Visit from Elder Bednar

11/18/13

Hola Familia,

It was a fun week. i loved it. I had my interview with President Holm, and also David A Bednar came to the mission and he was with us for three hours. We could ask him whatever we wanted. except questions that won't really help us on the mission for example, where is the sword of Laban? or like where is Kolob? haha

This week we honestly knocked a ton of doors. Sometimes its kinda hard because its during the hours when everyone is at work or at school and no one is home. I don't really mind knocking i have gotten pretty good at making conversation and even getting into homes but sometimes i feel like it is very ineffective. But with our faith and persistence the Lord led us to some really cool people that i think can progress. We have been struggling with investigators falling off date and not keeping there commitments. especially church it has been hard to help people to come to church, because it is not fully Spanish, and there is not to many Hispanics so they just don't feel comfortable coming. We are praying and looking for a solution. I know one will come. 

I have been teaching a lot of lessons by myself since my companion speaks no Spanish. And i have been feeling that i am talking to much, but i didn't know what to do because the things still had to be taught. I found myself explaining it and not testifying of it. I realized i am not using my other companion which is the holy ghost. I realized with Elder Bednar that i was in the way of the spirit. I was letting the spirit do is job. I learned a ton from Elder Bednar and i am way excited to put it into use. I feel like i will become a way better teacher because of the great experience i had from elder Bednar. 

Well the Elder Bednar meeting was Saturday night from 6 to 9. It didn't feel long at all. The time flew by. I was watching the door as he walked in and right as he walked in I felt the spirit so strong, and i knew it was testifying to me that he was really an apostle of the Lord. I was an awesome feeling. It was a mission wide meeting so all missionaries in all of South Carolina was there. I think there are about 230 missionaries in this mission. Well he talked about a lot of things. he talked a lot about a pattern of teaching. it is the same pattern that Jesus Christ used when he taught. When we would ask a question he wouldn't just answer it, he would ask us super inspired questions and helped us receive an answer from heaven, and then he would testify of the answer that we received personally. He also talked a lot about faith. He compared it to jumping out of the boat. like in the bible when peter saw Christ and jumped out of the boat and was able to walk on water, but then when he took his gaze of Christ he started to sink.  

He compared that to our faith. How sometimes we don't know what to say or do. Or sometimes we are scared, fearful or doubtful. and we don't jump out of the boat. We are scared that we will drown. He testified that God will never let us drown, but he will let us choke on some water. I loved that. As missionaries we are put in some situations that we just don't know how to handle. His advise was just jump out of the boat, and you will know exactly what to do and say. Blessing and revelation come after the trial of your faith. 

I am probably butchering all of this i can't explain it nor say it like he said it. I just know that the spirit taught me so many things that day. He told us that he is not teaching us anything the spirit is. 

he also promised us many things that if we did, we will never fall away. He said in his home he has a bookshelf with a ton of the paperback inexpensive copies of the book of Mormon. He said that each one has a different topic or keyword that he has read through and only looked for that. He said if we did that we would never fall away. He promised if we pray in faith looking for gods will not ours, we will never fall away. I know that is true. At the end we all had the chance to shake his hand, he looked right into everyone's eyes. I was a little nervous, but when i shook his hand and he was looking directly at me. i just felt loved, and peace. He was Truly an apostle of the Lord. 

I am doing great. i have had a great week. This week we will get transfer calls already. we will see what happens. I love you all and hope and pray that you feel the Lords love and blessing in your lives everyday. 

Elder Franco