June 18, 2012

Hello and good morning, I'm in the church. Life is good. We are heading to Canterbury later today, probably play football and frisbee. We've already been to the Cathedral twice and I love the Cathedral. One of the Sisters in the zone is going home in one week, and she has told us we have to come and chill today because it is her last full P-day. This week was a great week full of miracles. We had two really great first lessons and we will hopefully be teaching them again this next week. One is 16 and from Nigeria, his progression will really depend on his parents. Another is a single mum from Nigeria and has been to many different churches and feels they are all lacking truth. She says she is on the search for truth. She is a really funny and personable lady. We met her two weeks ago in Town Centre and got her phone number to set up an appointment later. Around that time we had the impression to tract Herbert Road, but never got around to it because of appointments and others things that got in the way. It is quite easy to find other effective things to do instead of finding. Last week we saw her in town and just said hi, but she was squirmy and avoided setting up anything. The same day we decided to tract Herbert Road and it happened... and guess who lived at #48 Herbert Road? None other than thee JoJo. Now she is a new investigator and we are going around on Wednesday to help her build an Ab Work Out machine. She loved hearing about the restoration and that we are a non-paid ministry. There are so many stories out about Pastors and their Unrighteous Dominion and basically how they are called, but they set their hearts upon riches and the vain things of the world... and Amen to the priesthood of that man. Even though they never really had any priesthood. Just their testimony of Christ and the power of the Holy Ghost. So she was fed up with that and with churches, but she is coming on Sunday to ours. We had a Zone Meeting this week and President Patch came to say Goodbye :( It is most likely the last time I will see him. It was a really powerful meeting. One of the Sisters in the zone gave a training on the Doctrine of Christ and then Elder Vitorio and I gave a training on how and why we invite people to be baptised. The Zone is quite new and many of them have not been able to practise giving crisp, clear and powerful invitations to follow Christ. We gave them all Calendars that end the 28th of July and invited them to fill it out with their investigators and give it to them so they can be prepared to be baptised by the 28th. Sister Patch gave the advice to "always keep your head in the heavens". Basically to always have the eternal perspective. If we retain that perspective, we can prioritize much more effectively and do the important and eternal things first, like family, Kentucky Basketball and following the commandments. President Patch gave thoughts on always having a vision. If we don't have a vision or a goal, we are not exercising faith. By having a vision, we can get through the drudgery of day to day actions. If you have a vision of an eternal family, then you will not mind changing nappies and sacrificing pretty much everything for your children. But if you don't know why you have a family, or it is just an accident... then when your child gets in the way of something YOU want to do... then you'll never give them the sufficient love they need. Happy Father's Day. Do we all say something we love about Dad? Or do we just leave him in Kentucky and go have a party in AZ? Sorry dad. I love dad because he always had a great vision for our family. He knew what he wanted the final score to be, and so he didn't have to decide in the moment if he was going to go to work... or to our boring vocal, cello, piano, and violin recitals. He came home at six and had dinner with us. One of my absolute favourite quotes for missionary work and life is "The Fellowship of the Unashamed" by Henry B. Eyring. I think that it is something that our Father has exemplified his whole life. I will dedicate it to him. "I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made; I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won't look back, let up, slow down, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I'm finished and done with low living, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tinted visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need preeminence, positions, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk with patience, am lifted up in prayer, and labor with power. My face is set, my goal is heaven. My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my guide is reliable, my mission is clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, divided or delayed, will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table with the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won't give up, shut up, or let up until I have stayed up, stored up, and paid up for the case of Christ. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me and when He returns for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me”. - Elder Henry B. Eyring My favourite line is this one "I no longer need preeminence, positions, promotions, plaudits, or popularity." We don't need anything in this life. We are filled and saved by the grace of Jesus Christ. Now it is up to us to give back to Him. We need to press forward with faith. I love my mission and decided that to save myself from being trunky, I've decided to mentally go home at the New Year. So I'll see you then. I should be home for the family Olympics. Can't wait! Love, Elder Krebs P.s. The picture is of our MTC group about 1 month ago.