We had zone conference this week (several zones-which consist of 18-24 missionaries-gather together to be taught by the mission president) and it was wonderful! We learned a new concept that President Mortensen calls "The Master Teacher"...It is to teach how the Savior taught..And how did he teach? He asked questions and had his learners teach him the doctrine. So the way we teach as missionaries now is to ask questions...Every person on this planet has been taught the gospel of Jesus Christ already..We all lived with Heavenly Father before and He taught us his plan! What we do as missionaries is help people uncover what has been hidden for so long- the truth!
We have been working so hard to perfect this teaching method- it's hard to just ask questions! You have to find a balance between talking for forever and interrogating people haha...Last night we taught my dad more about prophets and the need for the Restoration. It was so cool to just watch him teach himself! After using a few scriptures from the Bible to show him that the blueprint of Christ's church is built on the foundation of prophets and apostles, we talked about the apostasy and then the Restoration. We asked, "Do you believe that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever?" he answered, yes...Then we asked, "So do you think his church would be the same yesterday, today, and forever?" He responded, "Well when you say it like that, yes..It should be the same." Our next question was, "why was there a need for a Restoration?" he said, "Because we need the priesthood and we needed to bring back the gospel that was lost during the apostasy.." Wahoooooooo! Our final question was, "So do you now see why God called Joseph Smith to be a prophet?" "Yes."
Asking questions is the way to go! It helps you understand how much the learner has learned and what you need to teach..
Another awesome moment of the week...Last Wednesday, during an exchange, Hermana Deloya and I went to find a less active at an apartment complex..Well, we went to the wrong building of the complex and knocked on the "wrong door". The sweet couple let us inside and we began to teach them our purpose as missionaries and we talked briefly about the restoration. They were on their way out to the mercado but we set up a return appointment for this past week. On Monday (I think)...Hermana Hale and I went over and taught them the Restoration. The husband, Martin, was very stand offish and wanted to argue the entire time so we skipped over to Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. He went quiet as we explained that we need both the BoM and Bible (Ezekiel 37)..We invited them to read and we passed by on Friday..The lesson was amazing! When we asked the wife, Ana, what she remembered from the last time, she said, "We need the Bible and the Book of Mormon to have the complete gospel." We talked more about the BoM by reading the intro with them and the spirit was so strong as Ana read the entire intro. She would pause and ask questions, then continue reading..She understood it so well! When we were on our way out, they opened up and shared that they were having a hard time with their two teenage children who are living with their abuela right now..The kids are very distant from the parents and Ana and Martin just want to be a united family. We explained that the message we share unites families forever. They are so prepared!
Also at zone conference, the "dying missionaries" go up and give their last testimony..This was so hard to watch because I had three companions go up! Hermanas Crandall, Zabriskie, and Hale..It made my heart hurt because I don't want to go home! I remember so clearly being out for like 2 months and watching missionaries go up and share their testimony..I always thought, these people are so amazing, they've let their mission change them into the people that God created them to be. I hope that when that day comes for me, I will be the person that God wanted me to become while serving here in Houston.
I love Houston with all my heart.
The Gospel is true!
Love y'all!
Hermana Emma Seymour
hermana hale and I at zone conference...and in the back is elder hillebrant..
CRAN
the tongan mane can't be tamed.
how quick did I go through these? a month and a half...and that was with shoe glue.
during exchanges...we missed our home exit..do you know what that means? we leave the mission...oops..at least the skyscrapers are pretty!
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