Letter from July 28, 2014

     So I'll start with church this Sunday. None of our investigators showed up for church, none of them showed up last week either. The A***** P*** guy who wanted to learn more about our church hasn't returned any of our calls or anything. So unless he calls us or shows up to church randomly he isn't someone we are teaching regularly. This week we did have a lesson with R**** P**** a single mother of 2 kids. Our member couldn't come with us to the lesson so we had to sit outside in the humid sun and bake, but we taught the Plan of Salvation using a wooden puzzle that Elder Dean gave me. We taught it to her 9 year old son who is really smart BTW. He perfectly pointed out that he wanted to be where God was and he made it clear that God was in the Celestial Kingdom. So that helped out the lesson a lot. R**** isn't super interested because she was forced into religion when she was younger and she didn't like that so much. So she is slowly understanding the purpose of religion.

     This week we also had dinner with a member every single day. It was really awesome, especially when I kept hearing about how the members are glad the missionaries now mean business and want to work. So that uplifted me. At every single member meal we were given ice cream for dessert. So I have had ice cream 6 days in a row. The foods that we usually eat at a members home are Grilled chicken, or hamburgers/hot dogs, pasta, pizza, a member even fed us cheese steak subs, and another member fed us shrimp on top of pasta with spinach which was also super good. I've noticed over time that the missionary diet isn't the perfect diet.

     But this past Saturday we had service lined up all day. In the morning we went over to the church to pick weeds and spread new mulch into the planters, and than we went to an investigators house to split more wood, than after that we went to a members home to help them build a deck on the outside of their trailer and than sand and paint part of their house. So we definitely got our fair share of service this week. I also noticed this week that when the weather isn't all gross and rainy that people are a lot nicer and their "New England Shells" aren't there anymore. We try to talk with everyone we can and that's something I'm working on, and its awesome just being able to have a good conversation with someone. Most of the time they avoid religion, but I'm not the type to cram religion down their throat and say you need GOD! But I try to share the gospel by my example to others. I heard a quote once that said "Preach the gospel everyday; if necessary use words." That is an awesome quote that I try to live by.

     We had a lesson with Helen Stockwell, the one that got baptized last Sunday. We went over there in hopes of talking about the Plan of Salvation but Helen had other plans. She pulled out the Restoration pamphlet and flipped to the back where the questions are located and she had written down her answers and she wanted to know what our answers were. So I thought it was really cool that she technically had a lesson prepared for us and that helped because it showed that she has a desire to learn more and that is something I don't see everyday.

     Every Wednesday we help out at a local mom and pop restaurant called Simply Comfort. One of the employees there named Mathew just went through a recent break up and got kicked out of the house he was living in so he had to start fresh and new with 4 kids to take care of. So he found an apartment but nothing else. We called around and found him a bed, and a bed frame, a dinner table, and lots of pillows, sheets and blankets. We are still trying to help him out more. He did show some interest in the church when he told us we had 8 minutes to tell him about Mormons and what our beliefs are. So we had some prime time with him telling him what we believe. Hopefully those questions continue. We had a pretty event full week and it went by pretty fast.

      Gotta get going but thanks for all the continued support. Again I really appreciate it!

Sorry, no pictures this week!!