Happiest Feelings

Dear Family,

Yes I've gotten the letters from dad, and Aaron and everyone else and they are awesome! I hope you don't mind, but I share a lot of the insights and quotes sent to me with my companion and other elders in my district. And I also got the Package of cinnamon rolls and other delights and they were real good. I also got a package from the Whatcott's which also had some goods that are just what I needed. THANK YOU!!

Something I learned this week is about the Holy Ghost's role in the gospel! It is everything! When teaching investigators the only reason they want to know more is because the holy ghost was present. When I watched a talk by Elder Bednar, he said that everywhere he goes he asks converts what was it that made them want to know more about our message after the first lesson. He said every single investigator would say, "I had no idea what those two missionaries were talking about but I felt something good as they spoke that made me want to invite them back because I wanted that feeling again." The gospel isn't new to anyone because it has been around forever! When sharing it I get one of the most happiest feelings in my life.

I do not know exactly when I'm flying out but It says on the computer OCT 8 at 10:30am, but since I have not yet recieved my visa or gone to the embassy to sign paperwork I'm not exactly positive as to when I'm leaving. I will let you guys know as soon as I do.

I think i have enough cash and I will be cutting it close on the luggage weight...we'll see. This week I will weigh my stuff I think. And I think it is a good idea to send those shoes and sheets straight down to Paraguay.

Just use the 1 nephi 17:13, por favor. (For his missionary plaque)

I got everything I need, I think, but I will let you know if I think of something!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GAGU!

I love you guys!

Elder Neifert

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!

Dear Family,

Being at the MTC is incredible and a lot happened this week.  I got the assignment to be a District Leader and so I have had to go to a lot more meetings and conduct interviews and stuff.  It is a tough calling, but it is a good learning experience.

The language is going pretty good and Elder Pack and I just taught our first 40 min lesson! It was going great until I prayed for "Ashley" instead of "Kate". (CURSE YOU MARY KATE AND ASHLEY!!!  I think that is what threw me off.)  I was saying the prayer and I had forgotten her name and while I was saying the prayer Ashley just popped into my head.  I felt pretty dumb when my companion told me after the lesson, but it's all good.   There is so much to remember when teaching and preparing to teach lessons.

The way I prepare and  teach changes at least 3 times a week  because of all of the new insights I get from other elders and scriptures and teachers.  I think the main things that you want to plan to do every time when teaching someone is number one praying for the holy ghost before and while you teach and prepare a lesson based off of the needs of the investigator.  There is more than that, but those are the two I am working on the most.  I was thinking about an awesome comparison to this: it is kind of like how the brother of Jared (Book of Mormon, the Book of Ether Chapters 1-3) had to prepare those stones before he brought them before the Lord and the Lord touched them.  I am sure the brother of Jared just didn't pick up any rock and take it too the Lord.  I am sure he polished and prepared the rock.  It is just like how we need to prepare to teach other people.  We need to do all we can to prepare for the investigator and then our Heavenly Father will be willing to include His hand in our lesson.

 I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!

Love,
Seth

Faith like a seed

Dear Family,

I am already on my 6th week! It is amazing how short of a time I feel like I have been here.  I was running with my companion to play volleyball at the sand pit and I saw all of the Haywoods and Alex! They don't look like at all what they used too look like! I visited with them for a couple of minutes and I am really excited to have someone I know here!  One of my roommates got sent a box full of Martinelli's and Salsa so were having a fiesta today! I am so happy to be at the MTC - every day I learn something new and I am honestly really excited to study every day.  I have been reading in Alma and especially in chapters 32-34. I have almost every verse marked up with notes. The devotional this week was one of my favorites so far.  It was given by Elder and Sister Carlson on Tuesday.  Elder Carlson was a general and in the Pentagon on September 11th when it was hit. Both of them talked about the incredible sacrifice that the armed forces make in order to keep us safe! One of there big messages was DON'T FORGET SEP. 11th! Elder Carlson also talked a lot about obedience and the connection it has to becoming truly converted and gaining a testimony. Obedience doesn't inform God of our goodness, it transforms us! Something else he said that was really important is how to become a successful missionary. 

There are 3 things: 

1. Develop Christlike Attributes 

2. Study the Missionary Program / PMG (Preach my Gospel) and the Scriptures 

3.  Reliance on the Holy Ghost.

 He also talked about how a missionary should only measure his success by how many times he/she - while teaching someone - feels the Holy Ghost helping them teach.  That way the missionary knows that the investigator knows what they are saying is true. The number of times that happens is what measures success.

Elder Pack and I taught what I feel like was our best lesson yesterday. We are teaching a guy named Angel who is a taxi driver who works all day and all night to feed his family... and he wants to be a barber. Anyway, we have had a tough time getting him to church and also to follow through on commitments. So this lesson we taught an object lesson so that he hopefully understand the importance of Faith in Christ. We gave him a seed/ acorn I found and talked about how our faith is like a seed in that it needs to be fed and put in the right places in order for it to grow - which he understood perfectly.  Then we went into a lot more depth in the scriptures about how he can develop his faith by going to church, reading scripture, and strengthening his relationship with God through prayer. At the end of the lesson he committed to be baptized! Every day we are supposed to center all of our study on our investigators and I read about Alma and Amulek teaching the Zoramites and how Alma related that story to them. Right after reading that story, I knew that it was what Angel needed to learn about.

I got the package you guys sent! Thank you for the cards, nuts, granola bars, and coat.  I put the drivers license in a safe place! Thank you for the stars, too. one of my roommates took a bunch of Astronomy so we have like 10 constellations! I will take a picture and send it next email! Also congratulations to Todd and Rosie! I can't wait to meet Kyle!

From,

Elder Neifert

I hope I can be just like Alma...

Dear Family

 That's awesome that Aaron's team won and he scored a goal!  And Bekah cheered in a football game! Write me more about it Aaron and Bekah.

  I don't have too much time but I would like to get the newsletter because I think I get more time out in the field, maybe.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMMA!  And thank you, mom, for paying my tithing for me!  Thank you, dad, for the jerky!

This week went by really fast.  For devotional we had Elder and Sister Kopischke from Germany.  She gave one of the best and funniest talks I have ever heard.  Sister Kopischke didn't know much English, but she was extremely excited to talk to us... and in her frusttration of not finding the right word she pulled the pulpit up and it almost fell! Her message was about how we need to give the Lord our whole heart and how the holy ghost is a language that everyone understands - so even though we will struggle with the language, as long as teach true principles and we are worthy and willing to be guided by the spirit, the spirit will bring power to our words it will bear a witness to those we teach.  Elder Kopischke also gave a great talk about the missionaries that were in his mission (he was a president of a mission in Germany) - almost every missionary he has come across could increase their success if they would come to better understand the atonement of Jesus Christ.  The most important part of our message as missionaries - that the investigator needs to understand and feel - is that the only way we can return to God is if we truly repent. That means making a change of heart and mind, being born again, and becoming clean through the atonement. And he also talked about how when we repent we must taste the bitter in order to taste the good.  In other words we need to feel the separation and pain of sin so we can fully feel the joy of being clean.  As we invite  the investigator to repent, we strengthen their relationship with Christ and provide a foundation strong enough for them to endure to the end. 

I went to a really good workshop on baptism and why baptism is necessary. It is a lot more complicated and deep than I thought. I dont have much more time to write so I am going to sum up stuff really fast. 

Elder Pack and I taught a lot of investigators and also members in the TRC (Teaching Resource Center).  And it seemed like this week was focused a lot of recieveing revaltion from God through scripture and prayer.

Something cool I learned as I studied was that the Book of Mormon doesn't in any way overshadow the Bible (New Testament and Old). It only enhances it. Through the Book of Mormon and guidance through the spirit we are able to find answers to our personal questions.  The Book of Mormon teaches that prayer and revelation are key to solving particular problems....

Something else really awesome that I studied this week was Alma chapter 29! God is willing to answer our questions and wants to give us the righteous things we seek after. Alma desired to be an angel proclaiming to the world repentance and to come unto God! The Book of Mormon and the works and writings of Alma has been proclaimed to all the world and has brought me and millions of others unto repentance. I hope I can be just like Alma in being an instrument in the hands of the Lord to "bring some soul unto repentance; this is my joy" (Alma 29:9).

I hope everyone is doing well! and I'm praying for you guys!

From,

Elder Neifert

Pictures in the MTC

Below are the pictures Elder Neifert sent home this week: