Oh my heck... What just happened? First off, the reason I am emailing so late is because President Albright switched our P Day to Wednesday, so we could find on the Holiday... Anyways, last wednesday, we got a call from Rajeevs friend, Elizabeth, who has been fellowshipping him. She told us that Rajeev had picked a date, and that we need to start prepping that night. So we went over and started talking about dates. He said he want's to be baptized June 10!!!!! We had a baptism Record, and we started filling out the basic information, to make it easier on the District Leader who interviews him (that's what our ZL's told us to do)... while talking, I felt impressed to ask him the questions that the district leader would ask him in his interview. We went through and he answered all the questions right except for one. He told us that he and his ex-wife had been involved in an abortion many years ago. So because of that, we have to have President or one of his counsilors interview him. luckily we found out then, rather than later. We had talked about the commandments before, and he never had mentioned anything like that. I was so happy to have acted on that impression! Perfect example of how we are only instruments in God's hands.

Last Tuesday night was a pretty nervous one. That was when we would get the call from our district leader about transfers. At 10 pm, Elder Barney called and told us that I was leaving, and Elder Rausch was staying. HOLY MOLY! We thought that we were staying another transfer together, to finish the 12 week program. But God wanted me somewhere else. I was sitting in transfer meeting, and president albright started calling off the companionships. The second one he says "Elder Dehaan will be training Elder Litchfield as the new office elder"... I couldn't believe it. That was last Thursday. It's been so fun/hectic! I'm living with the AP's. I have a HUGE queen size bed. I'm with president all the time helping him and his wife with computer problems. Every sunday night we record key indicators from all of the zones. It's so interesting to see all of the zones numbers. My companion, Elder Dehaan, is awesome! I love him so much. He came out a transfer after I did. He is from Utah, kinda by SLC. He is into Theater and singing. His dad is a well known music teacher. He is SO funny! We're going to have a really good time. This transfer is only 5 weeks, rather than 6, because the Albrights are going home. So next transfer will be 7 weeks with President Riggs. The AP's have told me that we will stay in the office next transfer. 

Elder Michael Litchfield

Last Monday, I hurt my shoulder playing volleyball. Tuesday morning, I couldn't lift my arm above my shoulder. After seeing an urgent care doctor, and an Orthopedic Surgeon, they have diagnosed me with a strained rotator cuff muscle. I have another appointment with the surgeon June 1st. Hopefully it is fully  healed by then! He said I have to take it easy with playing sports. That was a HUGE bummer to hear! I look forward to playing basketball every Monday! Oh well. It will heal, and I will be able to play again soon.

 

So early in the week, we hadn't been able to see Rajeev! It was SO frustrating! We were practically playing phone tag, except he would never tag back... haha. He was never home when we went to see him, and would send us texts like "sorry I missed your call elders, will call back later" and he never would. So thursday night, Elder Rausch and I were planning for the next day. Rajeev called us. Elder Rausch answered the phone and started talking to him. He then put the phone on speaker, and told Rajeev that I could hear him. I looked at Elder Rausch with a puzzled look on my face, and I got the same look in return. Rajeev told us that he had been doing a lot of thinking. A LOT of thinking. And decided that he was ready to be baptized!!!!!!!!!! It was so cool!!!!! He said that he doesn't want to set a date until he tells his kids (who live with his ex-wife), but he feels he is ready to take that step in his life. FINALLY! We took him to a convert baptism in a different ward, and it help a lot! He was able to see how the ordinance is performed, and feel the spirit. He liked it a lot. That was a huge testimony builder for me! Taking investigators to baptisms is such a powerful tool in a missionaries arsenal. He felt the spirit, and he even leaned over and told us that he knew that what he was watching was what he wanted. He is even talking about speaking at missionary firesides as a recent convert! We have taken him to so many devotionals that are put on by our mission president. I think he is looking forward to sharing his conversion story with others. He told us that he wants the opportunity to serve, and that's one of the things he likes most about the LDS Church. He will make an amazing member of the church. He talks to his children this upcoming weekend. I pray that everything goes well!!!!

 

We weren't able to see Alyssa all week. She said that her grandmother was in town, and didn't want to start a fight (I guess her grandmother is Southern Baptist, and hate's Mormons). We had a lesson scheduled with her for tomorrow night, but she called us today and cancelled. BUT she said that she was avaliable Saturday, so hopefully we will see her then!

 

There is a kid in the ward that I am in that I have mentioned before. His name is Robby, and he is a  really good skateboarder. He is 9 years old. Well last fast sunday, he got up and bore his testimony. He said in his testimony "Everytime Elder Litchfield comes over for dinner, he asks me what my top priorities are. I tell him that it goes 1)church, 2)Family, 3)School, and 4)Skateboarding." He then said "I want to be a missionary just like him." It was such an amazing moment in my life. This last week, we had dinner over at their house, and his Dad told me that he had no idea that Robby was going to do that. His mom didn't either. I was honored to have him say such kind words. He is going to be an incredible missionary.

 

Transfers are this week! They always make me so nervous! I don't know if I am staying or going! Plus the office doesn't send out any mail this week! I have to wait till after transfers for them to send it out. It's kind of a bummer.

 

Elder Michael Litchfield

First off, I gotta thank my Mom for sending me short sleeve shirts when she did. This last week was SO HUMID! I had random people on the street telling me to go to their house and get a drink! It was actually a great finding method! Look miserable so that people would pity us and let us into their home. We got 2 potentials from that! We also found an inactive guy, whose wife isn't a member! We're going to start teaching them!

    Saturday, I had the great opportunity of hearing from Elder David A. Bednar. We were at the visitors center in DC. There were 3 missions attending. It was AMAZING!!!! It was an open discussion type conference, where we would ask him questions. It was incredible. The spirit was SO STRONG! Oh, and something  I learned... He is SUCH A FUNNY GUY! Oh my goodness! He was making jokes, messing with missionaries, and calling people DOPES! hahahahahahahaha it was such a good time. The 3 hours FLEW by! He stressed that when we pray, we need to act, rather than be acted upon. Pray and do, rather than pray and wait. it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. I loved it.

    We had a lesson with a guy named Jeff this week. He made us lunch before the lesson began. Swordfish! It was so good! I was a bit hesitant, but loved it once I tried it. The lessons went well, except he can't get it into his mind that baptism is the beginning of a better life, rather than an end. He feels that baptism should be the END goal in life, rather than the BEGINNING! Rajeev is the same way! Rajeev told us flat out quote "I know this is the church for me to join." THEN JOIN! He'll then say "But I don't want to make any hastey decisions." We have read so many scriptures about preparing to meet God, and not procrastinating the day of repentence. He says, when I get baptised, then what? Then you start a life filled with joy and blessings! He came to church, all three hours yesterday. He KNOWS it's true! He's just worried that his friend Elizabeth, whom he is madly in love with, will stop giving him attention once he is converted. DRAMA DRAMA DRAMA! I thought I graduated High school last June haha...

 

I went on an exchange with Elder Barney this last Thursday. He is probably my best friend out here. It was really nice to be in a car, especially since it was SO HOT that day! I felt bad for Elder Rausch... Anyways, I got to meet this family from Camaroon! Everyone in the family is baptized except for the mother. It's the same situation as Rajeev. She knows its true. Just wont get baptized.

 

So in a previous letter, I mentioned that Alyssas husband wasn't fond of her talking with missionaries. Well we have been trying to call her ALL week! No response. So yesterday, we knocked on her door, and she answered. She said that she was sorry for not responding. She said she has been working on a final paper for school all week. We scheduled an appointment with her this next week, and she told us that her husband will be attending. Oh boy! I'm looking forward to it though! I feel that he has so many misconseptions about our church, and once he sits down and acutally LEARNS about what we believe in, he wont be so close minded. We also had a lesson with this girl that we met on the street. We had given her a Book of Mormon, and found our where she lived. As we were talking with her, I felt impressed to talk about repentence. I explained the amazing blessing that we have to repent of our sins. Her whole demeanor changed. She was excited, and wanted to read as much as she could of the Book of Mormon! We are seeing her again this week.

 

Our week is packed in our planners! I just pray that we will be able to see our scheduled appointments! This next Sunday I get to talk to my parents! SWEET!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Till then!

 

Elder Michael Darrin Litchfield

We have weekly planning every Friday morning, where we plan for the
following week. We also set goals that we try to acheive. It's always
interesting to see how we have a ton of set lessons, and set goals
that make us try to push ourselves a little bit more than those
planned lessons. Then at the end of the week, you look back and see
that 90% of those lessons fell through. Oh well. Quality over
Quantity, right?

Monday night, we went to this guys house named Kevin. He has a bunch
of people gather and talk about religion. I think I mentioned it in my
last letter. Well this weeks questions were mainly directed at the
missionaries. It was such a neat expirience. I could literally see the
pieces of lifes puzzle start to fit with some of the people there as
we discussed the Plan of Salvation. It was also awesome to hear that
the 5 copies of the Book of Mormon that we handed out are all being
read.

Thursday night, we had a lesson with Alyssa. Alyssa referred herself
online at Mormon.org. She said that if Mitt Romney is elected as
president, she better know what his religion is all about. She is very
republican, and her dad is a die-hard Glen Beck fan. Well, in two
weeks she was already almost finished with the Book of Alma. I
couldn't believe it. That's like 360 some-odd pages! She said she
loves what she is reading. She also said that anytime she comes across
something that she doesn't understand, she goes to lds.org, and that
answers her question. Basically, the only thing holding her back from
being baptized is her husband. Her husband is working in Florida till
November. When she told him on the phone that she was talking with
missionaries, he told her that if she joined, he never would. He
doesn't have a religion, he is just close-minded. When she told us
that, a scripture immedietly came to mind. We opened up to Alma
Chapter 8 and read it. She said that she didn't think of that chapter
in the way that I explained it to her. She said she would pray and ask
God for help. She is solid.

We expected to have around 8 investigators at Church yesterday. None
of them showed up. Alyssa told us that she was sick, Rajeev said he
had to work, and the other families wouldn't respond to our calls or
knocks. That was a huge let down. In zone conference this last week,
they stressed getting investigators to church. Without going to
church, there conversion can only go so far. That just means that this
week we'll have to work twice as hard to get them there next Sunday.

Last night there was a recent-convert fireside at the mission home. We
were able to get Rajeev to go! A couple recent-converts (recent as in
within the last 3 weeks) told their conversion stories and bore their
testimonies. It was such a spiritually filling exprience. Rajeev said
he had a lot to think about as we were driving home. He knows it is
true!!!!!! He is thinking too much! He needs to go by faith, rather
than fact...

David A. Bednar is coming to speak to us this Saturday! Us as is the
DC South, North, and Baltimore missions. I'm really looking forward to
it. Except I'm a little nervous after what Aunt Sharon said about him
at her stake. YIKES!!! I told that to my mission president and he was
surprised! He looked it up online and sent an email out to the
missionaries about it. HAHA!

With much love,

Elder Michael Litchfield

This week, I came to a realization of numbers. Not just any numbers, but the numbers that we report to our district leader of how many lessons we taught, new investigators, etc. At the beginning of this week, we had our days FULL of lessons! We even didn't schedule lunch some days, becuase we didn't have time... Well, 90% of the lessons fell through. I couldn't believe it. It was one of the most discouraging weeks. I more felt bad for Elder Rausch. I didn't want  him to feel like this is how his mission would be. At the end of the week, our numbers were awful. BUT, that doesn't mean we didn't work our tails off. I just needed to remember that God works in mysterious ways. So basically, we had a ton of time on our hands. We utilized this time to use for finding. From Monday to Sunday, we placed 17 copies of the Book of Mormon, and all have said that they want us to come back this up coming week and explain to them more about it. So what looked like an unproductive week, turned into a great week for finding!

 

I also found myself comparing myself to other missionaries. Missionaries who being disobedient, yet teaching a ton. This is such an awful mentality. I am my own person. The only respect I should be trying to acheive, is Gods. I know that the blessings of obedience will come. Because God has promised them. I just need to be patient.

 

On a bright note, Rajeev came to church again Sunday! The change that I see in him is amazing. He is such a happier person now, from when I first met him. The power of God is an incredible thing! In the bulliten, there was a note about a church dance for singles over 31 years. He leaned over to me during the first hour, and said he wanted to go to that. SWEET!!!!! The more relationships he can gain in the church, the better.

 

This, is a trully a miracle. About a month ago, there was this old lady sitting at the church building on a thursday night. We had our first lesson with Rajeev, and had 2 members already there. For some reason, I asked if she would like to join. She jumped off her chair and joined. A couple weeks later, I saw her again at conference at the stake center. She was cooking lunch for the missionaries. After, I offered to help her with the dishes. Again, I didn't think too much of it. Yesterday, I saw her again. She was with a guy, and she was pointing at me. The guy came up to me and said that he was thankful for the kindess that I had showed towards his mother. Apperently, this guy was in my ward, but I had never met him before. He told me that he has been waiting for certain missionaries to teach his neighbors. They are a family of 5 who, from what he said, could desperately use the gospel in their lives. He said that he would call us this week and have us come to his house to teach them...

Perfect example of small and simple things, as well as listening to the spirit. God put me in the right places at the right times. That's what he has been doing my whole mission. This work, is his work. It's his children, and his glory. I am merely and instrument in his hands. And what a opportunity it is for me to be that!!!!!! I LOVE IT!!!!

 

My cousin, Anthony Litchfield enters the MTC this Wednesday! Good luck to you! I shall see you in 2 years!

Sorry this email is getting off so late. I had to switch my P-Day from
Monday to Wednesday...

Well last Monday I was able to go to DC. It was so beautiful!!!! The
weather was PERFECT!!! I took lots of pictures, and really enjoyed
myself. We had an appointment with Tami and her family Tuesday night,
but she cancelled on us. BUMMER! But she said that she would see us at
church Easter Sunday. Elder Johnson went to the temple with his
departing group Wednesday, so I was with the Zoneleaders. It was a lot
of fun! It's good to see a companionship where both missionaries want
to be obedient and work hard. It was refreshing!... I got a text from
Yona Wednesday as well. It was awful. We had an appointment with her
that night, but she texted us and told us that she would have to stop
our lessons for a while. She said she was going through some changes
in her life. That killed me. I had no idea what to say. I thought of
one of the bullet points in PMG dealing with How to Begin Teaching. It
said something to the effect of that the Many people deal with
difficulties in their lives, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ can make
that burden seem light. I sent her that bullet point, and she said
thanks. Thursday we had a lesson with Rajeev. He took us out to eat
before hand with his member friend Elizabeth. We went to an El
Salvador resuraunt that is famous for making Pupusas. They were
actually really good. No one spoke english there, but luckily
Elizabeth was born and raised in El Salvador. The lesson went really
well! We talked about conference, and Rajeev felt like Uchtdorfs
two-word sermon was directed at him. That was incredible to hear him
say that! Out of nowhere though, he said "so what are the
restrictions". I hate that word. "Restrictions". Cause that isn't the
correct term. The laws and ordinances don't restrict us! They acutally
make us more free! We talked about all of them, and he acutally didn't
seem to have a problem with any of them. He said they all made sense.
SWEET! Friday, our ward mission leader mentioned a family that has
been inactive for a couple years. I was like, Why haven't we heard of
them?!?! We visited them, but they had a bunch of family over for
dinner. However, the father asked us to come back next friday and
share a spiritual thought with him and his family, and that they
really needed to strengthen their faith. Awesome!!!!

Sunday was Easter, and Rajeev came to church! But Tami and her family
didn't. She texted us and told us that she couldn't make it, but would
call us about scheduling an appointment later in the week. Sunday
night there was a missionary departing fireside. Since elder Johnson
is going home, he is a part of it. Rajeev and Elizabeth came to that.
Afterward, I noticed that President Albright and Rajeev were talking.
I went over there and President said that he wants us to let him know
when Rajeevs baptism is, so he can go! President doesn't do that very
often! Monday, we went to the temple with Rajeev and Elizabeth. That's
why I wasn't able to email then. It was really good! There is a new
Plan of Salvation video out that is AWESOME! However, as we were
walking around the temple. Elizabeth pulled me aside and told me that
she didn't want to go to the next lessons, because Rajeev made it
known to her that he has a crush on her. She doesn't want him
investigating just to score points. She looks at him as just a friend.
Well, on the way back from the temple, after we had dropped Elizabeth
off, I felt prompted to ask Rajeev a bold question. I asked him if he
was investigating for himself, or for Elizabeth. He didn't give me a
straight answer, but it seemed like he was doing it for the latter. I
asked him to pray that night, and ask what God's will is for him. He
said he would. I also got a call from the APs on the way back. I'M
TRAINING NEXT TRANSFER!!!!!!! I'm so excited!!!! I can't wait to show
the new missionary how much fun the mission is when your obedient...
It's going to be a fun transfer. Tuesday I had a training meeting
after district meetings. After, I was with Zone Leader Elder Hanson
for the day. It was a lot of fun! Apperently, Rajeev called Elder
Johnson and asked him to come over and talk to him. They did, and he
said that he prayed, and wants to do this for the right reasons. That
gave me so much conmfort!!!! He is such a good guy, and I don't want
him to chase after a woman that doesn't feel the same way back. We are
seeing him tonight. Please keep Yona, Tami, and Rajeev in your
prayers!

Oh, I almost forgot. Yesterday, I had dinner at a spanish home. It was
acutally a family from Guatemala. They served Chicken Heart Soup.
There were quite a bit of chicken hearts, 2 small pieces of potatoes,
and a couple slices of onions in my bowl. It actually wasn't that bad.
It did get worse though when I saw a heart with arteries. That grossed
me out. But I ate it all without a flinch. I FIGURED MY FAMILY WOULD
LIKE TO HEAR THAT, SINCE I AM SUCHHHHHH A PICKY EATER!!! LOOK AT ME
NOW!!! HAHA

Elder Michael Litchfield