Pray in specifics!
Specific prayers lead to specific blessings
A few suggestions regarding missionary work in the Taranaki Zone:
- We had success about 14 months ago in the Taranaki Zone of the New Zealand Hamilton Mission by praying for SPECIFIC miracles. No generalities were allowed. For example, Sister McElmore and Sister McFadden prayed and fasted that on a specific day, they would find THREE prospective investigators that would embrace the gospel. After a frustrating and ineffective day, these undaunted sisters were still proselyting at 8:50 pm. As they got on their bicycles and strapped on their helmets, they were approached by three young girls who asked them who they were and why they had black name badges on their clothes, and why they were wearing dresses. All three of those girls are now members of the church.
- We had great success about one year ago by having all of the missionaries in each district pray for all of the progressing investigators in their respective districts BY NAME. The district leaders would write all the names on the white board each week, we would all copy the list into our planners, and we prayed in faith for these investigators in every single prayer we offered. We had several baptisms during those weeks.
- In 1971, my companion and I were assigned to serve in New Plymouth. We baptized 12 souls in 6 weeks. We started proselyting 5 minutes early morning, afternoon, and evening, and stayed in our area 5 minutes late. We looked forward to stormy days because we knew that most of the other missionaries would stay indoors, while we would be out knocking on doors. Those were the days that we proved to the Lord that we were worthy instruments in His hands and that He could trust us. We worked HARD! We concentrated on part-member families and less-active families. We prayed in faith and backed up our prayers with ACTION!
- Remember that success in an area is not measured by the number of convert baptisms. Success is measured by 1) Obeying 2) Inviting 3) Leading. Notice the first letters of those three words: O – I – L. Always keep OIL in your lamps!
- During parts of our missions we will primarily be PLANTERS, and at other times in our missions we will be REAPERS and HARVESTERS. Both roles are vital and wonderful.
- Pray specifically and with great focus for the Lord to lead you to those persons described in Section 123, those who are “searching for the truth but know not where to find it”. Those are the ones we want to meet. Ask Him to lead you to them, and to lead them to you! It won’t or can’t happen if we are in our apartments.
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