A few weeks ago when Chad Hymas visited our mission he spoke to the leaders and said, “Here is how you will "Make a Movement."” Those words really hit me and I have been trying to do that ever since.
The crazy part is I only have so long left so I am trying to do all I can to make it happen. In one of my studies this week I just loved what I found. Everywhere I go I say we are going to make a movement. We are still trying to figure out exactly how but we have the ball rolling. I found in the scriptures King Noah said "But behold, it came to pass that the king, having discovered a movement among the people, sent his servant to watch them..." I found that scripture and just loved it. How did Alma make that movement? He baptized 450 souls and people took notice. How did he do it?
It starts out way before him with Abanidi. Abanidi stood up all by himself and taught the wicked king and priest. Abanidi was different, he was not afraid to stand alone. He was doing something grand. The best part comes when Alma stands up for him. That is what made the movement. Abanidi was great but Alma was just as great to stand up. He did it different. He went and did the opposite of what every one else was doing.
That is the key for us. I am like Abanidi. (hopefully I do not get burned at the end of my mission) but I am standing up for what is right and true. Now I have to find my Alma to stand up with me. His name is Hayden. He is a 17 year old young man in the ward. We really hit it off with him. One day he took us out to lunch and that is where we yoked.
We now have him and he is eager to work with us. He texts us when he can come out to help. With one keen follower more will come. It is never easy to join a lone nut who is doing something but if there is two or even three it gets a lot easier and less risky to join and help. I hope everyone gets what I am saying.
This week we told Hayden we would be playing basketball at the chapel at 2:00 to 3:00. He was welcome to come and bring any friends. Well he brought two less active friends who we have been struggling to meet with. After a fun game with them we just talked like normal guys. We played at the chapel but it was nothing grand. That was our hour of missionary work with them. It was way better than knocking on doors for one hour.
The key is to work effectively. You can work all day to cut grass with scissors but you can also work hard all day and cut with a law mower. I am super excited for where things are going in our ward. Hadyen is now texting us saying we should go visit this friend and see this person. We are hoping tonight we get more youth and YSA involved. After institute we will be having a classic Cahoon games night with the name game and fun like that!! We will have all the YSA and Hayden is bringing his friends again.
Our Bishop and WML also told us in our correlation meeting that the key to get work done here by being in the members home. We need to visit them and get to know them. So this week would visit members and talk with them but we would also find through our own efforts door knocking. We are slowly starting to see the success come. It may take a few weeks to get it rolling but once it does it will roll forever. The next elder after me is going to love this area!!
We have a man named Kane who has autism but is very functional. He is very slow but very fun. He got baptized about 3 months ago and got called to be a ward missionary. He has been begging us to take him door knocking. The only problem is he does not function super well. We thought ok we can door knock his street with him and he will last a few minutes. Two hours later we finished three to four streets and he got two potentials. I was so shocked and it made it so so fun!!
It is crazy how great it is to really work with the members. My mission president told me in these last few week to really refine my missionary skills. Now I am not perfect, far from it. But it has been amazing to see so many missionaries go through the motion and never grow. I have struggled with it. You get caught up in other things and never reach your full potential or never fully yoke with the members. We have a great bishop who is really helping us see that!!
One funny dinner appointment we had this week was a FHE with the Davidsons. They were holding a newly wed dinner. So when we got there there were three new weds. Boy we were out of place. We could not follow any of the conversations because we were not married. It was really funny. We had a great time and had lots of laughs but just felt so out of place. It was awesome!!
I had a great week and saw so much success. Life is so great and I hope everyone has a great week.
Love,
Elder Cahoon
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