Every Member a Missionary

From Elder BJ Bernards, dated January 28, 2008

Dear Family,

Hello again. I hardly blinked and it's Monday again! I’m tired. We played a lot of basketball this morning. We had transfers this week and both of us stayed but not our car. Elder Hill is bummed because that was the first time he has ever had a car on his mission and it only lasted 6 weeks. But, it will be great for the area as we ask the members to help us out and sacrifice for this great work. We have been in their homes a lot lately. We are to teach 10 lessons in their homes a week. It has been great and this ward is starting to feel more and more like home as we work into people's hearts with love, service, testimony, faith, hard work, and a positive attitude.

I had one of the greatest experiences of my mission last night as we had our youth fireside at Sister Teague’s home. Sis Teague is the Young Women’s president.

We had Brother Rowe, who teaches seminary, share a story of a man he is helping out right now to receive the gospel. We had an older couple share their conversion story and how they went from super bad to super good.

Then we shared the first lesson out of Preach My Gospel which is the Restoration. My companion, Elder Hill, bore testimony and taught with power and faith [which] I have never seen in him before. I as well had my mouth and heart full as I bore solemn testimony to the beloved youth of this ward and to our non-member friend, D*** K***, about the truthfulness of Joseph Smith and the Restoration. I asked them to consider the organization that they all enjoyed so much, and think about the scriptures that they read, and imagine that this youth could conceive such a thing. It’s clear that it was impossible for him to. But, then I told them that my testimony does not come by logic, but by prayer . . . By scripture study . . . Through revelations from the Almighty who lives and loves through all eternity.

A profound silence took the room as the Sprit laid upon everyone’s minds. No one dared to breathe. It was so still. It felt warm and love. I told them that what they felt now was the Spirit, and that is how we know.

I smiled to all of them and shared a moment of recognition with those great people as I looked into their eyes and they knew they felt the Spirit. Women and men, young and old. Member and not, God loves all.

I hardly wanted to stop the silence, my heart was brimming with joy!

We concluded with a musical number by Sterling Taylor's family which fit in perfectly and then a message from the bishop who challenged us to pray for that witness of the Spirit. He had that chance to use his mantle as a Bishop. It warms my heart. Then we all sang together "A Child’s Prayer" which was sweet and perfect for the mood. I remember the great joy on their faces as we felt the love of our Heavenly Father, and for each other as we sang as a family. We truly all are [brothers and sisters]. Never hate each other or argue, love unconditionally as Jesus loves you, try to show kindness in all that you do, be gentle and loving in deed and in thought, for these are the things Jesus taught.

After the prayer we a ate cookies and socialized, and then by popular request I ascended the stairs again and played a song on the guitar for Sterling. It was a remake of the song by Tenacious D "Tribute". I changed the words to tell the stories of missionary work. It was super funny and every one laughed, but I think we lost all hope for referrals! Ha Ha Ha

Sister Teague was excited to hear me, before I played she was like" oh he is going to play a song!" Little did she know that I would be shredding the air and melting faces with my astounding vocals and lyrics. It was awesome! People cheered and clapped, and laughed. I loved it. We all need a laugh.

Sterling Taylor leaves tomorrow for Tampico Mexico. We have been working with him for a couple of weeks. He has been scared and nervous for a long time and worked at a skate shop and hung out with pot heads and rockers and stuff like that. We have been going over there every Sunday and teach him from Preach My Gospel, but what taught him the most was my attitude and faith and testimony. I tell you this because we need to recognize the powerful effect that our image has on everybody. What do people see in us? Do they see light? Happiness? Do they see the Spirit?
I saw a profound change in him yesterday as he gave his farewell talk. I could see a vision of him returning strong and full of faith and love for everybody. He is a leader and the Lord will bring it out of him. He has the sprit now and is looking to the future with faith, and hope!

I love the gospel!

So this week a group of people let us in and have a bible study with them. They went over Proverbs. We didn’t push or anything. They actually asked the questions. We were able to teach them so much about the Church from those minutes we spent with them. They liked us so much they invited us back next week. In Proverbs was a scripture that mentions the "preparations of the Lord." I smiled to myself as I read that and knew that those people have been in a preparation for us! Ha Ha HA!

We have been working a lot with Megan who has been progressing. We had just a great visit on Saturday with some members. It was a miracle to get them there. The Lord provided for all of us. We watched The Restoration with her and her kids, and met her concerns boldly with scripture and testimony. She thinks that God doesn’t have a true church on the earth. So we referred her to read out of the [Book of Mormon].

We should see her again tonight. We are taking things less formally and are letting the Rowes teach a [Family Home Evening] lesson to her and her kids. It should be fun.

I never realized how fun and natural missionary work should be. We love them into the gospel. We are bold and invite. That is where our success lies. Attitude and faith give us the perspective to see opportunities and achieve success.

I love you all and pray and fast for you constantly.

Please write me soon. I miss hearing from you.

Love,
Elder Bernards