Hey!

Hey hey!

Hope everyone out state-side has had a fantastic week!! My week went alright.

Had a fantastic Stake Conference meeting! As for what has happened over the week, we hit the mission standard/ promise of talking with over 140 people this week!! 141 people! That meant chasing after some people and knocking some doors to hit this number. The best part is that I am really working on becoming a far more willing servant for the Lord and then just letting him work on me and through me in his time. The key is to not get frustrated, because when frustration occurs it is because I am trying to do the work of man's and not the Lord's work because his work cannot be frustrated.

Back to the talkings it was good. We found two new investigators and a few potentials. Other than that it was just heaps and heaps of rejections. And it is fantastic to be rejected by people. I love it. It may be because I am kinda loving the people more and letting that love show to them as I speak.

Heard a fantastic quote that was quoted by a Speaker from the Stake Conference out in Whangarei

. "When you invite out of love, you cannot offend." Elder Oaks. How true that is, and I guess that is what I kinda want to share this week.

Why is leaving invitations so important? Invitations are how we challenge someone to accept the spirit of the message. When they accept a challenge and really work at it, the Spirit will be there when the truth is involved. When someone denies an invitation, as long as the Spirit of love is used with the invite, the individual cannot be offended, the timing is just off.  

Elder Nelson gave a great talk about timing, I think it was Elder Nelson at least, it was entitled "Catch the Wave". Catching a wave is all about timing. And even if you time a wave well, you may still just be dumped onto the sand and be tumbled around and kicked out. That doesn't matter, just look for the next wave. It applies with those you interact with, invite out of love and use the spirit to know a good time to invite and then their agency is there to accept or deny the invitation. Just invite out of love and always strive to express that love in more ways. That is how you will show that you are a disciple of Christ, how you show your love!

Always improve and strive for improvement. Obedience brings blessings and exact obedience brings miracles!!

From Aotearoa with Love!,

Arohanui,

Elder Long