We began our family history course yesterday with the members and talked about the doctrine behind family history work and gave out the Norwegian family history packets. I think we are going to wait until after General Conference to continue it because our schedule will be a little altered between now and then, but I know it will be wonderful. We will be having a conference with all of the missionaries in Northern Norway this week in Trondheim, which I am really excited about. The assistants will be there, so it will be the last time I see Eldste Linge before he goes home. I feel like I am learning an incredible amount about the Savior and his unconditional and infinite love for us all. I want to implement that love better in my service as a missionary and all aspects of my life. I know that we are all able to be successful and to be sanctified through the Atonement.
We have been listening to last General Conference a lot in the car, and it is awesome! I really love in President Uchtdorf¨s talk in the priesthood session called You Can Do It Now! I know that through the Atonement we can all receive the strength we need to overcome our mistakes, weaknesses, heartaches, sins and all else that keeps us down. We all fall, so the Savior reaches out His hand so that we can get up and keep walking towards Him. We must always get up and be assured of Heavenly Father and Christ’s love. As the apostle Paul says if God before us who can prevail against us? The answer is of course no one.
We have been trying to focus a lot on improving our finding skills. Preach My Gospel is such an incredible blessing, and it has been an incredible help and strength to me in knowing what kind of missionary I must be. One thing that it emphasizes is the need to teach when you find and find when you teach. One thing we have really been focusing on is beginning immediately to teach people about the gospel and how it will bless them instead of waiting for them to tell us that they are interested. The overwhelming majority of people truly do not understand what it is they are saying no to when they decline the offer to receive the missionary lessons. One important way we can fix that is by testifying of and teaching our message so that the Spirit can confirm to them that it is something that will be a blessing to them. It is so important that we do that. We have been out knocking on doors a lot still and been able to teach a bit.
One thing I have also been assured of by the Spirit is the importance music has for me and that I must continue to use it to bless and help others and myself. While I cannot do that in the same ways right now as I did before, I know I will continue to have music as an incredibly important part of my life. I have been remembering a lot of the spirituals and other gospel choir songs as I have been on my mission to. A lot of them teach really cool doctrine in an awesome way. I am grateful I was able to have that experience. Oh how wonderful it is that Jesus promised he will take care of us. I know he keeps his promise. I know that He lives and loves us. The Norwegian word of the week is å trives, which means to enjoy or to thrive.
Love,
Elder Ankenman
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