October 20, 2008

Dear Mom,

Goodies? What goodies? Man, that was a lot of goodies! I won't be able to eat it all! Sharing? Pssh, that was the Mosaic law! Just kidding. I've been so busy I haven't had time to eat the snacks or anything...just busy as a bee!

This week was nuts! I was so busy, and it looks like I'll be up for a busy week yet again! At least I'm not like, 'so elder, what should we do today?' 'Uh...knock doors?'

Recap!

Smokey Monday. Not much fun. I was so tired and stressed from all the stuff I have to do, but it turned out okay. Tuesday was pretty busy and I really enjoyed it. Wednesday was busy. Thursday and Friday and Saturday and Sunday...

Tuesday we met with an old investigator Delilah Thompson and her family of four. Her kids loved the elders almost two years ago but they got whitewashed so they stopped the discussions. They admit it wasn't the same without the elders they grew to love. The elders even told them, don't base it off of us, but I guess they didn't introduce members to be their friends. They were serious about listening to us this time. They even re-scheduled our appointment when they couldn't do it the Saturday before! That's really unusual. They're golden.

The middle of the week was a blur to be honest. All I remember is that we re-taught the Plan of Salvation to Susan, our recent convert, and she spat it back at us. She knew that plan very well. She testified that it made sense. God wouldn't condemn those who didn't hear the Gospel. She hopes her mother will receive the Gospel in the spirit world, because she was a good person. She has that hope, and that's what converted her. Really amazing how the Lord prepares his Chosen. Later that evening we taught a lesson to the Lunas, or tried to. The dad came late due to Back to School Night, so we ended up waiting forever for him. Not his fault that his daughter (Cindy's step-daughter) was failing classes. But, we had a short and powerful lesson on the law of the fast...and they committed to keep it. But, the greatest thing was, that as we waited with Cindy...she said she knew it was her time. Everything is falling into place. She felt we weren't counting them as a 'number'. The Lord prepares us to be instruments in His hands, we just have to put our trust in him and grin and bear it...to do His work.

Friday was busy. Our district meeting went pretty well, too bad my elders didn't take it seriously. But the sisters did, as usual. They know what's up. We get home from lunch (we ate at a local Chinese joint) and we get the call from the zonies to help out a move. The Sherman Oaks elders, the zonies, and this member and her daughter were moving since 9 AM, and the S.O. elders came to district meeting a bit late due to that and the zonies took over. It's about 2:30 and so we zip over there so the zonies could go to their appointment. We end up being there, helping her move, until about 8:40 pm. A long day indeed. We canceled our appointments because Elder Sara (the Sherman Oaks senior comp) told us earlier that it was dire. We had to finish the move that day so the member could get out of a bad situation. We did, and I enjoyed it. I was dead tired, but it was good to help someone out. We were super thirsty though because she didn't have water on her or in her new place....but her daughter came to get us water (long after the member promised us some...oh well no one is perfect, right?). A really good service opportunity. Afterwards, we stopped by Target on the way home and then by the Luna's softball game. The parents are really tight with us and they tell us a lot of jokes. So Cindy, the mom, is out of shape and Junior, the dad, is out of shape too. They joked before that Cindy saw some Icy Hot muscle rub in the medicine cabinet and said it was Junior's. Junior said I don't know what you're talking about. So at Target, we get some muscle rub and put it in a toothpaste box to give to Junior. We stop by their softball game and say hello and stuff...then we hand Junior the toothpaste and he's like 'what, does my breath stink?' He opens it, sees the muscle rub and just laughs. He's the third base coach, and while he's laughing one of his teammates hits a single, first baseman bobbles it so she runs to second...and he's still laughing. Not paying attention. Just made my night to see him almost die of laughter. We called later to see if we could use some, jokingly, and Junior said Cindy used half of it by now so it's almost gone. Hilarious! To make it worse, it's menthol so it smells pretty funky. We bought it on purpose for fun. Haha! She really liked it because it worked, but she didn't really like the smell. We were in our moving clothes and so as we were walking up in normal clothes, Junior's sister-in-law said, it's the elders. Cindy's like...huh? Where? We walk up and say hello...she said to her daughters, 'look the elders are here!' and they look to the parking lot side as we are right in front of them. So funny!

Saturday was super busy! Appointments and busy things to do every hour. We had correlation meeting, followed by knocking doors around a media referral (we got some good potentials there), a twenty minute lunch followed by Bill Cox, a old black man who loves reading Captain Moroni's story, June Hinahon, who we surprised by committing him to pray for a baptismal date (he was visibly surprised...it was quite a sight to see!) followed by Raul and girlfriend Lesley, who both absorbed the Restoration lesson and Lesley really felt the Spirit. Raul is a son of a member, he's less active. Followed by members taking us out to eat at Sizzler's, then a little run through of some games for FHE with the Luna's. Lots of fun. We were so busy though!

Sunday was nice. If you pray for the Spirit, the Lord will provide it for us. I prayed for it, and was edified at church. One of the high council speakers portrayed Jesus Christ in the Lamb of God, Brother Mark Deakins. I love hearing him speak. He speaks frankly and boldly, but with the power of the Spirit. He pointed out, that in Christ's coming to the Nephites, that the voice was heard thrice. The third time was when the people looked and opened their ears to the sound...and they saw Him coming from heaven. We must physically turn to Christ so he can come to us. I never really thought much about that. An edifying lesson indeed. Also, our priesthood class went great. Bro. Dave Pickett gave a great lesson on the Kingdoms of Glory from the Joseph Smith book. What stuck out to him was that we must be diligent to obtain the highest, and only in the highest kingdom reside those who made the new and everlasting covenant. No other kingdom has that. And, in the telestial, they 'deny not the Holy Spirit'...they just choose not to follow these spiritual promptings. That's why Cain would be in the telestial world. Heavenly visitations, but refused to follow such divine counsel. You learn a lot if you open your mind to the lessons. I love the Spirit, and I love the Gospel! Later that night...we gave Cindy a blessing of health and comfort...and she cried. She gets up to shake our hands and said, 'I'm not a crier'...I just remember feeling that they all will be sealed together forever in the temple. Jessica and Jiselle, the oldest two, were from Junior's previous marriage and right now need permission to be sealed to Cindy by the first wife...and I had a feeling during the blessing that all of them will be sealed as a family. A comforting feeling indeed.

This church is true. Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. The Book of Mormon is God's word on earth today, and is better than the Bible.

Stay safe, and I love you all.

Love,
Spencer