Parenting: Touching the Hearts of our Youth

Missionaries: Touching the Hearts of our Investigators

I love this Mormon message, because it just doesn't relate to parents touching the hearts of the youth. It can relate to missionaries and how we can touch our investigators. I love it when Elder Robert D. Hales related a story of his grandson asking if he was there. I love this, because when I saw it I thought of how we could use this to touch the hearts of our investigators. The first thing that I got out of this is when Elder Hales said to the parents that "being there means understanding the hearts of our youth, and connecting with them. Connecting means not just conversing with them, but doing things with them to." This is one of the ways that we can help our investigators come closer to Christ is by communicating with them, connecting them with God & Jesus Christ through prayer. Also understanding their hearts, and what they are going through. I also love the second thing that Elder Hales says "To truly understand their hearts we must do more than just be in the same room, or obtain the same family and church activities. We must plan and take advantage of teaching moments, that make a deep and lasting impression upon their minds and hearts." We can use Elder Hales advice with our investigators by helping them understand the gospel of Jesus Christ. We do that by planning for investigators in companionship study. We take advantage of teaching moments that make a deep and lasting impression that can affect our investigators minds by talking with them over chat for the first time. Maybe when we say something to them that will lead to another question that will eventually help them come loser to God thee Father and Jesus Christ. I love the last comment that Elder Hales makes. He asks the parents "Fathers, Mothers as you drive or walk children to school or take them to various activities do you take the time to take the ear plugs so they can hear you, and feel of your love? Do you take the time the time to talk about their hopes and dreams and fears?" We can use what Elder Hales said here by not listening to music while on chat, or while in a lesson. We need to pay attention to our investigators and what they have to say.. We also need to talk with our companions about what we think of the investigators and how they are doing, also if they are coming closer to God & His Son Jesus Christ. When we do this our companionship's will be much better because we will know where we want to go with our investigators. I remember my Choir teacher use to tell us that "communication is everything."-Rich Lapp. This is ture because when we don't communicate with our companions or other people such as our investigators then the work can't move forward, because if we don't communicate with each other then we will all be lost.  The last thing that Elder Hales says I think really relates to us as missionaries. He said "For our interactions to truly touch their heart, we have to pay attention to them just as we pay attention to a trusted adult collegue, or close friend. Most imprtant is letting them talk. Then asking them questions, and then being willing to listen, yes listen, and listen some more. I love this last thing that Elder Hales said. it relates to our investigators.This relates to our investigators because we do need to teach them about the gospel of Jesus Christ. In order to do that though we need to make sure that our investigators understand everything by asking them questions. Once when we ask them questions we need to listen to them,  and make sure that they understand everything that we have taught them.
I know that when we relate the suggestions that Elder Hales said to our investigators that our investigators will come closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, by getting baptized and confirmed a member of the church. I challenge all who read this to do these things, because I know that when we do that we will bring people closer to Heavenly Father & His Son Jesus Christ.