So much to write about, so little time! What a week. It was great.
So basically, we started the week with like two investigators. Lots of finding. We talked to a lot of people this week and got a lot of references and the next few weeks should be super awesome.
So this Monday I read a talk that Elder Brighton showed me by Tad R. Callister about becoming a consecrated missionary. Changed my life. I think I'm about 6 times the missionary I was before reading it. I'm going to make copies of it and send it to Timo because I don't think you can find it on the internet since it was given in the MTC.
Crazy man story of the week: Last week this guy showed up to church who talked to us in the street the day before. But he seemed a little suspicious. We put an appointment with him at church, and we went to visit him Tuesday. As we expected, he's completely nuts. He didn't let us teach anything, he just talked and talked about who knows what. At one point, he pulled out a painting of an angel slaying a demon and told us the demon represents England. What? Also, apparently he knows Obama. Pretty cool, right?
So, Thursday we had a ward activity. The Elders Quorum president had a meeting with us missionaries last week to plan something to help out with our ward unity. The attendance in the chapel has been dwindling, and since the ward boundaries were just changed a little before I got here, there is a bit of a division in the ward. So we planned this activity and it went really well. Each companionship of missionaries shared a spiritual thought about unity, the atonement, and charity, then we sang "To Bring the World His Truth." I played guitar again. It was great. After that, we played volleyball and ate Nacho Libre style Mexican corn, which is really delicious. It was super fun, and me and Elder Heath won every game of volleyball. Yeah. Also, all the little kids took turns playing guitar with me. They would take the pick and strum while I did the chords with my left hand. They loved it. It was a lot of fun, a lot of ward members came, and Elder Brighton and Elder Sosa received a golden reference from it.
Friday night we visited a couple who has already listened to the missionaries and have testimonies, they just can't get baptized yet because they aren't married. They sell tacos, and they gave us 10 free tacos each. They were amazing! I tried liver tacos and intestine tacos, and they were both really good, actually. Next on my list is tongue tacos and eyeball tacos. I'm a little bit more scared about those.
We found an awesome family Saturday morning. Their names are J (18) M (21) and their mom R. I feel like I recognize them, like I've seen them before. Probably in the pre earth life. We contacted M husband a few days before on a bus and he gave us his address. He wasn't there when we visited, but these three were and they are super ready for the gospel. They were catholic, but didn't like a lot of things about that church. They have recently started reading the Bible and want to know what God wants for them. It was a great lesson, they could all feel the spirit. J even started crying. They even recognized it as the spirit before we explained it to them. They are awesome! And they came to church yesterday. We are going to put a baptismal date for them this wednesday for the 10th of November.
Also on saturday, we had a lesson with a less active member named Hermano R. He served a mission back in the 60s or 70s and baptized over 600 people! He has stopped going to church ever since his divorce seven years ago. At first, he seemed pretty stubborn, but we could really feel the spirit working in us to respond to his doubts. It was really cool, and by the end of the lesson, he cracked. He said he wanted to come back, but he would feel uncomfortable without any friends. So we are going to work with him some more this week and see if we can get him reactivated because he really could help this ward a lot.
After that, we did a surprise attack visit with the N family. Only the dad, C, was there, so we read the Book of Mormon with him and talked a little bit. And by that I mean he shared his testimony for about 20 minutes with us about how he knows the church is true because he is living the way we have told him to and he has noticed great differences in his life. Also, he has been telling his parents about what he and his family have learned and they are interested too. He invited them to the next lesson with us, so hopefully we'll be able to start teaching them too. I was so happy to hear all that! I couldn't hold it in! I was smiling really, really big! This is why I'm here! Yes! The church is so true! I am so grateful for the opportunity I've had to see this family come to Christ. I can't wait for them to get baptized. They have worked really hard on freeing up their schedules so they can come to church this week and hopefully every week afterwards, so they should get baptized soon. Pray for them.
C came to church this week, we've taught him all the lessons, and he's keeping all the commitments, so he's getting baptized this Saturday! He has a little trouble with coffee, since he works 24 hours straight as a security guard every other day and needs to take something to stay awake, but other than that there is nothing else really that would stop him. Pray for him to not drink coffee. He had some doubts about tithing at first, because he literally lives in the security guard shack where he works, pays 4/5 of what he earns to his kids since he is divorced, and hardly has enough money to buy food as it is, but yesterday he told us he is not worried about it anymore and that he knows God will take care of him. Such faith! Love that guy! He's so solid! I think we are going to sing "Where Can I Turn for Peace" at his baptism. So excited for him!
So our focus this week was on finding, but other than that one family, we didn't really find any new investigators this week. But then yesterday we received a bunch of awesome references from members that we are going to visit this week. The Lord has really been trying our patience in this area, but we've kept working hard and now he's blessing us so much! We really should baptize every week from this Saturday until the end of the next transfer, if all goes well. I am very grateful.
To answer questions, Dad, we go with the Priests in our ward as much as we can. There are going to be some amazing missionaries coming out of this ward, I can promise you that. Elder Heath heads to the offices right after church this Sunday, so yeah, I'll be in a trio with Elder Sosa and Elder Brighton until Monday when I get my new companion. I'll find out Sunday night who that will be. As far as you guys going to his farewell, I am going to give him your phone number so he can call you when he gets back. He was already planning on visiting you, so I'll let you work that out. I'm going to miss that guy. I have learned so much from him about what a sanctified, consecrated missionary can really accomplish.
I have not received any such Halloween package, it's probably sitting in the offices. That's just how it goes around here, all our mail goes to the offices, and they bring it to us when we have zone conferences or interviews with the president or whatever. Tell Steph congratulations on making it into the nursing program, that I got the first letter she sent me already, and that I am going to respond to it as soon as possible.
Emily, you are funny.
Gwen, they don't eat pumpkin bread here, just pan de muerto. I'll let Timo or Mom explain to you what that is.
Timo, ¡felicidades por alcanzar tu Águila! y por casi ganar el campeonato de flag football. Y por tu español.
Micah, I hope you had fun at Clear Creek!
Mom, I don't eat anything other than a banana or a mandarin orange at night. I never even eat dinner, but I'm definitely getting fat. I have a little belly now, it's disgusting. It's because they feed us SO MUCH in our lunch appointments. I always leave with my belly bursting and my mouth on fire. It's amazing food, but they always offer me seconds, and I have to say yes because I am American and they'll think I don't like it if I say no. Also, I always thought "poquito más" meant "just a little more" but I think it actually means "GIVE ME ALL YOU'VE GOT!" Sheesh. So that's why I'm fat.
Well, have a great week everyone! The church is true, and they more you live the gospel the happier you'll be! Love you all!
Elder Pew
ps sorry, no pictures again, this computer's a little handicapped.
