Dear Elders and Sisters!
As a mission, we found 396 new investigators last week! To
quote Tony Horton after a P90X workout, “Take in the fact that you just did
that!” By comparison, we had 252 new investigators last week. I don’t think we
have surpassed 300 new investigators in a week since my arrival last summer. Heavenly
Father put 396 of His precious children in our path, we were able to talk with
them, and they were willing to meet with us again! Thank you for all that you
put into the last seven days. I want you to pause and feel good about it...for
about 60 seconds. Now is it time to get back to work! There is much to be done.
Please take a few minutes and consider the faith, energy and
focus that you put forth this last week in order to find new investigators.
What we did was not a gimmick designed to create a temporary spike in new
investigators. The way that you felt this past week, and the energy and focus
that you had is what is necessary every day, every week, and every month of
your mission. It must be central to our mission culture. Finding new
investigators should be such a natural and typical characteristic of Taiwan
Taichung missionaries that it functions simultaneously. Talk to everyone. Teach
when we find, find when we teach. We should not have to designate a special
week of great effort and focus in order to reap such a harvest. What we did last
week needs to be a standard for the mission.
What did you do differently last week in order to accomplish
your goal? Are you willing to do this every week and still have energy and
faith to magnify the other important aspects of your calling? For example, our
total mission baptismal goals fell from 235 last week to 196 this week. This
week we need to invite these 396 new investigators to come unto Christ by
helping them receive the restored gospel though faith in Jesus Christ and His
Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and
enduring to the end. We need to help them become progressing investigators with
baptismal dates. We need to bring them in our arms and on our shoulders as we
help them come onto Christ (see 1Ne. 21:22). We need to love them and care for
them and share what we have with them.
“Nothing happens in missionary work until you find someone
to teach” (PMG, p. 156). We have found many people to teach. We have much more
to accomplish this week. We need to help people feel, recognize and follow the
Spirit. We need to teach in such a way that leaves people hungering for more.
As we help people have faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, we need to give
them commitments to help them repent and make “necessary changes to bring their
life into agreement with His teachings” (PMG, p.2). Let’s make this a great
week of following up, of teaching and committing, of inviting and encouraging.
With finding going on simultaneously. Talk to everyone.
Teach when we find, find when we teach.
President Blickenstaff
Mentor of Finding Champions
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