The spirit is everything.

From: "Heath Tenney"
Sent: Monday, February 3, 2014 10:18:49 AM

Hey family!

I don't have much time because we are going fishing...for fish...and later men. 

This week was amazing again. We taught so much. More than I have ever taught in my mission. It seems that a lot of missionaries, myself included, focus a lot on the numbers, but at the end of the day, the Lord is never thinking numbers, he is thinking of souls. So that is what I have been trying to do, never numbers, always souls. 

We had so much success this week due to the members. We had members with us so much. One night we did splits and I was with Hermano L, the highlight was hearing his powerful testimony. We talked with a girl who is part of a crazy religion here, she denied that Christ lives. I then heard this still rather new member, with so much love and power in his words, testify that Jesus Christ lives. This girl was left speechless. I felt like Amulek, watching Alma confound Zeezrom. It was so powerful. That is the future of missionary work- members boldly testifying of Christ with the missionaries. 

Later in the week we went to the house of a less active member, Blas, who hasn't come for years. We always pass by to talk with his brother who lives next door, and there is always REALLY loud music playing. That's how it was when we passed by. There were kids running everywhere and music almost bursting our eardrums. Blas has always been closed off and doesn't really want anything to do with the church right now. The spirit completely guided us to ask inspired questions and LISTEN... there was a lot of silence, and a lot of listening, and because we let the spirit do its work, not interrupting it with unnecessary words, he opened up. He remembered what he really wants. He ended up in tears telling us of his desires to stop the way he is living, to be able to have an eternal family. To end the lesson, the whole family knelt down together, in silence, complete silence, and listened to their humbled father offer the feelings of his heart to Heavenly Father. There was no place else in the world I wanted to be in that moment. The spirit was so strong. I left that home thinking, " That is the essence of missionary work." We came into an environment seemingly absent of the spirit, loud, rowdy, and we left in silence, with peace, with the family together on their knees, committed to pray together and read together. 

This work is so beautiful. I wish I could tell you about all the miracles the spirit is doing for us and for others here. The spirit is everything. I know that. I can't do any good, but the spirit can. 

I know that Jesus Christ lives. My greatest joy is to testify of Him and share His love. 

I love you all so much! HAPPY BIRTHDAY KIRSTEN! Have a wonderful birthday!

Love,

Elder Heath Tenney