24 Nov 2008

Hey Family So i must Say that i have just had the best week on mission by far. I saw many miracles! like actual miracles happen. Stuff where i was just like standing there with my mouth open with no idea how it happened! Crazy those will be stories i will hold onto forever. You will hopefully get two of them in voice files today. So this week was amazing. So last week as i was turning in numbers elder Mack our Zone Leader challenged us to teach 10 member lessons this week. Now let me fill you in on the size of the challenge that he had given us. The every week average for a companionship is about 4-5 and those are good numbers, the standards of excellence or mission standards are to get 4 lessons a week with members. So of course i accepted elder macks challenge and threw it right back at him to also get 10 member lessons. So we went to work setting up meetings with members to be present. Monday we had 2 already so we were looking good. Tuesday we had three in the plan, but all three fell out and that is when we had a tough day but we saw a miracle when we went tracting and found a family that is totally prepared, they let us in & we shared a message and they loved it and became new investigators. We saw them twice this week, they have a 4 yr old girl and two 4 month old twins, boy and girl. Awesome family!!! The dad originally studied to be a priest, but then met his wife, I talk about it in the voice files.

Oh yeah i gave the other elders in the district the challenge as well and they accepted so we worked together a ton during this week. But yeah long story short not only did both companionships get 10 member lessons, but both companionships got 15 member lessons putting us at a total of 30 member lessons and 6 other lessons!!!!!!! It was 100 percent amazing!!! I've never seen anything like it. I don't know why the Lord loves us so much, but for some reason he does!!! He helped us so much, I am blown away. it is so unreal what two very powerful things can do when you put them together. Faith + Fire = Miracles , I'm not kidding it was so Crazy! I really did see miracles with my own eyes this week. And to add to it, We only have 9 active members that we can teach with during the week!! I think each one of them at least taught with us twice, some of them even more than that. Then, to top it all off We challenged two more people in our area to baptism for the 3rd of January, and they excepted giving our little city 5 baptismal dates, And all 5 of them were at church as well as two other investigators giving us 7 investigators at church. I'm really having trouble knowing what i should think about all this.

In the Zone we have 7 missionary companionships and all together the zone taught 54 Lessons with members, our district of 2 companionships carried the whole Zone!! Ok but we have to be Humble, The Lord has opened the windows of heaven on this Mission, he has raised our sights by showing us that we can do more, that we can find people, and that we can bring children unto Christ no matter where we are in the world. They say this area of the world is hard to baptize in, I would say otherwise. All we need is to raise our sights and mix Faith with Fire! Anything is possible. We are about to have three baptisms this coming saturday and it is going to be amazing! This branch had gone through a period where they had not seen a baptism for 3 or 4 years straight. They are about to see three and then a following two next year. At the beginning of the transfer we told the mission that we would for sure get two baptisms. Well we are doing that and even more two it, we are going to get four!! The stereotype has been broken, this is no longer a mission where baptisms are hard to find, this is becoming a mission where baptismal fonts are hard to find!!! We are going to Prague for the baptisms because we dont have anywhere to do it here in Liberec.

We found 10 new investigators this week as a district! The thing that pleases me most right now, is the fact that it isnt just the district leaders companionship that is making all these things happen, it is both companionships in the district that are equally stepping up to the plate. It has been awesome thanks for your prayers.

Mom's questions:
Are your shoes staying warm and waterproof? yup they are doing good but my regular sneakers arent
Dad and I think you may need to buy some warmer shoes or boots for the winter - what do you think? i should be ok with the dress shoes.
Have you heard from Karel and how he is doing in Olomouc? (if you get his address, we would love to write to him) he is doing amazing and has a surprise talent for playing the piano , so he received the calling of branch pianist.!!! so cool
Are you homesick at all? It is ok if you aren't, I guess we just raised a well adjusted young man. And you are even doing it without your blankie. I'm not too homesick, of course i miss my family, but I'm having a great time here.

Dad's questions:
How cold is it now? So Cold 2 below 0 Celsius
Are you freezing yet? pretty close.

We've seen pictures through one of the webcams and it looks like a lot of snow. Is it like a snowy village like you see on the postcards or is it just like snow back here and wet and cold? It is Like snowy villages in the postcards.
Do you need more thermal long-johns, scarves, gloves, etc? I can get most stuff here the exchange rate is pretty good right now.

Are you still having fun? Having a blast

Well i must go i hope the letter helps i had such a good time. I love you so much .

Your son Morgan Nowland