Madison's Mission Memos: TEMPLE GROUND BREAKING

First! THE TEMPLE IN PUERTO RICO HAS STARTED TO BE BUILT! This is such a blessing for this island! https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2011/04/the-holy-temple-a-beacon-to-the-world?lang=eng here is a link to a talk by President Thomas S. Monson and what he has to say about the importance of temples in this world. " The world can be a challenging and difficult place in which to live. We are often surrounded by that which would drag us down. As you and I go to the holy houses of God, as we remember the covenants we make within, we will be more able to bear every trial and to overcome each temptation. In this sacred sanctuary we will find peace; we will be renewed and fortified." Please go to the temple as often as you can and always be worthy of a temple recommend. Temples are a place to make covenants with God and to be closer to him. The people in Puerto Rico currently have had to fly to the Dominican Republic to have the blessing of the temple in their lives and now they will have their own temple on the island. It was an amazing experience. We had 3 of the 70 come and talk to our mission after the temple ground breaking ceremony and they talked a lot about Gathering Scattered Israel. This is one of the most important works on the earth today. By gathering scattered israel we are fulfilling ancient promises that Heavenly Father made with Abraham of Old. Everyone has a role in gathering scattered Israel and everyone has to do their part. You are responsible for your actions now and so make them something to be proud of. Our mission president has also pushed us to be fishers of old with nets rather than with fishing poles. He wants us to do this by contacting 10 people per missionary every day. Since I am in a trio that means that we are contacting 30 people a day (introducing ourselves as missionaries of the Church of Christ and leaving them with a commitment, invitation, and information of the restoration of the gospel) It is really hard to meet 30 new people a day. Yesterday we contacted by flagging down cars, pulling to the side of the road to talk to someone crossing the street, Calling at every house and through all that effort we were only at 25 people by 8:20 at night. We needed 5 more people in order to keep our promise with our mission president and the Lord. So Hermana Boston drove while I prayed and we saw 4 people on the side of the road talking. We pulled over and contacted all 4 of them. We shared about the book of Mormon (they weren't interested) but we did our part with the invitation. After we did our part by inviting them to Christ we still had to find 1 more person and we only had 5 minutes of contacting time left before we had to be leave to get home on time. We literally ran from door to door calling at every house and begging for someone to answer the door so we could share with them. We stood at the front doors praying that we could find that last person to reach 30 people for the day. We finally called at a house and someone came out. She was the sweetest lady and said she had taken missionary lessons before but was comfortable in her own church but agreed to listen to one more lesson on Tuesday! It was an incredibly fun night to run house to house to fulfill this goal that we had. It made me think, are we fighting to reach our goals always? Are you a little to casual with the work of the Lord? He needs you to do your part and are you doing it? It was the hardest working day of my mission and I realized that I could be doing a lot better.

I love you all so much and I love your stories and life updates :) Please go to the temple this week and pray to ask what you could do better in your life :)