Apr. 24, 2012

Dear Family,

 

This week we have had only two work overs, but next week we will have three. We have had a pretty difficult time with the weather here. It has been windy as well as rainy this week and it does not look to promising for this next week either. We have some umbrellas and a couple of them broker because of the wind. Although it is hard to speak to people in the street, it is quite the experience to try.

 

I hope to write you a letter tonight or something, because I have to finish some reports right now, but like always, I am doing good. I hope all of you are well. Last night we had a cottage evening where a few of our recent converts attended and we shared a short message on the Savior. We spoke about how we often go through the everyday motion of what a Latter Day Saint goes through, but we also spoke about how often times, we forget why we do what we do. I know that I do what I do because of my understanding of The Plan, and I just pray that you do as well.

 

Love,

April 16, 2012

Dear Family,

I am doing fine.

Love,

Elder Resolme

April 10, 2012

Dear Family,

Last night we received calls to state whether any members in our zone were going to move to different areas. I guess President saw it fit for me to stay in Ashford for a couple more weeks while my companion transfers on to another area in the mission. This will be my first sixth month area on my mission! I am going to be companions with another Italian. It should be good.

He should be very excited for the next five weeks because we will be speaking to a ton of people, since it is vital that we replenish our teaching pool. One of our investigators had a smooth baptism this past weekend. It was so serene and peaceful. Her whole family was able to come as well as many of her extended family. I am so grateful for all of the grit and grime when occasions like this occur.

Over the past week, I have been reading the gospels and have been paying close attention to the actions the Savior exerts when put in difficult and off situations. Oh yea, the other day I gave a talk in Sacrament. I have gotten so used to speaking in public that I just feel good when I stand to speak. After we went to the stake presidents home to spend eater with his family.

Tell Derrick I say Hi.

Love,

Elder

April 2, 2012

Dear Family,

Here are some pictures over the past couple of months. Many of them, if not all are with a bunch of the missionaries from the zone, originating from places like Scotland, South America, Germany, Portugal, Sweden, and some other places.

Over the past couple of weeks, I have been receiving answers to my prayers and they are coming so clear and blunt, it is mind blowing. We have been finding day by day, just speaking to people in the town center. I feel like I have been in Ashford for my whole life because I know many of the Ashford town center regulars. When we walk by certain shops, we wave to the owners or just in the streets, we speak to people whom we have met before and just speak about how their family is doing and all that jazz.

I think that over the past week, I met one of the most aggressive people on my mission. I think that we had a good 10 minutes of just conversing on our different beliefs and sharing scriptures from the bible. I love my mission. I am so grateful I have been able to study different topics that many people misunderstand. I had the opportunity to set forth our beliefs in a bold manner. He was ranting and raving over the differences we shared and he was furious. I know that this probably came about from my questions for him, but none the less, I felt it was expedient that I establish our doctrine.

Hmm.Today we traveled into London for a leadership meeting and we were reminded of our duties and the importance that we fulfil them. A wise man once said, " example is not the best way to motivate, it is the only way." The trainings given today were pretty much revolved around this idea. I loved how president said that if we are not dead tired at the end of the day, we did some thing wrong. I will never forget some of the leaders that I had early on in my mission. From what their actions were and what they said, I would have done any righteous thing they would have asked me to do. Why? because they were sincere and kind.

Love,

Elder Resolme

March 26, 2012

Dear Family,

This week has been pretty rough. There have been many things that I have had to look over and just oversee to make sure everything with missionaries as well as the area was running smoothly. It was difficult for me to find peace and comfort, but I am so grateful for this week because I know that it was a time of growth and progression. I probably did not excel at everything, but I tried.

On Tuesday I had a work over with the Gillingham Elders and I was able to give one of their investigators a baptismal interview. Being able to take part in ones journey towards baptism is very rewarding for me. This past week I also found, a couple of opportunities to play the guitar! What a relief that was for me. In Gillingham, sang a song for someone to come to church. I think i've still got it.

To help me find more stability, I have been reading in Doctrine and Covenants. I think I read in section 103 the other day and I thought it related quite well to my situation. It spoke about being saviors among men, and how important the callings are that we receive.

Love,

Elder Resolme

March 19, 2012

Dear family,

This past week has been quite busy. It has been fully occupied by workovers with three different areas, and finding. I wish that I could send some pictures of the missionaries that I have gone on work overs with, but I always fail to bring my usb chord to the library. Maybe I will just send them via post.

The other week, we displayed a video from Mormon messages about fine tuning a radio, and how it compared to the spirit. I have internalized this principle and have tried to fine tune my ability to feel and follow the promptings of the spirit. The Ashford community, is quite accustomed to being stopped in town center by missionaries. Their actions after seeing us are either ones of walking faster, expressing their frustration with rude/smart comments, or walking past as if we were never there. We get the odd few who stop and listen to what we have to share.

As I have payed attention to how I feel, and what the message I think heaven is trying to relay to me, I have been able to see miracles. I think within a little while, we were blessed with finding/teaching two people in the town center who became new investigators, and the next day, we were able to find another, who too has become a new investigator and communicated to us his desire to show his gratitude to God for all he has been given. While in Gillingham, Kent, we found a young man who too was taught on a bench in town center and became a new investigator for our younger missionaries.

I remember following the spirit a while ago and seeing that i did not really get anywhere when I listened to its promptings. Now I have been able to recognize a little bit more of how the spirit speaks to me. Oh my goodness, it makes life so much easier.

Another thing that happened while on a work over with Elder Lingam, from UT Provo, was during the early morning of Sunday. We both woke up to around four am to a revolting argument between a couple of our neighbors. I thought I was dreaming until I heard Elder Lingam say, "Man what is that?" We both just laid there in aww and then fell asleep as the heated argument started to subside. Then it proceeded once again terribly loud, and simultaneously, Elder Lnigam and I both jumped out of bed, turned on the light, and started to prepare to go outside to make sure everyone was okay. It sounded as if someone was going to do something he would regret. As we were about to go outside, the police came. That night I had a couple of hours of sleep. Oh my, I was completely knackered for Sunday services. I love England.

Yes, I did receive the package. Thank you. I have been sharing with the missionaries in the zone and I will have our investigators taste a bit of the US goodness.

Love,

Elder Resolme

Mar. 5, 2012

Dear Family,

On Saturday, we had another leadership meeting in London. We read a couple of scriptures in the old testament on how we can become better leaders, not just for our investigators, but more directed towards the missionaries in the zone.

Ezekiel 34

4 The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was ^asick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with ^bcruelty have ye ruled them.

5 And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.

The training given by our leaders were both bold and direct. It got the point across to each of the missionaries in the room. I remember back when I was a new missionary, I had different priorities that I focused all of my attention on, but now, my perspective and list of priorities have changes drastically. The other day we also had a meeting with a member from the ward. He taught us the importance of leadership and stated that the weaknesses of the zone are a result of the weaknesses of its leaders, and the weaknesses of the leader are the weaknesses of the missionaries.

One word that I have tried to understand is the word "success." If you asked me what success was at the start of my mission, it would be completely different from my answer today. I feel everything falls back to the scripture in Ezekiel. "Shepard's and flocks"

Love,

Elder Resolme