Week 41 Email

Week 41

All:

We've had some cool experiences this last week.

 

On Friday we went to go tracting. We tied up our bikes to a pole, walked across the street and knocked on the first door. Out jumped a young man, Nathan. "Come on in guys, do you want some kool-aid?" Elder Cheney and I were a little taken aback at his buoyant demeanor, him inviting us in and kool-aid on top of it all. Three things we are not used to. Of course, we said "sure" and walked in. In the kitchen were three glasses of red Kool-aid already poured. Which struck us a not just a little creepy. Nonetheless we drank it. I have to admit that I thought about Jonestown as I drank it. but decided "well, well just have to rely on the Lord to protect us if it's spiked." Luckily It wasn't. Nathan had spotted us parking our bikes and told us "I figured that it was God telling me to let you guys in. So I poured kool-aid." We had a really good discussion about God, faith, etc. He told us about how he was doing the typical worldy teenager thing (sex, drugs, alcohol etc) when he was in a helicopter crash. During which he found God (that sort of thing will do that to you) and has since developed a really good relationship with him (he's a Jesus, not religion kind of guy). All these things were great. But he wouldn't take a Book of Mormon. Since the only way to come to know if the things we teach are true is by reading from and praying about the Book of Mormon, Elder Cheney and I were rather devastated afterwords. He has such a good spirituality about him already the gospel would really help him to expand that. Agency can be annoying sometimes. Nathan did say we could come back though. Which is a good thing.     

 

I went on an exchange on saturday and did a ton of service. We moved some stuff for a yard sale, took out and installed a dishwasher, helped an old lady use Microsoft word, and mowed a lawn with an old-school manual lawnmower. The lawnmower was legit! Forget buying a gas mower. Using the manual one wasn't much more difficult, or much less effective.

 

The most exciting thing that happened to us this week was that we found the new investigator that we've been praying for. One of the members (one of the married leaders of the YSA ward) was looking for some less-actives when he found a part member family. Nell (member) and her boyfriend Aaron(non-member). The member went over a couple times and invited them to take the lessons from us, which they accepted. We went over there yesterday (the 214th) and taught the first lesson. It went amazingly. The spirit was there super strong. Aaron had a really good questions and wanted to learn. We also had some really good members along with us who helped us out. he committed to come to church with Nell (who hasn't been in forever herself) read and pray about the Book of Mormon and be baptized when he received his answer. He even said the closing prayer. 

Elder Cheney and I are so excited. Nothing has been happening for so long and we've been working and praying really hard. I love the whole "receiving the evidence" part of faith rather than the "trial of your faith" part (ether 12:6 I think). Things are looking up here. moral of the story: trust in the Lord and be patient for his timing.    

 

Funny quote I saw on someone's shirt the other day:

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to think they're original"

~Donny Miller

 

Thanks for you're support. Please write.

Elder Bryce Johns.