Sunday, November 13, 2016

Letter Home - Week 67

Hey Family!

It's been a great week! 

Monday was Halloween and it was swell. We contacted in the evening because our appointments fell through.

Tuesday we had zone mtg. It was different but nice not being the one teaching. It was well taught. Of the many things taught my favorite were the teachings on hope. It's a topic I want to study further. We were able to teach Thelma and Fred about prophets. They both believe Joseph Smith and Thomas S. Monson are prophets. It was cool because we just taught about Thomas S. Monson and following the prophet but as we asked if them believed he was a prophet they both quickly and firmly responded yes. The spirit works wonders. We also saw Adrian Brewster. He hasn't been keeping his appointments with us and was going to blow us off again tonight because he was tired but I told him it wasn't a good excuse and he sat down for a short lesson. We taught that he needed to keep his appointments in a loving way. We couldn't find out why he wasn't visiting with us. He says he still wants to have us come and teach him. We may sadly be dropping him shortly.  

Wednesday we had a member lesson on the restoration to practice teaching with Khalil (15 year old member). We also saw Joy. Her situation is tough. She has a boyfriend that doesn't want her to go to church. The boyfriend doesn't stay with her but he is her financial support. We taught about prayer and how she can pray to Heavenly Father and counsel with him and ask for help and guidance. 

Thursday we taught Akiel's brother Anderson. It was a cool lesson. He doesn't really have faith in Jesus Christ and he had questions from the last lesson where we read from Alma 32 on faith. We taught about faith in Jesus Christ and His atonement which is straight from out missionary purpose in helping others to come unto Christ and the spirit was felt during that lesson. I think it had an impact on Anderson. He had a lot of questions. We also saw Paul and Sally who are an awesome family that have been taught for a while. We gave them Alma chapter 5 and they only read half so we read some of it with them and talked about it. It's an amazing chapter that asks a ton of questions that helps us to reflect on our lives and how we would fair on judgement day. It will lead well into our next lesson with them on baptism. We are going to refocus with them to get them on track and working towards baptism. 

Friday was a great day for us. We made calls Thursday to set everything for Friday and it worked wonders. We were able to have 6 lessons today. We saw a less active named Keemar and talked about work and the Sabbath day with him because he works a lot and he said he would come but when we went by to bring him to church he was sleeping. His family said he got home from work around 4:00am so it's understandable. It takes him forever to bus home because there aren't buses at the time he gets off work so he takes a work bus that drops him off last of all the crew. We saw a really cool guy named Lewis. He is a truth seeker and has a lot of potential. He was taught by Elder Whipple and Elder Tye before a couple times but he needed a break for a while because of family issues. This was my first time meeting with him. He still remembered a lot from what was taught before and he's been reading and praying to know the truth. We taught it at the Garrison(A park/horse racing track) and it was really peaceful there. The spirit was really strong in that lesson and there was a sweet peace. He is a really good guy with good standards. He is smart and that lesson we were answering his many good questions and reviewing what had been taught before. He accepted baptism and to come to church in time when he is ready. When he prayed he didn't receive a no so he is having faith and pursuing forward. We had a first lesson with a lady named Sister Ford who is a strong Anglican and doesn't want to change religions. She is a happy and joyful old lady though. It was a nice lesson. We contacted into a lesson of a boyfriend and girlfriend named Jade and Jamila who were awesome! We started talking about the book of mormon and she was way interested and happy to let us share more with her. They both accepted baptism. Jade wanted to know why there are so many churches because he believes there should only be one. It was cool. We gave blessing to a less active for health reason's granddaughter. It was a neat experience. I'm always grateful for the opportunity to participate in a blessing. We taught Thelma and Fred the Word of Wisdom. We had given them the pamphlet and they read it and already began living the word of wisdom before we even taught them. They drank tea but completely gave it up. Thelma said she was telling Fred a few weeks earlier that she felt like she needed to change up her eating habits. Again the workings of the spirit! It was awesome! We found that Thelma's surgery got postponed and it will happen today. Hope all goes well. We saw Kim,Chaka(Kim's daughter), and Latonia(Kim's sister) and taught about the restoration. It was a normal lesson. Today was a good day. 

Saturday we had planned service to be the whole day until 5:00pm because we had a service project and it was also the international day of service so the branch was to do a service project but both got cancelled due to the rain. So that made things fun for us. We spent most of that time contacting. We saw a guy named Wendell and taught about what he needs to do to prepare for baptism. It went over well. He hasn't been acting lately so we are going to have to help him keep his commitments. We will have a lesson on the importance of keeping commitments to help him. 

Sunday was church. Chris came! We went by to bring him to church and he came. We walked with him. He enjoyed it. That was a big step for him. He is a guy that sits on the block and drinks and smokes but because of his big desire to change he exercised him faith and came. Sally and her two sons Christian and Thierry also came for the first time in a while. They loved it and the branch members were awesome in helping to fellowship her by exchanging numbers and stuff. We saw Jennifer and Pearson and taught about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and invited them to be baptized. Pearson said he wants to but not now. Jennifer said she would and accepted to work towards the 7th of January(Kaylee's birthday:) ). We contacted into lesson with a guy named Anton that was super interested and so willing to act and do what we invite him to. We gave him a book of mormon and he is excited to read it. Today we also found that Joy's boyfriend found that she had been having lessons with us and got really upset. He threw away all her books and smashed her phone so we couldn't call. It was really sad to hear. She is really disappointed that we can't visit with her and that she can't go to church. She accepted another book of mormon that she will keep at her friends house so she can still read. We invited her to keep praying and hope for the best in the future. Hopefully things will change and an opportunity again unfolds for her. We are keeping her in our prayers. 

Joy and Akiel - we haven't been able to really meet but we are still trying with them. There is still potential and interest. 

Dario - He is the pastor guy but he isn't really interested. He stopped reading the book of mormon and focused his studies on other things. 

Eon and Leo - They are brothers. We've had a few lessons. Leo began reading the tracks. They like to play dominoes a lot so for a short time we played with them. It helped them understand that we are normal and like to have good fun. Leo read 3 Nephi 11 that we had left him but he couldn't find until we showed him during that time. That was cool. 

Roger and Sharon - They are the cool family searching for the truth. We had an appointment for Saturday but something came up for them so we couldn't have the lesson but she said they've been reading the book of mormon together and she was really happy when we saw her. 

Thelma and Fred's daughter and granddaughter- we don't really know anything about them. They had to leave right after Sacrament. We are going to be trying to start teaching her and others in Thelma and Fred's family. We are going to ask them for family referrals and have Thelma and Fred help bring their family into the church. That's the goal. 

Adrian - we haven't been able to find him anywhere. He doesn't have a phone and we haven't been able to find him by his home and we go by often to check. 

Shani and Cory - They are doing a 6 week course study and won't be able to meet now until it's over. He was feeling sick so we brought by some cookies for him. We did for Adrian Brewster as well. 

Joan and Keith - I think these are the ones you are referring to when you say we committed them to read the book of mormon. We had an appointment but it fell through. Joan said she read though. 

Hope you like all the info! Thanks for the pictures! I like all the costumes and I love the pumpkins! Thanks also for the quote. It's true and I love it. This church and gospel are truer and true. Have a blessed week!

With buckets full of love!
Elder King

I love you all!

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