FamilySearch and a Forty-Day Challenge

Jan 27, 2014

Elder Thomas and I handed out tons of FamilySearch.org cards. We have been doing "Family History Tracting." Tracting is where you go door-to-door. "Family History Tracting" is where you go door-to-door telling people about free family history and genealogy resources. People seem much more willing to receive information about this free website. The majority of people accept cards; some accept cards but say they are not interested in Mormonism.

One miracle we saw from handing out cards occurred on Thursday. We knocked on a door and the man who answered said "You're Mormons? Come on in." That doesn't happen every day. "I'd have you sit down, but we just moved in and we haven't put out our furniture," he apologized. As we stood in his foyer, he introduced his family and told us about his career as an Army recruiter which led him to meet Mormons who became generals and sergeants and instilled him with great respect for our religion. He grew up in Maine.  He and his family are looking for a church to attend since returning to Maine and he was open to us stopping by any time. And he said he would look into family history.

Last night Bishop Crouse had us and the Sister missionaries in his home for dinner, a lesson, and a meeting. The lesson with his family blew my mind. Usually we teach the lesson. He said we didn't need to prepare anything. He talked about his conversion and then asked each of us to share our experiences as we were converted. Sharing helped me to recognize how important prayer is to my testimony. He is an amazing man; he did all this to strengthen his kids. Afterwards, we had a short meeting with him about how to help the members here do missionary work.

Elder Thomas started The 40-Day Book of Mormon Challenge; if the Young Men or Young Women complete the entire Book of Mormon in forty days, he will make them any dessert they want. And he was a culinary arts student before he was a missionary, so you know he knows what he's doing. The Challenge is almost halfway through, and many of the Youth have read almost half of the Book of Mormon. I'm not doing so hot. I have to listen to the Book of Mormon on CD for an hour a day and follow along. Some of the Youth haven't read much, but there's still time! I am so excited for them; their testimonies will explode!

This week is going to be amazing! Work hard!

Love, Elder Jon Harrison Richins