Mis amados hermanos tu hermanas
The lord has truly showered us with blessings. We are now teaching a new Member referral, named Tina. She has expressed a strong desire to be baptised. Right after the lesson we had some time for street contacting, as we were speaking to people we met a lady named Sophie, then taught her the day after with a member. It was definitely no coincidence that we found her at this time in her life. The week before we spoke to her she had a friend die, and previously she had a few others die, including her partner. I know that this message is what she needs, especially at this time.
We taught Tom a couple times this week. On Monday we taught him and he has expressed not only that he wants to be baptised but that he wants to go on a mission! He is 28 so he will need some permission from the stake president, but the desire is still there! On Thursday we taught him again and He told us that he was going to speak to his father to pick a date for his baptism! Exciting things are happening here in Rossendale Valley.
My companion Elder Jensen is doing really great. He is quite knowledgeable about the gospel. I enjoy discussing different things with him. I have learned a lot from him as a missionary and doctrinally. We are really enjoying the time we have together!
Recently I have been reading in the New Testament. The biggest thing that I have recognized is the nature of Jesus Christ, especially the love that he has for us. He says it quite frequently. This morning I was reading in Chapter 10 of St. John which talks about how he is the good shepherd and will lay down his life for us.
With love,
Elder Ballantyne
Monday, April 23, 2012
Monday, April 16, 2012
Please come
Elder Kevin Ballantyne's Homecoming is...
May 13th, 2012 (Mothers Day)
May 13th, 2012 (Mothers Day)
At the Bountiful 24th Ward
He will be speaking @ 12:50 pm
Refreshments after at the Ballantyne's Home
weekly update 4/16/2012
Dear Family,
This was a great week. It started of great we had a lesson with a few new people. We taught a man named Jim who is a less active members Uncle. We had a good lesson. Then we invited him to come to an elder’s quorum curry night. He seemed to enjoy it but the best part was that the rest of the elder’s quorum fellowshipped him like they had known him for awhile.
Before the curry night we had a very powerful lesson with tom. The member we took with us was great! It was Chris McClure who used to teach at the MTC. Tom described the lesson that he understood the most. We have two lessons planned with him for this coming week as opposed to 1 a week.
Rossendale is doing great; the members are still a great strength. And we currently have a few potential referrals. We should be teaching one tomorrow. The ward truly is doing their part in this great work.
The weather has been wonderful! There have been a few showers but nothing to major. Besides without a few showers it just wouldn't be England, right? It still gets pretty cold but it is warming up. Today we will be making the most of the weather by going on a hike with a member from the ward. It should be good.
--
With Love,
Elder Ballantyne
This was a great week. It started of great we had a lesson with a few new people. We taught a man named Jim who is a less active members Uncle. We had a good lesson. Then we invited him to come to an elder’s quorum curry night. He seemed to enjoy it but the best part was that the rest of the elder’s quorum fellowshipped him like they had known him for awhile.
Before the curry night we had a very powerful lesson with tom. The member we took with us was great! It was Chris McClure who used to teach at the MTC. Tom described the lesson that he understood the most. We have two lessons planned with him for this coming week as opposed to 1 a week.
Rossendale is doing great; the members are still a great strength. And we currently have a few potential referrals. We should be teaching one tomorrow. The ward truly is doing their part in this great work.
The weather has been wonderful! There have been a few showers but nothing to major. Besides without a few showers it just wouldn't be England, right? It still gets pretty cold but it is warming up. Today we will be making the most of the weather by going on a hike with a member from the ward. It should be good.
--
With Love,
Elder Ballantyne
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
weekly update 4/10/2012
Dearest Family and Friends
Things are going great here Sian was confirmed a member on Sunday. She still seems to be excited. The members really have been a great help in her conversion! It was a different experience, we did the teaching the members did the rest.
We were given a lift of all the people who were baptized in the last 3 years and asked to contact them, and give them support. As we were contacting each of these converts, we met a lady named Audry Thomas, who is on the list. I have not seen her at church since I have been here in Rossendale Valley, so I didn’t really know anything about her. Anyway we knocked by and she we had a great conversation. We focused on answering her questions and concerns, and then invited her to church. Then on Sunday Audrey and her son, Mathew, walked through the door! She seemed to have enjoyed it!
Tom is doing really well. We saw him on taught him on Thursday. We had a weekly focus on building faith. And part of it was to study faith. Both Elder Jensen and I felt like would should share with tom a few things about what we learnt from these studies, particularly on taking a leap of faith. During the lesson Tom had told us a bit about his life before we spoke to him on the bus. He was saying that he was on the border line of depression. He said that he was grateful that we spoke to him on the bus because his life has gotten a lot better since then and he has been a lot happier.
--
With Love,
Elder Ballantyne
Things are going great here Sian was confirmed a member on Sunday. She still seems to be excited. The members really have been a great help in her conversion! It was a different experience, we did the teaching the members did the rest.
We were given a lift of all the people who were baptized in the last 3 years and asked to contact them, and give them support. As we were contacting each of these converts, we met a lady named Audry Thomas, who is on the list. I have not seen her at church since I have been here in Rossendale Valley, so I didn’t really know anything about her. Anyway we knocked by and she we had a great conversation. We focused on answering her questions and concerns, and then invited her to church. Then on Sunday Audrey and her son, Mathew, walked through the door! She seemed to have enjoyed it!
Tom is doing really well. We saw him on taught him on Thursday. We had a weekly focus on building faith. And part of it was to study faith. Both Elder Jensen and I felt like would should share with tom a few things about what we learnt from these studies, particularly on taking a leap of faith. During the lesson Tom had told us a bit about his life before we spoke to him on the bus. He was saying that he was on the border line of depression. He said that he was grateful that we spoke to him on the bus because his life has gotten a lot better since then and he has been a lot happier.
--
With Love,
Elder Ballantyne
Monday, April 2, 2012
weekly update 4/2/2012
>
> Dear Family,
>
> I first want to talk about my conversion story; I was brought up in
> the church by goodly parents who love the lord. I never went
> less-active, however, in my Teenage years I start to think and
> unfortunately doubt the things in which I was being taught. The
> decision to serve a mission came; I was either to stay and go to
> university or to go on a mission. I had made my decision that I was
> going to stay and go to university and carry on with my live, mostly
> because I didn’t believe so much. I told my parents what my decision
> was. And they counselled with me. My Dad had told me that I needed to
> pray and ask if I should serve a mission. I not only asked if I should
> go on a mission but I asked if what I was being taught was true. I got
> an answer that I should serve a mission. I don’t recall a straight
> forward answer on if these things were true. But I followed the answer
> that I needed to serve a mission. Since being on my mission I have
> grown a testimony. I can’t say at any specific moment I knew it was
> true, but my answer came line upon line, until now and it is still
> continuing to grow.
>
> This week has been a great week. The highlight was, of course, the
> baptism of Sian Crosbie. The baptism went very well. Sian had planned
> the whole thing. It was a great service including a slideshow that
> Sian and her friends had made, which concluded with her testimony. It
> was powerful! The service was well attended also. The ward really
> showed there support and most of the ward plus more were there to see
> her get baptised. The relief society president spoke to us at general
> conference on Saturday and said that she will do everything to ensure
> that the sisters contact her daily this week.
>
> This was a very eventful week with zone conference and General
> conference. I loved it I feel so spiritually fed! I always love
> watching general conference. The talks were good, but the discussion
> afterwards is when I get dessert.
>
>
> --
> With Love,
> Elder Ballantyne
>
> Dear Family,
>
> I first want to talk about my conversion story; I was brought up in
> the church by goodly parents who love the lord. I never went
> less-active, however, in my Teenage years I start to think and
> unfortunately doubt the things in which I was being taught. The
> decision to serve a mission came; I was either to stay and go to
> university or to go on a mission. I had made my decision that I was
> going to stay and go to university and carry on with my live, mostly
> because I didn’t believe so much. I told my parents what my decision
> was. And they counselled with me. My Dad had told me that I needed to
> pray and ask if I should serve a mission. I not only asked if I should
> go on a mission but I asked if what I was being taught was true. I got
> an answer that I should serve a mission. I don’t recall a straight
> forward answer on if these things were true. But I followed the answer
> that I needed to serve a mission. Since being on my mission I have
> grown a testimony. I can’t say at any specific moment I knew it was
> true, but my answer came line upon line, until now and it is still
> continuing to grow.
>
> This week has been a great week. The highlight was, of course, the
> baptism of Sian Crosbie. The baptism went very well. Sian had planned
> the whole thing. It was a great service including a slideshow that
> Sian and her friends had made, which concluded with her testimony. It
> was powerful! The service was well attended also. The ward really
> showed there support and most of the ward plus more were there to see
> her get baptised. The relief society president spoke to us at general
> conference on Saturday and said that she will do everything to ensure
> that the sisters contact her daily this week.
>
> This was a very eventful week with zone conference and General
> conference. I loved it I feel so spiritually fed! I always love
> watching general conference. The talks were good, but the discussion
> afterwards is when I get dessert.
>
>
> --
> With Love,
> Elder Ballantyne
>
Monday, March 26, 2012
weekly update 3/26/2012
It looks like May 3rd is the day Kevin comes home.
Hello all!
Things are going great here in Rossendale valley. There is definitely sun shine in my soul today, in fact all week it has been quite nice and sunny. People seem to be happy, it’s great.
On Saturday, We were tracting in the evening and we came across a house and the lady answered the door and started screaming at us. Rather than letting it get us down, we carried on tracting, and on the last door we had time to tract we met a really nice man named peter. Peter is a Baptist and as we were talking he didn’t have time to let us in but he promised us that he would come to church. It was a great miracle to see that after we receive opposition, if we continue on we will be blessed.
Yesterday tom came to church! He is quite the trooper he had an 11pm-7am shift at work on sat night. After work he went home, took a shower got ready to go to church and was at church on time. He stayed for all three hours then after church he was going to a YSA dinner at a members home. And then on Sunday evening he had another 11pm-7am shift. He is a trooper!
--
With Love,
Elder Ballantyne
Hello all!
Things are going great here in Rossendale valley. There is definitely sun shine in my soul today, in fact all week it has been quite nice and sunny. People seem to be happy, it’s great.
On Saturday, We were tracting in the evening and we came across a house and the lady answered the door and started screaming at us. Rather than letting it get us down, we carried on tracting, and on the last door we had time to tract we met a really nice man named peter. Peter is a Baptist and as we were talking he didn’t have time to let us in but he promised us that he would come to church. It was a great miracle to see that after we receive opposition, if we continue on we will be blessed.
Yesterday tom came to church! He is quite the trooper he had an 11pm-7am shift at work on sat night. After work he went home, took a shower got ready to go to church and was at church on time. He stayed for all three hours then after church he was going to a YSA dinner at a members home. And then on Sunday evening he had another 11pm-7am shift. He is a trooper!
--
With Love,
Elder Ballantyne
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
weekly update 3/21/2012
The winners is YES Kevin will stay in Rossendale for the rest of his mission. Kevin will be home in 5 to 6 more weeks. As soon as I get word on the exacted day I will let you know.
It is another transfer and guess what... I'm Staying in Rossendale w/ Elder Jensen. So i looks like i will die here in the land of Rossendale.
Things have been going well. Tom has been able to establish good solid friendships in the ward other than the Simcock’s, which has been a great blessing. The lesson we had on Monday evening last week, he mentioned that everybody in the church has been brilliant. We are happy to report that the ward is in such a great state. Tom has also been very receptive to the commandments. Without inviting him he is recognizing that there are things that he wants to change, which I think is a good sign.
Sian is doing very well too. She seems to be excited about her baptism. Nothing has come up that would keep her from making that date. So we are excited. As well as the ward is excited.
The other day we felt impressed to go down to Ramsbottom. We were street contacting, and we weren’t seeing to much success. Then 3:00 hit and the streets were covered with school kids. Deciding that it was not the ideal “street contacting” atmosphere, we went and tracting a road in which we felt impressed. As we were tracting we came across a man named James who is from Uganda. He is a really nice man who let us in and we taught him the restoration. There seems to be a language barrier but we are excited about him
--
With Love,
Elder Ballantyne
It is another transfer and guess what... I'm Staying in Rossendale w/ Elder Jensen. So i looks like i will die here in the land of Rossendale.
Things have been going well. Tom has been able to establish good solid friendships in the ward other than the Simcock’s, which has been a great blessing. The lesson we had on Monday evening last week, he mentioned that everybody in the church has been brilliant. We are happy to report that the ward is in such a great state. Tom has also been very receptive to the commandments. Without inviting him he is recognizing that there are things that he wants to change, which I think is a good sign.
Sian is doing very well too. She seems to be excited about her baptism. Nothing has come up that would keep her from making that date. So we are excited. As well as the ward is excited.
The other day we felt impressed to go down to Ramsbottom. We were street contacting, and we weren’t seeing to much success. Then 3:00 hit and the streets were covered with school kids. Deciding that it was not the ideal “street contacting” atmosphere, we went and tracting a road in which we felt impressed. As we were tracting we came across a man named James who is from Uganda. He is a really nice man who let us in and we taught him the restoration. There seems to be a language barrier but we are excited about him
--
With Love,
Elder Ballantyne
Monday, March 12, 2012
weekly update 3/12/2012
Hello family!
>
> On Tuesday, we had a round of inspired trainings. To me the focus
> seemed to be using the Book of Mormon to resolve concerns, and answer
> questions. I have recommitted to answering concerns with the Book of
> Mormon.
>
> This week we had a great miracle. We taught a couple named Gas (Gaz)
> and Sam. It started out just being Gas; Sam was in the other room on
> the phone. When the phone call was ended Sam came and sat in the
> lesson. She started cussing and saying there is no God. But by
> applying the trainings we had received on Tuesday about using the book
> of Mormon. We were able to resolve her concern about why bad things
> happen. We simply used the scripture about choice in 2 Nephi 2, which
> helped her to understand! After that we had a great lesson with them.
>
> Thomas Spencer came to church again this week. At first we were
> thinking he was too dependant on Lee Simcock, his member friend, but
> the past two weeks he has come to church on the bus on his own. We
> weren’t even really expecting him to come because usually he has work.
> So tom is doing great. We should be teaching him tonight at the
> bishop’s home.
>
> Elder Jensen is doing great. He is a great confident missionary. He is
> a great teacher with great lesson ideas. Before serving with him I
> always thought he was a quiet missionary but serving with him has
> shown that he is quite the opposite
>
>
> --
> With Love,
> Elder Ballantyne
>
> On Tuesday, we had a round of inspired trainings. To me the focus
> seemed to be using the Book of Mormon to resolve concerns, and answer
> questions. I have recommitted to answering concerns with the Book of
> Mormon.
>
> This week we had a great miracle. We taught a couple named Gas (Gaz)
> and Sam. It started out just being Gas; Sam was in the other room on
> the phone. When the phone call was ended Sam came and sat in the
> lesson. She started cussing and saying there is no God. But by
> applying the trainings we had received on Tuesday about using the book
> of Mormon. We were able to resolve her concern about why bad things
> happen. We simply used the scripture about choice in 2 Nephi 2, which
> helped her to understand! After that we had a great lesson with them.
>
> Thomas Spencer came to church again this week. At first we were
> thinking he was too dependant on Lee Simcock, his member friend, but
> the past two weeks he has come to church on the bus on his own. We
> weren’t even really expecting him to come because usually he has work.
> So tom is doing great. We should be teaching him tonight at the
> bishop’s home.
>
> Elder Jensen is doing great. He is a great confident missionary. He is
> a great teacher with great lesson ideas. Before serving with him I
> always thought he was a quiet missionary but serving with him has
> shown that he is quite the opposite
>
>
> --
> With Love,
> Elder Ballantyne
Monday, March 5, 2012
Weekly update 3/5/2012
Hello!
>
> This week has been a good week in Rossendale valley. Sian has accepted
> another date to be baptised on the 30th of March. As well we taught
> Sarah and Tom on Wednesday, they are doing great, so great that they
> both have accepted baptism, they haven’t accepted dates yet but we
> told them we would bring a calendar to them so they can prayerfully
> choose a date.
>
> This week I was able to go on exchange with Elder Saunders, from
> Colorado. He is a really good missionary. He is very personable and
> kind to the people he speaks to. I was able to learn quite a bit from
> his example. On Wednesday, we had the lesson with Sarah and Tom. We
> reviewed the gospel of Jesus Christ, the last lesson we taught, with
> them. After reviewing about baptism I felt so strongly to invite them
> both to baptism, and then they accepted. Then Lee Simcock extended a
> commitment for them to pick a day. We told them that we would bring a
> baptismal calendar to help them pick a day.
>
> On Sunday, Tom showed a lot of initiative by taking the bus by himself
> to church. Lee, his good friend, was not going to be able to make it
> but tom came anyway! Tom and Sarah have also been going to institute
> with Lee. They are just make great progress.
>
>
> --
> With Love,
> Elder Ballantyne
>
> This week has been a good week in Rossendale valley. Sian has accepted
> another date to be baptised on the 30th of March. As well we taught
> Sarah and Tom on Wednesday, they are doing great, so great that they
> both have accepted baptism, they haven’t accepted dates yet but we
> told them we would bring a calendar to them so they can prayerfully
> choose a date.
>
> This week I was able to go on exchange with Elder Saunders, from
> Colorado. He is a really good missionary. He is very personable and
> kind to the people he speaks to. I was able to learn quite a bit from
> his example. On Wednesday, we had the lesson with Sarah and Tom. We
> reviewed the gospel of Jesus Christ, the last lesson we taught, with
> them. After reviewing about baptism I felt so strongly to invite them
> both to baptism, and then they accepted. Then Lee Simcock extended a
> commitment for them to pick a day. We told them that we would bring a
> baptismal calendar to help them pick a day.
>
> On Sunday, Tom showed a lot of initiative by taking the bus by himself
> to church. Lee, his good friend, was not going to be able to make it
> but tom came anyway! Tom and Sarah have also been going to institute
> with Lee. They are just make great progress.
>
>
> --
> With Love,
> Elder Ballantyne
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
