This week was su su su super awesome! It’s amazing just how much happens in one week and it's really hard to tell everything and remember to respond to all your questions and ask some of my own... No I’m not working at the temple open house but we get to take 3 different trips with investigators. So far we are going with Bernard and his son, Bernard. He is this sweet black guy who we met in his driveway. He always has a smile on his face and whenever he talks he tends to throw in a uhhhh huhhh or mmmmm hhhmmmm. He loves his son and he loved the plan of salvation and has a hard time understanding the restoration, but he really likes Elder Bills and I. So he definitely trusts us when we tell him this will change his life. Funny story…just the other day we had a lesson and after he asked me to give the closing prayer. Whenever I said something he really liked he would say YYEEESSS! I felt bad when I chuckled a little during the prayer... I couldn't help it.
That just tore my heart in half hearing about our good friends. sighhhhhhhhhhh... Keep me updated. I will shoot them a letter through Collin next week. DARN IT!!!! Well Satan is good at his job I will give him that, but hearing this just makes me want to go curb stomp him... kind of like how all the prophets and apostles did this weekend!!! Holy Cow! My favorite was that one talk on family! haha jk I honestly don’t know what my favorite was, but I do know that after teaching the restoration 1234787236238901447832 times it has given me so much more appreciation for who those men are and what they do. When the prophet first spoke to open conference, I found it hard not to cry as I felt the love of the Savior expressed in every single word. All the talks were super good and I know what you were talking about dad how we were all doing the same thing at the same time just thousands of miles apart... In fact it felt just like I was in the family room sitting on the brown leather couch with the fam. In fact, I started to laugh when on Saturday everyone got to sing How Firm a Foundation and I could totally picture you singing at home just as if you were in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir... I love you Dad. I also pictured mom crying quietly to herself a little when Henry B. Eyring mentioned missionaries in his talk on sacrifices. (Who knows though, I could be wrong.) BUT MOM the prophet told you to slow down and meditate too! DID YOU CATCH THAT??? CUZ I DID!!! I was starting to wonder if that was a dumb challenge... Which reminds me dad…how are you doing on your challenge. The house better look good right now
The work is really starting to progress!!! We still don’t have a giant teaching pool but we are really starting to get the members on board! We have a couple investigators who are really progressing; Bernard and his son, Jeff, Mark (an RLDS guy who had DEEP questions talked with another RLDS convert and us at the church for 3 hours), and Jon (the guy who is 6'9 and has the 160 pound dog) who is starting to gain a testimony of the BOM but he was concerned about Nephi killing Laban. Collin, try to answer that! Why would the Spirit tell someone to break a commandment???? Oh yeah, and Connie we shared the restoration with and she asked us for a BOM. We just went back and she bought a KJB to compare to the BOM which is sweet because those 2 books testify and confirm each other! She said she stopped looking for a true church because there are so many... so lucky her, she found it! It would be sweet if you could pray for these people and thank you so much for praying for my Visa. I get asked about it a lot and I just smile and say I have no idea
So I went on splits with the Zone leaders. We are really tight with them and Elder Bills is a district leader so he wanted to see how the masters do it. I went with Elder Kamalu in their area and MAN that day was thee least eventful day ever!!! Nobody wanted to talk to us! We didn't teach any lessons and even when we were tracting people were just really short with us and not having it. I thought I was pretty good at having a good attitude, but nope, not compared to Elder Kamalu. Instead of ever saying anything negative, when we got home he said, “lets pray”. He gave the prayer and just thanked for everything... everything!! It made me feel so much better just being grateful doing the Lord’s work. When we were planning, he told me that it's possible to never get discouraged on your mission and talked about how discouragement is one of Satan’s greatest tools... and we all know it not good to be a tool. So that’s why I really liked when I forget who talked about how loud laughter isn't good but having a sense of humor is important to help shake off some of the pressures of the world.
So with that, here is a funny story. When we were on splits, one of our appointments fell through so we decided to go and tract around that neighborhood. When we were heading back to the car, a door was open so I said let’s try that one. We knocked and a guy opened the door, and the first thing he said was, “I’m so glad you guys are here!” Which usually leads to something awesome like a lesson, but sadly no. He was just as high as a kite... He just told us to wait outside for the mailman and flailing his arms everywhere explained how we need to stop him because he goes all over the place... I love Missouri
As for you guys…Collin you better TRASH GILBERT! I know Cody Martin and Ty Hutchins are still God's Children, but I don”t think it would be a total sin to throw them down into the depths of humility! Aubrey, I’m soooo super duper sorry I just don’t have the time to write you a letter right now cuz I only can on P-days and they are BUSY. I will send you emails though. Mom how did you fall? Was it embarrassing? I love you guys SOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH!! Be good.
Love,
Elder Ward
p.s. I got to attend the ward luau and I got to learn to do the HAKA dance from Brother Olamaleva (Samoan). It was sweet and I felt cool, but I’m white so it really wasn't that cool!
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