ... The quote is exactly said in this talk - https://www.lds.org/ensign/1978/08/awake-my-soul-dealing-firmly-with-depression?lang=eng 
• sadly some youth ignore things as they really are...and sacrifice relationships I offer 2 questions for you to consider  -  https://www.lds.org/youth/video/things-as-they-really-are?lang=en
• I wont forget, I want to live everyday of my life with honor, I want to know the choices I've made dont leave me wishing I could make them over again, I want to have no regrets  -  https://www.lds.org/youth/music?cid=YS-F-musicteaser&lang=eng
• FAITH ORGANIZE ARISE PRAY- https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/88?lang=eng

That is all. We are going to bounce!

Love you bye

"Fourth Floor Last Door"

Elder Amric Zane Sobczak

California, Carlsbad, USA

January 2013-June 2013

California, Irvine, USA

July 2013-December 2014

New Area New Campanion

Well, this has been a fun week for sure. 

Some quick updates:

I am in the Lake Forest Ward Rancho Santa Margarita Stake

Foothill Ranch is in the district

• Dropped Elder Peterson off at Airport. It was really sad, I cried as he left, we were really close friends. Hard to see him go but excited to continue to serve as hard as he still wanted to. 
• Sadly after 1 year I have been released as a District Leader ( But it is nice because now I can put full effort into the ward without having to worry about problem missionaries/problem areas). 
• My companion is Elder Sawatzki (So the ward is going to have lots of fun with our names) He served a service mission and trial mission so with that time added together he will only serve 13, months in the field so he comes home with me, we are thinking we are going to be companions until we go home but working as if we are not. 
• President Orgill lives in my ward boundary
• I am super happy, happier than I have been in a long time and looking forward to serving here in this ward.
• Tender mercies if you want to call it in this area (live in brand new apartment, central heating and air, full-time car, washer/dryer in apartment, obedient hard working companion)
• This transfer is going to be a good one, really looking forward to it and looking forward to all of the miracles that will be in store for the two of us.
• Oh we share the ward with Sisters Sister Poulson (2nd Transfer Out) and Sister LaFleur(3rd Transfer Out)

Okay so that is the update for me, life is going good. This last week has been a really good one. Got to meet a lot of the ward members and everyone seems super nice and the missionary mindedness is picking up!  The Bishop is really pushing the missionary efforts, it is actually really nice and awesome to have the support from the ward. Our investigator dropped us yesterday.  It's always sad to see them reject the gospel in its fullness.

That is all. I had a cool study this morning read ing Doc&Cov 46 and 58?

https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/46?lang=eng

https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/58?lang=eng

I dont have my notes with me so not 100% sure but it reminded me that we can ask for things and if they are the will of the Lord they will happen if we do our part to fulfill them.

It just reminded me to be specific when asking for things if you want specific answers, if you are general and basic then you will get general and basic answers. 

• Ask Specific 
• Work Specific
• Receive Specific. 

It was just a cool thought that I had this morning and helped me realize what I needed to do to help the work progress and my own personal self progress. 

• Doctrine Understood Changes Behavior!

Thank you all for all you do looking forward to hearing from you, keep up the awesome work and stay happy and awesome!!!

"Fourth Floor Last Door"

Elder Amric Zane Sobczak

California, Carlsbad, USA

January 2013-June 2013

California, Irvine, USA

July 2013-December 2014

Working Together to...

LISTEN * FIND * TEACH

Would you like to hear about a missionary who was prompted to make a wise choice? He was new in the work and was assigned to labor in the city of Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, with a veteran missionary as a companion. They called at the home of a family by the name of Pollard. They knocked, and Mr. Pollard let them in. He invited them to present their material. After he had heard their message, and after he had prayed with them, it seemed as though the spirit of the adversary came over him, and he became angry with the elders and told them to leave and never come back again. As he showed them to the door, he said, “You can’t tell me that you really believe Joseph Smith is a prophet of God, anyway.” The door slammed shut. The two dejected missionaries walked away.

This young missionary turned to his senior companion and said, “We didn’t answer Mr. Pollard’s question.”

The senior companion explained the futility of attempting to return. But the young elder said, “I’m going back. I won’t feel right until I do.”

They returned to Mr. Pollard’s door and knocked on it. He opened the door and said, “I thought I told you fellows to leave.”

The next decision took all the strength of character and all the fortitude that this young man could muster, for his senior companion did not give him much help. I heard Mr. Pollard himself describe the experience. He said, “That missionary looked me in the eye. He hesitated for a moment, and then said, ‘Mr. Pollard, as we left your home, you made a statement that we really didn’t believe Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. Mr. Pollard, I want you to know that I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and that this work is true.’”

After this declaration, the missionaries departed. Mr. Pollard later told me that all the rest of the day and that evening he kept hearing those words echoing through his ears: “I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. I know it. I know it. I know it.”

The next morning he telephoned the missionaries and asked them to come back. They returned to his home and taught him the gospel. They taught his wife the gospel. They taught his children the gospel. All became members of the Church. If you could have accompanied me to the district conference I attended a few years back and heard this man stand on his feet and thank his Heavenly Father for the choice that a young missionary made to return and to bear his witness, you, my brothers and sisters, would be forever anxious to “choose the right when a choice is placed before you.”

We need not feel that we must be without fault in order to receive the blessings of God. He will take us from where we now stand if we will come to him. He will build us up, spiritually, and he will build us up with confidence in ourselves.

I testify that when we choose to do that which is right, the results of our choices will bring joy and happiness to our souls, for the Lord has told us,

--Elder Monson April 1973 New Era

Transfers Tomorrow I'm Outta Here! :( off to a New and Different Area

From July 28th

 -- It has been a really good one and as always, love being out here on the mission. 

This has just started week 6 so this coming Saturday will be the day we find out if i stay in Newport First ward another transfer or if i get moved around. I am hoping to be staying here in the ward again, I really love it and I feel like there is still stuff to do out here that isn't finished yet so we shall see what happens this coming week.

Church yesterday was really good. In PEC we were talking about how to get Home and Visiting teaching up and help the members realize the importance of it. One guy (the HPGL) said just to pull everyones recommends that are not currently doing home teaching/coming to their meetings. A little harsh I thought but understandable amidst the frustration. Then we came to the idea of why don't we just put up a list of everyones home and visiting teachers so everyone can see who they are supposed to be taught by and everyone knows who they are supposed to teach and post the list outside the chapel for everyone to see. So we all loved the idea of this and it will be implemented this next Sunday, I am excited to see what will happen in regards to this and if this actually gets people up and moving and working on a problem that clearly has a huge down play in all wards in the church, every ward I have served in has low home and visiting teaching reports so who knows maybe this works, maybe it lights the fire underneath some people. I love the accountably of it all.

Other than that no real cool stories at all to share with the family. We are doing great, I love it out here. It is exciting to see the Lord working in my life so that through me he can help other of His children that are in need of help. I hope you all have a great week ahead. I love you so much and thank you for all that you do!:) Have a great week!

4 August ....

So Sadly today I report;

•  I am getting transferred...
• also sadly my companion is as well. Yep! they are moving both of us and bringing in two different elders to fill our spot. We are pretty bummed and sad and so is the ward. Church yesterday was a really sad day. Six months in a ward and you really come to love the people and feel part of their family.
• Another thing that is upsetting is for the last 6 months I have been here not one ward activity, nothing. :( Guess what? in a week and a half they are having their annual ward summer party...  :( Super sad, but whatever!  I have realized that the Lord puts you where he needs you when he needs you and for how long he needs you so this is all part of the plan and we need to just accept it and move on.  Nothing I can do about it and it cannot really change at all. 
• The week has been a good. We taught more than normal which was fun and made the week go by really quickly which is a blessing in disguise because week 6 usually goes by really slow so it was nice to see it go by quickly. 

We had a really cool missionary themed fireside last night with members from the stake and it was really nice. President Orgill and President Silve (Stake President) talked and the mission choir sang, so good.  Anyways so it was a fun experience to get go to that and listen and just feel of the spirit. I think that is the most interesting thing being out here, I have grown to truly notice the Spirit when I have it and when i do not have it, it is an interesting thing and hopefully something i can continue to develop and keep as i go home.

Another cool thing that happened at church yesterday was a lady came up to us and she said "I forgot to get money out (She usually gives us $5 every time we see her) and she was like I'll will just double it next week". We responded with "oh it's no problem but we wont be here next week we are getting transferred".  Gotta love Newport and the giving attitude the people have and the fact they give and help out here so much. So that was just an interesting thing, not something I will miss, but it has been a blessing because it always helped out in the long run, tender mercies and lots of blessings, all of us should continue to give, what goes around comes around. DO SERVICE, whatever you can when YOU can.

Anyways that is all for me this week. Hope to catch you all online and catch up and I probably wont be on Facebook for a while now because of the transfer. I will update it tomorrow and then be off of it until we get permission/get ipads we shall see what happens. I love you all so much and thank you for all that you do! have a great week and talk to you later!!

-- 

"Fourth Floor Last Door"

Elder Amric Zane Sobczak

California, Carlsbad, USA

January 2013-June 2013

California, Irvine, USA

July 2013-December 2014