"Do your duty, that is best; leave unto the Lord the rest!"

President Thomas S. Monson

The title of this post is one of my favorite President Monson quotes.  I love how it spurs me to action with confidence because I know I don't have to do everything - I'm not responsible to make things happen -  I just have to do my part.  That part is usually small, just an act of obedience.  I don't have to  worry about what anyone else chooses to do.  Isn't that an empowering thing.  Sometimes you just have to show up to have miracles happen.  After all it is the Lord who performs the miracles.

We have been experiencing miracles here by just showing up, by just going out and visiting as we have been asked.  We are what you might call bumbling missionaries.  We are unsure of ourselves and feel very unsure what to say and how to approach people.  Our assignment in the ward is to check on the inactives and see what we can do to help them.  We have a ward list we are working from.  Many of the people on it have long since moved or died or have left the church.  We check on everyone - that is our duty.   It is frightening to knock on the doors of people we don't know and there is always a little  trepidation about what to say to them.  But when we look back on our efforts we are amazed at what the Lord has done.  We are meeting with three wonderful families right now - sharing the gospel with them and trying to help them make progress.  Elder Thatcher keeps telling me how unusual this is - that in his mission in Holland it was terribly difficult to find whole families to teach. That is still the case here as well.  But into our laps the Lord has dropped three wonderful little families, and there are many others we are working with as well.

Here is a quote from Elder Thatcher's journal:  2 Sept 2017

Before coming on this mission I secretly desired a proselyting mission.  That is all I know about missionary work and I love the feelings I get when I contemplate the potential happiness a family will have by joining the church and by being faithful in it.  Our mission here in New Zealand is turning out to primarily be a proselyting mission and we have the best of both worlds because we get missionary training in the MTC.  
We have 2 appointments today one with Antonina and Samantha and Naomi, and Keisha and the other with the Hindu family; Roy Shelly, Ronak and Riana.  
I am very grateful that the Lord has sent us on the perfect mission.  How would we have known that we would be doing so much actual missionary work. 

Samantha, Naomi and Keisha

Aren't they beautiful!  These are Antonina and Moses' beautiful little girls.  You should see them jump up and down and cheer when they see us coming.  We love the children here.  They are so welcoming.  We would get into every door and baptize every person in every family if they were all children.  We have come to understand even better than ever before what the Lord meant when he said of children,  '. . . of such is the kingdom of heaven!' I am sure that on our Savior's 3 year mission the children must have lifted his heart each time he saw them.  It is so with us.

We love this family.  They want to get their lives in order and get sealed in the temple.  They have much to overcome to achieve this.  We want so much to help them and pray constantly that we will know what to say and teach to encourage them.  We know the Lord will help us if we do our duty!  We know he will help them if they do the same.  The biggest step sometimes is just mustering the courage to show up - or repent - and then what seemed impossible suddenly slips into place - the way opens - the miracles happen.  But you have to step into the light before the power of the light chases away the darkness in your life.

Another family we love is the Singh Family.  Roy, Shelley, Ronak (7) and Riana (2).  They are Hindu and the dearest family.  We met them while looking for a family on our ward list.  That family had long since moved away but we kept going back to the house because we met a son of the family that did live there and he was so impressive and kind to us.  He had friends who were Mormon and liked to play basketball with them at the chapel right next to the MTC.  Another time we went we met another son and he was equally impressive and wanted us to come back and talk to his parents.  When we finally met the father he seemed irritated and didn't want us there.  But . . .

As we were waiting for a response from our knocking at the door, we noticed that the lights were on in the house next door and Elder Thatcher said we should knock there because at least we knew someone was home.  So I followed my brave companion up the sidewalk of that home and waited slightly behind him as he knocked on the door.  Shelley answered the door with Ronak and Riana behind her.  Elder Thatcher told her we were missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and asked if we could give them a message.  She graciously invited us in.

We found out they were Hindu and asked if they had heard of Jesus Christ.  Ronak said he knew who Jesus was, 'He was born on Christmas!'  Ronak had friends that were Christian.  We showed them one of the Children's Bible videos and they watched with interest.  We love those videos and they have never failed to bring the spirit into a home when we play them for the children.  Elder Thatcher gave them a Book of Mormon and they invited us back.

I think we had gone twice before we met Roy, the father.  He was leaving for work as we were coming one day and Elder Thatcher explained who we were and asked if there was a time we could meet with the whole family.  He graciously told us to come on a Saturday.  We did and it was a wonderful meeting.

Remember I told you we were bumbling missionaries. . . we really don't know how to teach or what to say but somehow Heavenly Fathers sends the Spirit into the homes with us and it doesn't matter how weak we are, the time spent has a glow about it.  We showed Roy, Shelley, and  Ronak  'The Restoration' video and Roy was so excited when he saw Joseph Smith plowing a field, "That is just what I used to do as a boy! Just the same!"  They watched intently.

After Elder Thatcher asked what their concept of God was and Roy told us.  Elder Thatcher gave them a Book of Mormon and Ronak ran to get the one we had left before (we had forgotten we had given them one)  Ronak said he had been trying to read it but it was hard and he didn't understand so he asked his friends who were Christians to help him read and understand it. ( Isn't that a sweet picture to contemplate?).  We all turned to Alma 18 starting on verse 24 where Ammon teaches King Lamoni.  Elder Thatcher and Roy took turns reading it out loud. Elder Thatcher would ask if they understood what Ammon was teaching and how they felt about it.  They said they believed what Ammon was teaching.  We were invited back again.

Our next visit Shelley wasn't home but we taught Roy and Ronak anyway.  We showed the video 'The Church at a Glance".  When it began with the Tabernacle Choir singing in the Conference Center Roy said, "Oh, it's big!"  It gave an impression about the church that we couldn't convey by telling them about it.  Roy told us that Shelley had been trying to read the Book of Mormon.  It was another wonderful visit.  At the end Elder Thatcher taught Roy a little about prayer and asked if he would pray before we left.  We all knelt down and Roy gave the sweetest prayer addressing Heavenly Father and in the name of the 'Lord Almighty Jesus Christ'.  Such a sweet moment. We left that home walking on clouds - floating along with the sweetness of the Spirit.

These are just a few of our adventures as missionaries.  We are as weak as any of the young missionaries we rub shoulders with in the MTC but all of us can take along with us as we knock on doors and meet strangers on the street the finest, most seasoned, most successful companion of them all - the Holy Ghost.  And with this companion at our side a mission is truly an adventure of adventures.

Next time I'll tell you about our other little family that we love meeting with.

We don't have any pictures with Roy and Shelley's family.  Missionaries aren't supposed to look like tourists and take pictures as they proselyte so maybe sometime I'll be able to send a picture of them but not yet.

We have met some at doors who are very receptive and others who are fiercely against us coming in. 

This sweet, though very large dog wagged his tail against the door so loudly that we didn't even have to knock.

a very receptive investigator

This one wanted nothing to do with our message!

Missionary work that takes little courage

While on a walk a couple weeks ago.  Elder Thatcher and I spotted this lovely tree.  I have come to call it 'The Boo Radley Tree' (for any of you familiar with 'To Kill a Mockingbird') It had two lovely little fairy like places that were just calling out for me to place pass-a-long cards inside to be found by the fairies or someone bigger walking by the tree.

When we went back a few days later one of the cards was gone.  I placed another one in that tree receptacle and sweetened the take with lollies.  We haven't been back to see if the lollies and cards were taken but I will give further updates on this missionary tactic.  I especially liked leaving this 'Family History' card because it has more meaning - do you get it?  A Family Tree.

We hope that all of you at home are simply doing your duty and leaving to the Lord the rest.  None of us are adequately prepared to do the things we are called to do each day.
  

What student feels confident starting High School or Kindergarten for that matter?

What woman is ever ready to be a mother and raise children?  It is a daunting task!  So many situations come up where we simply don't know what to do to help a child or teach a principle or handle the drama of the day.  But if we humbly face each day and seek the companionship of the Spirit we sail through hard things and what is important happens.
  

What father feels qualified and is prepared to provide and guide his family?  We are just all so bumbling in so many areas but Heavenly Father will send His Spirit if we do our part and make us equal to whatever task lies before us.

Which of you Bishops felt ready to take on that responsibility? But now, you can ever testify how the Lord doesn't leave you alone.

I would guess that Megan doesn't feel perfectly prepared to be a missionary either but she will 'do her duty' and the Lord will work miracles through her.

And those facing difficult things - did you feel prepared to face what has come your way?  Has the Lord left you alone or do you walk into the trial with the Spirit beside you to teach and comfort and lift through it all?  

It is our prayer, our hope, our desire that each of us in this family will be found doing his or her duty and then leaving to the Lord the rest.  

We love you all,

Mom and Dad

Elder and Sister Thatcher