April 3, 2017
I got my first taste of
watching women's conference this week when I called up a friend who doesn't
come to church and invited her to attend conference. She told us she could come
at 11:00 on Saturday (when in Europe conference
isn't going on) and I made a split-second decision to say that yes, she could
come and watch conference then. So, we did. She also brought her genius and
awesome 10-year-old son, who we really hope can join the church.
The mission right now is putting a big focus on finding young adults. We are doing that here on Malta, and one day found ourselves at the university talking to people, when we passed by the theology department. Elder Grizzell and I had previously gone to try and make an appointment to teach about our church in some way or another. But the previous time, no one had been there. This day, we were greeted by a professor in her office and spoke to her about what we were hoping for. I'll just say the Spirit took over because the situation was very intimidating. I haven't even attended college in a couple of years, and this lady seemed like the type that would know English as her second language better than I do as my first. But it went quite well, we ended up talking about presenting "The Family: A Proclamation to the World", and she was interested in it!
We had another good lesson with A. He had unsuccessfully tried to change his work to finish at 4 am on Sundays instead of 6 to be able to come to church, but he will try again. And yesterday, we hope he attended conference on holiday in Sweden like he had wanted to!
Love,
The mission right now is putting a big focus on finding young adults. We are doing that here on Malta, and one day found ourselves at the university talking to people, when we passed by the theology department. Elder Grizzell and I had previously gone to try and make an appointment to teach about our church in some way or another. But the previous time, no one had been there. This day, we were greeted by a professor in her office and spoke to her about what we were hoping for. I'll just say the Spirit took over because the situation was very intimidating. I haven't even attended college in a couple of years, and this lady seemed like the type that would know English as her second language better than I do as my first. But it went quite well, we ended up talking about presenting "The Family: A Proclamation to the World", and she was interested in it!
We had another good lesson with A. He had unsuccessfully tried to change his work to finish at 4 am on Sundays instead of 6 to be able to come to church, but he will try again. And yesterday, we hope he attended conference on holiday in Sweden like he had wanted to!
Love,
Anzjan Cannon
Spring on Malta
April 10, 2017
Zone conference was
incredible. We got a great addestramento [training] from my cousin, on the Book
of Mormon. The assistants always seem to
know just what we need. I also got to go on scambio with Anziano Boerne. I was
super excited to hear he was moved to be our Zone Leader this transfer. I
actually played an intramural basketball game with him at BYU (in the which we
got destroyed) but had never served with him. He was really inspiring and
awesome. He's not the most outgoing, loud person ever, but it is clear that he
has made the decision to be a good missionary and the Lord has helped him to do
so. He took every single opportunity possible to talk to people about the Gospel.
At zone conference, we got Books of Mormon that we were supposed to give away
before going home, and we gave both of ours away without even doing any planned
"finding". One of the biggest things I have taken from that
experience could be summed up in a scripture I recently read where the Lord
speaks to Nephi and gives him the sealing power: "And thou hast not feared
them". Sometimes on buses I'll talk quietly to someone so nobody hears or
gets annoyed or whatever, but I've enjoyed this weekend trying to speak
(almost) obnoxiously loud as I talk to people on buses in the hope that someone
else hears and might be benefited!
I really love our members. Saturday night our friend H brought her kids to dinner with the O family. I was really surprised that brother O had made lasagna just for M, the nine-year-old who really loves lasagna. I wouldn't have even thought of that!
Our plane back from zone conference was at 9:30 at night. It had been a long day, and I knew I smelled bad. So, I used a practice from my former life and used the free test cologne from the Emporio Armani stand in the airport. It was the most expensive and good smelling thing I had ever put on myself!
Two new friends came to church in the south branch yesterday. We are super stoked about the growth there!
Love,
Elder Cannon
I really love our members. Saturday night our friend H brought her kids to dinner with the O family. I was really surprised that brother O had made lasagna just for M, the nine-year-old who really loves lasagna. I wouldn't have even thought of that!
Our plane back from zone conference was at 9:30 at night. It had been a long day, and I knew I smelled bad. So, I used a practice from my former life and used the free test cologne from the Emporio Armani stand in the airport. It was the most expensive and good smelling thing I had ever put on myself!
Two new friends came to church in the south branch yesterday. We are super stoked about the growth there!
Love,
Elder Cannon
April 17, 2017
This week my companion
went home so we've been in a trio. On Wednesday I will get a new
companion, Anziano Burgos from the Philippines! He's a really good guy and I'm
excited to work hard for a week and a half with him and hopefully get him up to
speed on the work. I hope he can help with the Filipino less actives and the
part member family that came to church yesterday for the first time since I've
been here!
In DDM [district meeting?] I challenged the district to follow spiritual promptings. I felt like I was able to do that when I met a guy on a bus who was a born again Christian. He invited us to attend a church breakfast on good Friday. It sounded weird, but I felt to go for it. It was weird being the one that everyone was trying to fellowship and welcome. Just a few nights later, at a branch farewell for A, I was reminded once again of how stressful parties are for missionaries as you try to help every nonmember, less active, shy person, new convert, etc. feel comfortable. At the service and breakfast, I was able to sit next to one guy who just so happened to not be super grounded in that religion. Now, it's obviously not a good idea to do proselyting inside other people's churches, but I didn't really do much of anything. He told me he lives a couple minutes away from the church and had gone with his wife to try and find a schedule of when we hold our services, but hadn't found it and gave up. I was super excited! We didn't try to preach to him or anything, he already wanted to come.
I learned a lot about charity this week as we taught with the Hancocks, a former senior couple serving on Malta. They returned this week and spent their time visiting old contacts and members. We went with them to see J, a man who hasn't come to church in a while. Elder Blaylock and I had visited him a few months ago, and he seemed a little closed off. However, the Hancocks have formed a great relationship with him and he was a lot more receptive with them to spiritual things.
They take Easter pretty seriously on Malta. Without having planned it, I ended up being where Christ comes to visit the Nephites in my personal study. I'm grateful for His gift of life to all of us. And while everyone on Malta knows about Him, they certainly don't actually know Him, and what He can help us to do in this life and the next. So, I'm super lucky to tell them! And so are you!
Love,
In DDM [district meeting?] I challenged the district to follow spiritual promptings. I felt like I was able to do that when I met a guy on a bus who was a born again Christian. He invited us to attend a church breakfast on good Friday. It sounded weird, but I felt to go for it. It was weird being the one that everyone was trying to fellowship and welcome. Just a few nights later, at a branch farewell for A, I was reminded once again of how stressful parties are for missionaries as you try to help every nonmember, less active, shy person, new convert, etc. feel comfortable. At the service and breakfast, I was able to sit next to one guy who just so happened to not be super grounded in that religion. Now, it's obviously not a good idea to do proselyting inside other people's churches, but I didn't really do much of anything. He told me he lives a couple minutes away from the church and had gone with his wife to try and find a schedule of when we hold our services, but hadn't found it and gave up. I was super excited! We didn't try to preach to him or anything, he already wanted to come.
I learned a lot about charity this week as we taught with the Hancocks, a former senior couple serving on Malta. They returned this week and spent their time visiting old contacts and members. We went with them to see J, a man who hasn't come to church in a while. Elder Blaylock and I had visited him a few months ago, and he seemed a little closed off. However, the Hancocks have formed a great relationship with him and he was a lot more receptive with them to spiritual things.
They take Easter pretty seriously on Malta. Without having planned it, I ended up being where Christ comes to visit the Nephites in my personal study. I'm grateful for His gift of life to all of us. And while everyone on Malta knows about Him, they certainly don't actually know Him, and what He can help us to do in this life and the next. So, I'm super lucky to tell them! And so are you!
Love,
Presbiteru Cannon
No!!! But yes!! On the left is A, who President Pickerd set apart yesterday as the first Maltese missionary ever to serve from Malta. We will miss him so much. On the right are two Welsh YSA who will be out of town when I leave.
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