We are doing really well. I am loving it! We made Alfredo sauce this week and it was awesome, Elder Crichton didn't like it so he added sweet chili sauce to it, so it definitely sucked after that but it was all good. The house is going to look different when I see it again. The concrete looks good. The temple trip is so cool, I am pretty jealous. I am also very jealous of Xoch and Ryan, especially for the movie. Elder Smiff said that I am evil for telling him about the movie, he has a deep and abiding love for Star Wars. Randy and Shawn will soon be part of the family, huh? That is so cool! They probably don't even remember who I am it's been so long. They seem to be a perfect addition for the family and they are going to be really good. They better step up their ping pong game before I get back (although, I am getting a little rusty.)
This Week:
We are so busy it is ridiculous. We are late to almost all of our appointments, we ran out of K's which means we can't use the car so we are walking everywhere. Because we are on foot so much it makes it so we can talk to heaps of more people. I feel like I am working so hard. It is a good feeling but I am exhausted. I am at the point that I am getting confused about who we are teaching what. Our lesson plans are so busy that nightly planning is taking us forever. This is probably one of the best parts of my mission so far. I am loving it and I am not looking forward to transfers. I am losing one of my companions because he is finishing and I think I might get transferred out but I hope not. Man am I tired! Brian and Jay are both doing really well. Brian is ready for this Saturday. Jay is cutting back on her smoking and drinking. If she sticks to her goal this week she should be able to make it. They both came to church and I am really hoping Jay keeps going.
We had a lesson with Brian again yesterday and we experienced another miracle. His brother Prince opened up to us. Prince is 54. Brian told us he has a learning disability. Usually Prince runs away from the missionaries but yesterday he sat in on our lesson. We were going over the baptismal interview questions for Brian. We finished up and Prince started asking us about baptism. He has been christened a catholic and baptized in a different church. We explained to him about how authority works. Prince then started to tear up. He told us that he wanted to leave and hide inside his room today but he kept having a feeling telling him that he had visitors, that they were here for him, even though he knew we were having a lesson with his brother. Prince said he was sick of people telling him what was right. He knows what is right. He said everyone has always just thought he was too stupid to know about the Bible and Church and stuff. But he isn't stupid, he knows he isn't. He did tell us he can't understand the Bible when he reads but if someone explains it and helps him he believes it. He said he feels left out because Brian and his sons Peter and Manuel are all going to be Mormon but he is a member of a different church. He says he wants to start living the word of wisdom, he can't be a Mormon because he smokes. He told us he thinks he is like Thomas or Peter when he was sinking in the water. He doesn't have the faith that he can quit. We were then given the opportunity to testify to him that Heavenly Father loves him, and we know that he is not stupid. We know that he knows, and that with some help he can become a member and be baptized by proper authority. Then Brian said "Hold on Elders, I think I know what Prince wants, the spirit is telling me." He then looked at Prince and said, "Prince would you like to be baptized this Saturday with me?" It was so funny. Prince looked at him and shook his head and said, "I can't rush into a baptism. Don't you know I need to quit smoking and drinking coffee first?" It was awesome. We set another appointment to come see just Prince and to have a lesson with him. It was a miracle - the Spirit has definitely been teaching him and softening his heart for a long time.
Yeah that's the week, one baptism this week, one next week, and we are looking at having one more in the next couple weeks after that, this is crazy. I will let you know how it goes. Hopefully I don't get transferred next week.
Love
Elder Summers