Ways for Missionaries to get the Members to Trust Them

So we had an interesting week. We talked to lots of people and lots of people really like us. We have gotten so many comments form the stake saying that we are the best missionaries that they have ever had. So we have officially have the trust of the members here in Draper. That is really good. Something that we always have to build up. I have found that there are several ways to get members to trust you. 

1. Give talks in all the wards and bear your testimony. That helps the members see you and feel the spirit that you have to bring.
2. Help people in their callings as much as possible and build them up don't tear them down. We do that by complimenting as much as possible about everything.
3. People really like it when you return and report about the referrals that you give them especially if you can contact them in 1 day. People really like that. It shows that we are working hard that that they can give us to people and that they can expect a response from us.  I remember when we would give the missionary a name and we would never hear back from them so when the new missionaries came we would give them the same name and it is just a cycle. 
4. Paper work. Stake Presidents and bishops work from paperwork and we need to tell them what we are doing via paperwork. I am bad at paper work and because of that I do it on the computer so it takes some of my email time. Sorry I will actually send you a copy of what we do. I think it is really cool. You can also see who we are teaching and a little about them and pray for those as well.

One thing to pray for is for the stake leaders in the stake where I am serving. One of my jobs as a missionary is to really help the Leadership in the stake with there calling and so it is something that I pray for every day.

Yesterday we taught 4 primaries and gave a talk in a ward. That was fun. We have taught lots of classes in church, but I cant imagine if I would have to do it by myself. It is really a blessing to have a companion. That is also one more thing you could pray for my companions.

Elder Mansfield is leaving tomorrow for Brazil. He actually gets to go back to the MTC, but this time in Brazil. That will be strange he has been out for 8 month's and he is going back to the MTC. That would be a little weird. He is really trying to stay diligent in the work here in Draper because he knows that he is leaving. He is a good companion. I have always been blessed with good companions. For that I am vary thankful.

So Brother Maltsburger a recent convert of mine in West Jordan sent me a letter. I don't know if I already told you this, but I will sent our correspondence to you. 

What is your phone number? I heard that you gave a talk in stake conference. That is so cool. I wish I could have been there.
Elder Walker 

Hey Elder, how are you? I do miss your smiling face. I am doing well as is Pat. She said she misses Josh and Paul not dropping by, as do I. Do you ever hear from Elder Kolpakov. I often wonder how his life is going in Russia. Too much bad stuff going on with Putin. My # is XXX-XXX-XXXX. Pat’s is the same except the last two numbers are 49. I did give a talk at Stake Conference. It was a history of my baptism and what brought that to pass. I sent Elder/Pres. Bishop my revised version. He wanted a copy. Maybe you can get a copy from him, or I’ll e-mail you one. So good to hear from you. Continue to keep in touch. Have much success on your mission. You are always in our hearts and prayers. Brother Maltsberger

(Commentary by Elder Walker. We told them our first name once and they refused to call us by Elder anymore. That was probably a mistake. Also I think it is funny that he said smiling face Also President Bishop said he would get me one of the copies of the form he is talking about. He also signed his name as Brother Maltsburger. That is cool because he would never have done that 8 Months ago. )

That's so cool! I hear from Elder Kolpakov every once in a while. He is going ok I have not talked to him in about a month, but he said that he misses the nice people here. In Russia, apparently everyone is kinda mean. At least that is the impression that I got from his letters to me. It is going well here in Draper. People are really rich here. That is a little strange. I am still doing well.

New Investigator

So this week was a little slower then last week. We found this new investigator who is really cool. His name is Nagga. He has lived in the USA for 6 months and he already knows all about the church. We went in to his house and he basically taught us the first lesson. One of the strangest experiences of my mission. He is still learning, but he has a Book of Mormon and has read just a few pages because he said that is it hard to understand. It is his second language. He also can't read very well in Indian so we can't get him one of those either, but he did go to Deseret Book and buy a Gospel Principles Manual. He is about half way done with that book. He is getting converted though the Gospel Principles Book and not really the Book of Mormon which is strange. He told us he would try the Book of Mormon again, because we told him that that is how he will gain a conviction of the Gospel. Read the Book of Mormon and pray about it. He has his idols which will be something difficult to have him stop doing.

The weather here in Utah is so strange. It was really warm this past week, but for about 2 days we had crazy rain. It was lots of fun and a little harder to do missionary work. You just go out and expect to get wet and wet we got. It was like I had stepped into a shower and got out after 10 sec. I felt bad for the members who would let us in because we would leave a puddle in their house when we left.

Also, do you think that you could send me those pictures of our family. I would greatly appreciate that. I don't know if I ever thanked you for the scarf and socks, but thanks.

Question for the family

Why in Ether 3 does Jesus Christ refer to himself as Jesus Christ. He never does that before his birth. Look in the Old Testament. I don't think it said Jesus Christ once in there. (I have not read the whole thing so I might be wrong on that point). He is always referred to as Lord or something.