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My Companion and I |
Hello there, I am speaking to you people I cannot see, and there are yet Many of you whom I will not for a long time, at least another 365 days until my time is up, and I become one year wiser.
Thanks a bunch for the HAPPY BIRTHDAY wishes, it was really cool to be able to read the many emails and messages that you all sent me.
We have been busy this week. To add to an Apostle coming last week, we had Zone conference on Wednesday. This meeting takes up most of our day, and we are lucky if it isn't far away and won't eat up our miles. Regardless, it is a great experience. Many missionaries get a chance to show the talent they may have in playing the piano, the violin or even singing. One Elder, who happens to be my zone leader, played us a Hymn he arranged himself. This was his last Zone conference, so he put his heart and soul into what he played. It was a very sweet moment for us who knew him. This Elder in particular is a masterful piano player. He, just for practice, would have two piano - one on each side of him, and he ,without looking, at each could play almost any song we could request, he is GOOD!
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My Companion is a Piano Man |
I was able to finally meet with a new family of members that moved in in the past month. They are a very talented bunch. They each like to participate in plays or in other "Theater production" as they might say. They also "Dabble" in guitar and singing. The mother of the family makes the clothing for may different theater programs, so right on the spot she offered to tailor our suits, hem up our pants and even fix any ripped clothing us missionaries could bring to her.
Missionaries help lots of people move in and out of homes, and many of those times we don't get a chance to dress in normal clothes. In one of the experiences I had helping people move, I squatted down to pick something up, and heard a "tearable" sound, a sound that once heard can never mean anything good. Sure enough my pants had ripped, but not completely, I was temporarily safe.... butt not for show. 🤣 (I'm so funny, laugh with me not at me). Anyways these members have saved me.
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Our Entire Mission when the Apostle Came to Visit |
We were looking for one of our friends we had lost contact with in the past month, we didn't catch him, but before we left this trailer park we got a feeling that somebody there needed our help. So we started tracking and found Brandy.
Brandy is a super cool lady. She is heavily involved in another church and works hard to serve those who have less than she does (homeless people). She loves our church and what us missionaries do for the people. She talked with us for a long time, while conversing withe her, we found that she had just finished moving and was on her way to her new home. It was about then we found that we were going to be late for a meeting. We got her new address (then lost it later) and before we could go, she told us about somebody who had just lost almost everything and his electricity was turned off. His name is Lewis.
We came back to the trailer park to meet Lewis the next day. When we first met him he was hesitant about talking to us, saying he was too busy and did not have time for us. Then my companion at the time (we were on exchanges), Elder Robb asked him, "what if meeting with us is God trying to reach out to you". Those words stumped him. He told us that he was baptized into our church a few years ago, but he fell away because he felt like everything he worked hard at failed, he thought that it meant that God didn't love him. We met with him the next day and he told us that his wife (who alps happens to be a member also said that, "meeting with us was probably God trying to reach out to you". He then knew that he no matter what had to come back to the church, and try his best to repent and come unto Christ. It's so cool to be apart of a conversion experience like this.
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A Gift - They only have girls, which explains the bag |
Reminds me of another conversion story in the Book of a Mormon.
In Alma 38:7-9, Alma is talking to his son about how the Lord helped him turn from his old ways and repent.
7 But behold, the Lord in his great mercy sent his angel to declare unto me that I must stop the work of destruction among his people; yea, and I have seen an angel face to face, and he spake with me, and his voice was as thunder, and it shook the whole earth.
8 And it came to pass that I was three days and three nights in the most bitter pain and anguish of soul; and never, until I did cry out unto the Lord Jesus Christ for mercy, did I receive a remission of my sins. But behold, I did cry unto him and I did find peace to my soul.
9 And now, my son, I have told you this that ye may learn wisdom, that ye may learn of me that there is no other way or means whereby man can be saved, only in and through Christ. Behold, he is the life and the light of the world. Behold, he is the word of truth and righteousness.
Yesterday, the members who were feeding us found out it was my birthday, and for my birthday, they let us borrow a guitar and sent us home with 4 jars of peanut butter! OH YEEAA! I couldn't have gotten a better gift.
Anyways, thank you for your letters and messages, they really help brighten my day when I read them.