May, cont.

Today we went to the Graham home and gave the first discussion to Hollie Graham. She is 20 and she and Adam were married in November 2007. She has a sixteen month old little boy. Because Hollie loves Adam, she already loves the church, it's teachings, and is very open. She said that she would be in church on Sunday! Yay!!

After giving her the discussion we went over to the HEB Grocery store to meet another less active member. We stopped to get a sample from a black lady and told her about the church and it's plan for families. It helped that she had a daughter, whom she loved. We got us a contact and hope to be able to teach her the Gospel too. Who knows?

People are so friendly here. They are easy to talk to. We even talked to the man who installed our cable for internet! We told him a little about the Gospel. We are enjoying our area and hope to be tools for Heavenly Father here.

Jen and Curtis and family came to see us on Sunday for my birthday!!! They met us at church and we loved having them attend church with us. Afterwards we came home and fixed dinner and hung out and talked the day away. We really enjoyed it. The kids were so well behaved. Unfortunately they had to leave at the end of the day after we did a puzzle, played a few games. It was wonderful to see them all, I loved this Birthday. For a while after they left I felt abandoned, but then the spirit kicked in again and got us busily involved. Thank you heavenly Father.

I forgot to mention a media Contact we visited on Monday, (Memorial Day.) Her name was Kathy Bell. She called the church because she had a friend who was "learning about other churches." The house was located in a "slummy" neighborhood and was quite run down. We stepped over things to get to the front door. After knocking we heard, "Come in!" We opened the door and walked in to total darkness. After our eyes adjusted we saw a room filled with junk among beer and wine bottles and cigarettes. There was a middle aged lady sitting on the couch and then two other middle aged people entered the room also.

Kathy was very nice and ask if we cared that she smoked and Leon said, "Well, yes, really! So they didn't smoke even though the room was already filled with it. One of the people , a male bout 50, told us that he had just gotten out of prison and had accepted God. Even though these people were only searching for information, it gave us the opportunity to practice our discussions!! They almost acted like they were on drugs, or something. We gave them the whole discussion and then we left. It was an interesting opportunity, the first of many I'm sure.

Media Referrals arrived this week with two referrals. We contacted them and one of them just wanted some help for people they knew who were just released from prison. The other man, when called, replied, "No way do I want a Mormon Bible," not very nice.

Tomorrow, Saturday, we are going to a retirement party at the church. We are hoping to meet some non-members and less actives. The retirement party is for a former member of this ward who moved to Wyoming. She is coming back for a visit and they are planning an open house and honoring her. It is a surprise and members of her family in this area are all coming who are not members of the church.


June 9, 2008

Time goes by so quickly here. We are learning and growing. We try to follow our personal study time and mission rules so that we can be blessed. It is a great blessing in our lives to be here and serve, and a testimony every day that the church is true is re-certified. We get such a high on the spirit when we are teaching.

Last week-end we had a couples conference with all of the couples in the mission, at the mission home with President Warner and his wife. We listened to the Warners teach us and felt their wonderful spirit and then we all were able to share our testimony of the Gospel. It was such a great experience to associate with such wonderful people. Afterwards we went to a soup and salad restaurant and had dinner, and then registered at the Motel and had a little get-to-gether there and shared our lives and experiences.

We all went to the Dallas Temple the next morning and then drove home. This temple is much like the Boise Temple. We felt very at home. It was nice because it was not a very busy day and we were able to take our time and enjoy this experience. We went home to give Adam and Hollie another lesson. They were not there, so we re-scheduled for the next night.

Wed night we met with Adam and Hollie and taught them the second lesson. It went very well because the spirit was there. Hollie is reading the Book of Mormon and told us that, yes, she would be baptized when she comes to know it is true. She says that she is reading and enjoys it.

Hollie, however, has not kept her commitment to come to church as yet. She has agreed to come, but did not show up for two weeks. We are supposed to teach her tonight. She is such a nice girl, no Word of Wisdom problems that we know of, and is excited about each step of the Gospel. I know she will eventually be baptized.

Last night we went to the Vega home and presented a family home evening for them. Leon made them an assignment board with all of their names on it. They seemed to like it. Bro. Vega was baptized in February and then his progression stopped with the change of missionaries. We gave a lesson on consequences. Our culture is so different than the one we felt in their home. He is Spanish and speaks English quite well, but does not understand the culture or the wording of some explanations.

We talked about doing the things we should do versus making choices to do what we want to do. They had a difficult time with this concept. They felt they should just do things when they wanted to do them. For instance, getting up early and going to church versus staying in bed and getting more sleep. They honestly thought the best choice was to stay in bed!! Then we played"Don't eat Pete!" They all loved it and all wanted to have their chance including the 21 year old son who was not active and the 19 year old daughter who also is less active. A great experience, then we shared some cookies I had made. What fun it is to help people live the Gospel!

In church yesterday, Hollie was a no show again; They talked a lot about Missionary Work; I led the singing and played for primary, since their director was out with her husband who had a cancerous kidney removed. We had at least one non-member there and met him, he was the spouse of one of the very active members. We need to get out to visit with them. Every week, sacrament meeting is an "experience."

We are searching for what the Lord wants us to do and trying to keep busy. Leon said yesterday that Jerry Lehr, who was baptized in January and was just called to be the assistant Ward clerk smelled like he had been smoking again.
We are still sorting out members for the Branch President and will try and meet with more this week.


June 11, 2008

It is amazing how the Lord let's us falter and then picks us up and teaches us. Yesterday Elder Whiting and I went down the road looking for less active people in the ward. It was tiring and discouraging because usually people do not want to be found. We put about 75 miles on the car, met with two people, and learned a lot. It was kind of like tracting because people are already attending different churches.

We met with one fellow who appeared to be in his thirties. He had tatoos all over his body including his stomach, (which he showed us!) TMI!!! He also had piercings everywhere. But he told us that he had gone to church in his youth and was an Eagle Scout!!! Wow, what happened?
He just had a rebellious spirit and as soon as he got away from his mom, he really showed her!!!
He weighed about 400 lbs and couldn't get out of his chair. He is going to another church, one that lets him do whatever he wants. How sad it was to see the price he has paid in his life. He was also on disability and said he had about 6 months to live. We had heard so much, we didn't ask why. We had listened to enough and he was very defensive. We just told him the Lord loved him.

Hollie came right from work to our lesson today. I know she was tired and hungry and so was Adam, they needed time together. I struggled for words. The interesting part was that Adam seemed to be doing better than usual. He gave an amazing opening prayer and Leon did a good job on his part. I came home a little discouraged, made a few phone calls and went to bed.

At some point while I was sleeping I had a dream: We were in Stake Conference and not many people came. We didn't have a choir and the regular organist was not there. We even had a smaller organ. In Stake Conference they sang a new song I didn't know. The words were clear:

"The Lord has a plan, ........The Lord has a plan, ........To strengthen the earth!"

That was it. I felt this was a message I needed to hear that I need to have faith in his plan and not my plan. If I am humble he will show me the way. I will try and do better. I love him and I will pray for Hollie. Tomorrow we are also making bread for Relief Society and also sour dough pancakes. Leon enjoys his sour sough.


June 12, 2008, Friday

A busy day. After studying this morning we went to find a branch member who said they wanted to meet with us. We went to where he said he was having a garage sale and there was no one home and no garage sale. After that we drove to the Canfields and visited with them. They are not members, but like our visits. They are about 80. He is a retired minister with a degree in Theology. Honestly I felt like we as church members know more about religion than he does. Leon laughed when I said that. But he didn't seem to understand a lot. We will try and go back and have a FHE once a week if we have time.

Tonight we are going to the Lehrs. They are also an older couple, about our age or older. Jerry was baptized a couple of months ago., Sylvia has not been baptized. They are good people. It is hard to work with people who do not make an effort themselves. But we will keep going back.

We went grocery shopping today and got a watermelon and some vegetables. We went home and made a vegetable spaghetti. It was so good.