week 85

Bonjour a tous (Hello Everyone)

Okay, well I don't have anytime.  I just wanted to add my prayers and thoughts to the missionaries serving in the Paris North Mission, (and for that matter just all of us in general).

I actually know both of the young Elders involved, not particularly well, but I was in the MTC with both of them.  Elder Empey was in my room a lot of the time the first three weeks of being in the MTC.  Also, I played sports with Elder Wells my last two weeks in the MTC.  I actually think He was my ZL in the MTC. I have a photo with Ender Empey I will attach.

A family here - the Booths showed me some videos of the two Elders.  I marvel at their spiritual stature.  Particularly Elder Wells bearing testimony of God hearing our prayers.

I will add my testimony to his inspiring example and words.  Look up - He is listening.

Elder Logan Robert Sackley

wishin elder empey a fast recovery

week 84

this one will be different

Dear Garrett

Im writing this letter to you and im letting all the people who read my blog(if people read this)see this letter so that they will remind you and push you for what im going to ask you to do now.

Yesterday my companion and I were invited over to the a members house to teach a friend of one of the young men in our branch.  His names Christopher hes got a big ol fro and reminds me of James Franco for some reason.  Anyhow its a friend that has been coming to church for the last couple of weeks and we decided to start teaching him.

we watched the restoration video after introduced the Book of mormon and i asked him "when you recieve an answer that this is true what do you think God will expect from you?" he said "ill have to share it"  "thats exactly right i know that when God tells you these things are true he will want you not only to join his church but share it.  Will you read and pray and when  you recieve your answer prepare to serce a full time mission ?"  

"i will.... so how did you get your answer?"

well Garrett this kid is 17 going on 18 same age as you and same age as me when i got my answer.

And heres how

Madison left on a misison April 2012 and when she left she gave me a BOM that i had to read through and mark.  She told me she wanted me to finish it before she got home.  Fast forward till August 2013 and i had made 0 progress in the BOM.  Feeling a sense of obligation to Mad and above all not wanting to accept failure i started reading.  Every. single. day. 

 I finished the BOM 3 nights before she got home and the moment i recieved my answer i knew it was time to get ready for a mission. 

I get home this summer and i want you to start and finish the BOM before than and i know and am personally convicted that not only will Christopher get his testimony if he reads but you will too and it will be time to kick things into a higher gear and get ready to go and serve.

Challenge accepted?

Elder Logan Robert Sackley

week 83

ok

im a little short on stories but i do have an experience i would like to share that happened in my interview with elder martinez that i talk about a couple weeks ago.

after we talked for a moment he said "ok elder sackley you get one question" i didnt have any personal questions so i had one doctrinal question that i would like to share with you today and than talk about its effect on me since than.

"elder martinez i understand death was necessary for the atonement to occur that jesus had to die, but why did he have to be killed, ultimately it was himself who commanded his spirit to leave so why the whips, why the thorns, why the cross"

he sat and looked at me for an uncomfortable moment and said "lets open to my favorite scripture 1nephi13:22"  for all the scriptural scholars it says basically i dont know.

than he paused and said "let me give you my theory though....

elder sackley do you know why they killed an unblemished lamb in ancient Israel

to make an atonement

yes but why was it necessary that him who had committed the sin killed the lamb?  

i dont know

I think it was to help this person remember.  I think it was to in a sense scar him to remember what the price for his sins were.  Elder Sackley have you ever eaten unleavened bread?  

no

Well it has no real good taste and the jews would eat this as well with a green bitter herb for the pass-over.  do you know why?

no

well it sure isnt for the taste!  its to remember.  If jesus would have just commanded his spirit it wouldnt have been much to remember wouldve it?  I think in a deep sign of love the savior endured these tortures so we may more fully remember what he did for us.  But i want you to go now and study and i wil go and study and the next time we see each other we will share what we have learned.

What i have learned.

Another investigator was going to have an interview for baptism this Saturday and he has fallen off the map (not yves andre this is someone else".  i have  contacted a lot of doors and had a lot of doors shut in my face, i have had a lot of people turn me down and now a couple golden investigators turn their back at the last minute.  and in a sense im starting to learn the attribute of remembrance.

We take the sacrament every sunday in remembrance of the blood and body.  Every day people turn down the invitation to come and remember and just like the bitter taste of the unleavened bread, or the scarring image of killing the first born lamb i remember more and more everyday, every door, every face, what the God of Israel did for me and you. 

Elder Logan Robert Sackley

week 82

i got no timeeeeeeeee

so all these pictures are from the islands off the coast of gwada called the saints.  yeah so look at a world map and try finding guadeloupe its a spec at best and than the saints is a spec compared to guadeloupe it was paradise.

lets go sailing here dad

i wish i could say more the week was stellar but im out of time

and i must obey

Elder Logan Robert Sackley

week 81

ok fast fast fast

the MLC was super good like oh my goodness best MLC i have ever been to.  And i really think it was like that because we all came prepared.  it was clear all the zone leaders were there to learn and help each other it was all on repentance and the atonement and it was very powerful.

so this letter will just be an experience i had at the MLC

i was going to be interviewed by president herrington but at the last minute they had me be interviewed by elder martinez.  it was a little nerve racking we sat down and just talked about my family followed by two questions.  Why did you come on a mission?  and how have you changed on your mission? ill focus on the later

Honestly ill just go heart to heart with whoever reads this i really havent felt much of a change.  I work hard everyday but i still have my weaknesses and what not and earlier in the MLC i was reflecting on this very question and i couldnt conjur up anything.  so i looked at him and said "elder martinez i dont know" the words tasted like salt and my eyes sweated a little bit.

He stared at me for a while and said "ok who would know?" 

we talked for a while about this quesiton and came up with a couple answers or things i could do. Followed by him saying elder sackley "what zone do you lead?" followed by some follow up quesitons on how the missionaries are doing or what they were doing when i came in.

after talking a minute to explain my challenges and results over the last transfer he cut me off and said "now i know that you have changed as a missionary and i want you to know that the lord is pleased with you, not yet impressed but very much pleased"

so its time to impress the lord

Elder Logan Robert Sackley

i went neck for neck with elder martinez

week 80

Bonjour

Well firstly an update on the biggest loser challenge.  Currently im in first place with an 8 pound weight lose so far.  Turns out that even though i can put on weight now i still shed it just as fast when i workout in the mornings.  still got it

Tomorrow were taking a plane to Barbados for the MLC with Elder Martinez of the seventy it should be fun and itll probably be my last MLC in barbados because im not confident ill stay ZL forever.  So ill make it count and take lots of pictures

Update on Yves Andre

celui qui allait se faire baptiser

Well everything was looking good till saturday for his interview.  We went on exchange so the DL could come interview him.  But yves was no where to be found.  When i got the news i hung up the phone and tossed it to the elder with whom i was doing the exchange and just started throwing a mini tantrum.

after trying to find some relief in attacking a couch i said a prayer.

And to paraphrase it or to put into words what i felt during this prayer would be

" it cant be that easy.  I want you to push yourself for this baptism"

so were going all out cutting the brakes no stopping till we get a baptism

sending love from barbados

Elder Logan Robert Sackley

yeah i drove the car all day with that without knowing, i dont know how im not dead

week 79

Bonjour

well this is different im writing on thursday because Carnaval it just came to a close yesterday which means things should go back to normal.

a couple random thoughts

Fast sunday i weighed in at 205 pounds yes uncle mike i weigh over 200 pounds all the time right now i cant believe it either.  So we started the fast and just went HARD all day non stop i was on exchange with elder pincock and were buddies and we wanted to see who could lose the most weight during the fast.  He dropped 9 pounds but I was victorious getting down to 194.  Still got it

Which brings me to the next point of i convinced all the elders in the zone to do a "biggest loser" competition with me until the end of next transfer so 6 months to sexy is still alive.  It almost died when i saw the MEGA MAC

I have two stories this week

On Sunday night my comp left the room for a little while and came back visually upset.  He sat down and i asked the inspired question of "dude whatsup".  We have been getting along really well i like him alot but there is a lot of negative swirl around him and rumors of what hes done as a missionary.  The moment i asked he just broke down.  He really opened up and really expressed how he feels like everyone is condeming him or just looks down on him. He took a while just expressing frustrations and hopelessness

And for the first time since we got together i was able to see a brief glance at how his father in heaven feels about him.  After a moment of silence and clarity i looked at him and said "I dont condemn you".  I really do love this Elder were going to do great together

The next story is one i shared with mom and ill let her decide if its ok i share it now this was my letter 

Mom

i feel like you should hear what happened to me on tuesday.  Shortly after i got the call i was teaching zone meeting like 15 minutes so i was a little shell shokcked by it all but i could do it.  I was numb really and we turned on a part of talk for the zone to watch and as it was playing i was reflecting on it all.  Luckily the room was dark so no one really could see my facial expressions but in reflecting a thought past through my mind "grandpa is watching you teach zone meeting"  i know where he is mom.  i know youll see him again and i know hes out here with me.  i know hes watching over you and me.  I love you be happy 

Be strong

Elder Logan Robert Sackley

ps: i decided im going to just sell cars for a living.  Right now were in the process of selling our junky van and id say im doing pretty well for myself.

the original bid was at 2000 and i would say thats SUPER forgiving.  like this van has been everywhere and back the seats arent bolted in anymore, we have 4 super bald tires, amechanic told me i should get a 4000 euro paint job before i even thought about trying to sell it, and all the million dents and broken things inside and outside of it.  But literally by what i believe to be the Grace of God i have an offer at 7000 euros.  

Prodigy?  i think so

But things are looking real good in our area our investigator Yves Andre has his baptismal interview this saturday and the 27th is his baptism he was telling everyone at church all about it.  Were about to break the 16 month drout in this area!

Your favorite car salesmen 

elder logan robert sackley