April 26, 2010
Hello from Mt Gambier!
Today is my birthday for everyone in America. I celebrated my birthday yesterday since I am a day ahead of you all. We had a big family home evening at a member’s home. We had two non-members there, a recent convert and a less active as well as some active members. They surprised me with a cake which I did not see coming. We had two investigators at church this Sunday. One forever investigator named Hilda Kelly, the ward thought she was going to be baptized, and she is even on the ward role. But her partner came home from prison is not a very humble person. He will not allow her to be baptized. She hadn’t come to church in months so it was good to see her there. I wish this Sunday wasn’t stake conference for us. Some less actives were willing to come to church this coming Sunday but the big meeting in Adelaide ruins it. Heaps of people should be coming back to church on the 9th of May if they walk the talk. We shall see. We are organizing a missionary fireside for the 24th of May. We are getting members to speak. It is in planning but I have been told numerous times on my mission that I look like Joseph Smith; we are going to do a narration and me acting out the first vision as Joseph Smith. I think they say that because I am also American. This should be an interesting.
The focus I am teaching for the people in Mt Gambier is the temple. We are planning a big temple trip at the end of July. We are going to rent a bus and travel to Adelaide. This is excellent because sometimes people need a date that they can see and work towards. This will be the best way to increase spirituality in the ward. They need to be more constant at attending the temple but because they are 5 hours away from the temple that makes it difficult for many people. This is what the ward needs. This helps us out with recent converts and less actives. All principles of the gospel lead them to the temple. We will motivate them to grasp the blessings that Heavenly Father has for them and their family. We will teach people to prepare them for the temple.
Since yesterday was ANZAC day and everyone is home we are going to have P-day today. And i have no idea what we are going to do. I have seen the Blue Lake, yes it is a big lake that is very blue. And also Valley lake. But i have not been to any of the caves. There is like an under city in Mt Gambier with tunnels and caves underneath. Maybe we will go see some today. Got to go. Love you heaps
-Elder Montgomery
Monday, April 26, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
"We are here to serve the people here in Mt Gambier, all they need to do is love."
Hello from Mt Gambier!
I can’t beleive I only have 7 days left as a teenager. I always enjoyed when I told people that I was only 19 years old. Supposedly I look years older. I think it is just the tie. But being 20 years old is still young. We are working heaps with people who should be at church more often but they are not. We are laboring and showing love to these people. We had six less actives committed to come to church this week. But then satan and the spirit of contention worked threw this particular member of the church and pushed these less actives away and they didnt keep their committment. Quite frustrating since this confrontation happened just on the Saturday before church. We are here to serve the people here in Mt Gambier, all they need to do is love. Sad to report but after a weeks worth of tracting we didnt find anyone of real potential. I think part of my repentance process is that i will start to testify at every doorstep. That gives them the clear opportunity to either accept or deny the church, i will ask a committment to learn more. I am sick of hearing, “sorry guys but i am busy at the moment” when i have tried the casual approach and made small conversation with them, it is no good. I gave a talk in church this Sunday. It was on Forgivness, i tied in the Atonement and how Jesus Christ forgave all of our sins, i told of the parable of the unmerciful servant found in the bible. The Lord in the parable forgave this unmerciful servant so much of his dept but the unmerciful servant couldnt forgive a man on just a tiny bit of a dept he owed to him. The end story is we must forgive everyone no matter what, because Jesus suffered all so he could forgive all. Except blashepmy against the holy spirit, but that is seperate and doesnt apply right now. That unmerciful servant was presented to the lord after what he had done and was thrown into prison. My companion Elder Williams is a Maori and has been out 19 months. We were in the same district in my short time in Modbury Ward. The Bishop here in Mt Gambier was baptized 8 years ago and is a good man. His wife has M.S.
Mt Gambier is the most southern area in the mission. It is cold, wet and grey. But the scenery here is beautiful, very green compared to Murray Bridge. We will continue to work. Love you heaps
-Elder Montgomery
I can’t beleive I only have 7 days left as a teenager. I always enjoyed when I told people that I was only 19 years old. Supposedly I look years older. I think it is just the tie. But being 20 years old is still young. We are working heaps with people who should be at church more often but they are not. We are laboring and showing love to these people. We had six less actives committed to come to church this week. But then satan and the spirit of contention worked threw this particular member of the church and pushed these less actives away and they didnt keep their committment. Quite frustrating since this confrontation happened just on the Saturday before church. We are here to serve the people here in Mt Gambier, all they need to do is love. Sad to report but after a weeks worth of tracting we didnt find anyone of real potential. I think part of my repentance process is that i will start to testify at every doorstep. That gives them the clear opportunity to either accept or deny the church, i will ask a committment to learn more. I am sick of hearing, “sorry guys but i am busy at the moment” when i have tried the casual approach and made small conversation with them, it is no good. I gave a talk in church this Sunday. It was on Forgivness, i tied in the Atonement and how Jesus Christ forgave all of our sins, i told of the parable of the unmerciful servant found in the bible. The Lord in the parable forgave this unmerciful servant so much of his dept but the unmerciful servant couldnt forgive a man on just a tiny bit of a dept he owed to him. The end story is we must forgive everyone no matter what, because Jesus suffered all so he could forgive all. Except blashepmy against the holy spirit, but that is seperate and doesnt apply right now. That unmerciful servant was presented to the lord after what he had done and was thrown into prison. My companion Elder Williams is a Maori and has been out 19 months. We were in the same district in my short time in Modbury Ward. The Bishop here in Mt Gambier was baptized 8 years ago and is a good man. His wife has M.S.
Mt Gambier is the most southern area in the mission. It is cold, wet and grey. But the scenery here is beautiful, very green compared to Murray Bridge. We will continue to work. Love you heaps
-Elder Montgomery
Sunday, April 11, 2010
"This area needs divine intervention. Not Elder Montgomery intervention."
April 11, 2010
Hello from Mt Gambier!
We definitely cannot vacation here. As of now our teaching pool is very slim. The only real investigators live 100 kilometres away in Naracorte. I haven't met them yet. They are a New Zealander family. We have been working heaps with less actives. Many of these people should be active but silly reasons keep them away from church. I found out my purpose of coming here about two days in. I am to be a bandaid for this area. The missionary who i replaced was very bold and pushy and did more damage than good. There are two recent convert families that are less active who we are working closely with. We are going to watch a movie about Joseph Smith with them, have a movie night. I think because missionaries have been here for like 40 years working with the same members that less active members are very comfortable with us. Missionaries are their best friends, they love us but don't necessarily want to come to church. We have to really balance being bold and loving, it seems they have had too much of either extreme. This area needs divine intervention. Not Elder Montgomery intervention. I pray we can be effective instruments of god. We did a bit of tracting but we haven't had success yet. But we will continue to recycle threw people looking for the one person who is prepared to accept the church. We are also teaching the members to build up their faith to invite people to learn more about the church. About 60 people attend church every week, pretty small ward. It is pretty sweet being in the same district as Murray Bridge, i can keep track of my friends there. They got two more baptism dates this week it is now at 9 baptism dates in that area. God’s hand is definitely in that area. I can name 19 names of good potential people that should be baptized within the year. We will get the ball rolling in Mt Gambier it will just take heaps of diligence and faith. This area will make me grow as a missionary for sure.
It is good to hear about Preston! I was wondering when he was going on a mission. In one year it will be Jarom =0 I will be excited to hear where Jarom goes. Preston and Ryan Price are serving very near each other. We had Conference this Sunday it was sweet as. I really enjoyed it. Thank you for emailing me. Love you heaps.
-Elder Montgomery
Hello from Mt Gambier!
We definitely cannot vacation here. As of now our teaching pool is very slim. The only real investigators live 100 kilometres away in Naracorte. I haven't met them yet. They are a New Zealander family. We have been working heaps with less actives. Many of these people should be active but silly reasons keep them away from church. I found out my purpose of coming here about two days in. I am to be a bandaid for this area. The missionary who i replaced was very bold and pushy and did more damage than good. There are two recent convert families that are less active who we are working closely with. We are going to watch a movie about Joseph Smith with them, have a movie night. I think because missionaries have been here for like 40 years working with the same members that less active members are very comfortable with us. Missionaries are their best friends, they love us but don't necessarily want to come to church. We have to really balance being bold and loving, it seems they have had too much of either extreme. This area needs divine intervention. Not Elder Montgomery intervention. I pray we can be effective instruments of god. We did a bit of tracting but we haven't had success yet. But we will continue to recycle threw people looking for the one person who is prepared to accept the church. We are also teaching the members to build up their faith to invite people to learn more about the church. About 60 people attend church every week, pretty small ward. It is pretty sweet being in the same district as Murray Bridge, i can keep track of my friends there. They got two more baptism dates this week it is now at 9 baptism dates in that area. God’s hand is definitely in that area. I can name 19 names of good potential people that should be baptized within the year. We will get the ball rolling in Mt Gambier it will just take heaps of diligence and faith. This area will make me grow as a missionary for sure.
It is good to hear about Preston! I was wondering when he was going on a mission. In one year it will be Jarom =0 I will be excited to hear where Jarom goes. Preston and Ryan Price are serving very near each other. We had Conference this Sunday it was sweet as. I really enjoyed it. Thank you for emailing me. Love you heaps.
-Elder Montgomery
Transferred to Mt. Gambier
April 5, 2010
Hello from Mt Gambier!
I have been transfered from Murray Bridge! I served 6 months in that area. It felt like i was leaving home again. I was sad to go, i have fallen in love with the people. There are 7 baptism dates in Murray Bridge at this time with Michael, Lee, Kyrstal, Lily, June, Kirtly Milera, Patrick Hill. There are other people who i know who will be baptised in the future. I was so attached to Murray Bridge, it will have a special place in my heart. I would never want to live in Murray Bridge itself, maybe on the outskirts in the country areas. Great place as a missionary. I am now in the most southern area in the mission. We are 4 hours from the nearest Missionaries in the mission which happen to be the Murray Bridge missionaries. We are a bit isolated. My companion's name is Elder Williams, he is from New Zealand but lives in Brisbane, Queensland. He has been out 19 months and has been in Mt Gambier for just one transfer so far. Mt Gambier is a beautiful place, lots of scenery attractions. Mt Gambier is a ward but it is the size of a medium branch. People have just moved away over the years. There is about 60 people regularly attending. We are going to work with less active members and use those networks of people they are associated with to find people to teach and baptize. I think that will be the most effective way of finding people in this area. Alot of this town is new developments, we have the nicest flat in the mission. I am grateful to be a missionary for our Lord Jesus Christ that i have the opportunity to give just two years full time in proclaiming the good news that he has brung to the whole world. I know this work is prepatory to the 2nd coming of our master. That the kingdom of god is once again established on this earth and it is growing fast. I know my God is a God of order and that he is not the author of confusion. He is a living God and this is a Living Church. Jesus Christ is the head of this church and he leads this church by Revelation. Revelation is nothing new in the eyes of god. For he has revealed his will throughout history of time, for God is the same yesterday today and forever. I know that if we follow the living prophet we will never be led astray. He will direct us how to have true happiness and blessings in this life and even greater blessings and happiness in the next life to come. Even everlasting life with our God in the eternities. How grateful i am for the reasurring Comforter that i feel daily that allows me to know that this church is true. I invite everyone to search, ponder and pray about what this church stands for. That they may know for themselves threw the power of the Holy Ghost what is truth. The Restoration of the gospel is a beautiful thing. I wish for everyone i am acquainted with to know what i know. To feel what i feel. To enjoy what i enjoy.
-Elder Montgomery
Hello from Mt Gambier!
I have been transfered from Murray Bridge! I served 6 months in that area. It felt like i was leaving home again. I was sad to go, i have fallen in love with the people. There are 7 baptism dates in Murray Bridge at this time with Michael, Lee, Kyrstal, Lily, June, Kirtly Milera, Patrick Hill. There are other people who i know who will be baptised in the future. I was so attached to Murray Bridge, it will have a special place in my heart. I would never want to live in Murray Bridge itself, maybe on the outskirts in the country areas. Great place as a missionary. I am now in the most southern area in the mission. We are 4 hours from the nearest Missionaries in the mission which happen to be the Murray Bridge missionaries. We are a bit isolated. My companion's name is Elder Williams, he is from New Zealand but lives in Brisbane, Queensland. He has been out 19 months and has been in Mt Gambier for just one transfer so far. Mt Gambier is a beautiful place, lots of scenery attractions. Mt Gambier is a ward but it is the size of a medium branch. People have just moved away over the years. There is about 60 people regularly attending. We are going to work with less active members and use those networks of people they are associated with to find people to teach and baptize. I think that will be the most effective way of finding people in this area. Alot of this town is new developments, we have the nicest flat in the mission. I am grateful to be a missionary for our Lord Jesus Christ that i have the opportunity to give just two years full time in proclaiming the good news that he has brung to the whole world. I know this work is prepatory to the 2nd coming of our master. That the kingdom of god is once again established on this earth and it is growing fast. I know my God is a God of order and that he is not the author of confusion. He is a living God and this is a Living Church. Jesus Christ is the head of this church and he leads this church by Revelation. Revelation is nothing new in the eyes of god. For he has revealed his will throughout history of time, for God is the same yesterday today and forever. I know that if we follow the living prophet we will never be led astray. He will direct us how to have true happiness and blessings in this life and even greater blessings and happiness in the next life to come. Even everlasting life with our God in the eternities. How grateful i am for the reasurring Comforter that i feel daily that allows me to know that this church is true. I invite everyone to search, ponder and pray about what this church stands for. That they may know for themselves threw the power of the Holy Ghost what is truth. The Restoration of the gospel is a beautiful thing. I wish for everyone i am acquainted with to know what i know. To feel what i feel. To enjoy what i enjoy.
-Elder Montgomery
"...trying to find that individual or family that is prepared to hear the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and accept it."
March 28, 2010
Hello from Murray Bridge!
This has been a good week. We had 5 people come to church today. Michael and Lee couldn’t make it to church though because as it is getting close to their wedding this coming Wednesday they have heaps of family over. Pretty dodgy family as well. We got a less active sister who came to church the first time this millennium with her Partner. Their names are Karmel and TK. Karmel is Rosetta’s daughter. TK has never been to a church in him life, we taught him the Plan of Salvation and he was just about crying. There is a great chance he will be sentenced on the 6th of April and get locked up. He persuaded Karmel to wake up and keep their commitment to go to church. He sincerely wants a change in his life. Perhaps going to prison will humble him even more. We also got 3 other children of Rossetta’s to church. We got (10)Josh, (12)Kenan and (16) kirtly to church. Kurtly wants to get baptized in April. He is a good kid just needs that direction. We taught him the restoration this week along with his mother together and they both cried during the lesson. We are working heaps with this family and there is heaps of potential. He had a court hearing this last Friday. Kurtly stole $15,000 worth of jewellery. But fortunately he will not be locked up. Kurtly has changed ever since his head injury; he doesn’t need to go threw that punishment he wants to end his past lifestyle.
Patrick Hill was in Adelaide all week so we haven’t taught him anything or really got a hold of him since he committed to be baptized. We have a set appointment with him on Wednesday and we will get him back on board and closer to coming unto Christ.
Lily and June should be back anytime now. I fear I might get transferred next week and Miss Lily and June and never see them again. I hope I stay in Murray Bridge. This has been my favourite area. Next week I will have been in Murray Bridge 6 months. I want to stay longer.
We are working heaps with the Aboriginal network. Just recycling threw trying to find that individual or family that is prepared to hear the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and accept it. This will be a crazy week with the wedding and the baptism of Michael and Lee, it will be very eventful.
Have to go now love ya heaps
-Elder Montogmery
Hello from Murray Bridge!
This has been a good week. We had 5 people come to church today. Michael and Lee couldn’t make it to church though because as it is getting close to their wedding this coming Wednesday they have heaps of family over. Pretty dodgy family as well. We got a less active sister who came to church the first time this millennium with her Partner. Their names are Karmel and TK. Karmel is Rosetta’s daughter. TK has never been to a church in him life, we taught him the Plan of Salvation and he was just about crying. There is a great chance he will be sentenced on the 6th of April and get locked up. He persuaded Karmel to wake up and keep their commitment to go to church. He sincerely wants a change in his life. Perhaps going to prison will humble him even more. We also got 3 other children of Rossetta’s to church. We got (10)Josh, (12)Kenan and (16) kirtly to church. Kurtly wants to get baptized in April. He is a good kid just needs that direction. We taught him the restoration this week along with his mother together and they both cried during the lesson. We are working heaps with this family and there is heaps of potential. He had a court hearing this last Friday. Kurtly stole $15,000 worth of jewellery. But fortunately he will not be locked up. Kurtly has changed ever since his head injury; he doesn’t need to go threw that punishment he wants to end his past lifestyle.
Patrick Hill was in Adelaide all week so we haven’t taught him anything or really got a hold of him since he committed to be baptized. We have a set appointment with him on Wednesday and we will get him back on board and closer to coming unto Christ.
Lily and June should be back anytime now. I fear I might get transferred next week and Miss Lily and June and never see them again. I hope I stay in Murray Bridge. This has been my favourite area. Next week I will have been in Murray Bridge 6 months. I want to stay longer.
We are working heaps with the Aboriginal network. Just recycling threw trying to find that individual or family that is prepared to hear the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and accept it. This will be a crazy week with the wedding and the baptism of Michael and Lee, it will be very eventful.
Have to go now love ya heaps
-Elder Montogmery
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