Lasagna and skyping with Family

May 9, 2016

So this week was fairly interesting...

•   Presidential Interview

•   Video all home (Happy Mothers Day!)

•   Got my bag back

•   Got in contact with Jeff!!!

•   Teaching Miracles

•   Personal Pasta Platter

So, it seems like a lot right? Well... It might not take as long to read as ya might think... That is about as false as.... things that are false? I'll think of something that will work with that phrase.

The "Presidential Interview" was with my mission president. Whatever may be happening with the presidential elections, I try to stay out of it as much as possible. And from what I have heard, I am glad I am on a mission.

 Anyway, found out my mission president's favorite animal is a jaguar. That was super cool, then he gave me some advice for preparing for home life (when the time comes). The craziest part was getting to the interview. Originally it was a five minute drive away, but our mission president was running late so he asked if we could meet at another location which was an hour drive away (because if he didn't meet us there, all 8 other interviews would be pushed back 3 hours). We found out about this about an hour and a half before our interview time. So it was super hectic trying to get a ride over there. We were able to get one and were 3 minutes early to the interview. Good stuff.

About 7 weeks ago I left my bag at an investigator's house and we haven't seen him since then besides the past Tuesday and when he saw us, he pointed at me and said "Your bag, here you go". I was so happy (not 100% about getting the bag, that was about 7% because I could have obtained another bag, I was just glad we got in contact with him, and he invited us to teach his girlfriend, who has a copy of the Book of Mormon and wants to read it with him daily!!

 You might notice I am not going in order of the bullet points... I wish to save the Mother's Day call for last. We hadn't seen Jeff in a long while and it was my goal on Thursday to go and see him, so we went to the bus stop and walked down the street and Elder Shupe recognized Jeff from a distance and we waved and he did too! We set up an appointment with him the next day and we had a wonderful discussion with him about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and about how prepared he is to change and be baptized.

After our lesson he asked us when he would be able to come out with us and teach people and we said, come with us right now! He had to look after he 4yr old daughter then but said that he will be baptized and the only thing left is to have his wife agree. I fasted for him this past week. He is keeping all the commitments we left with him and doing well. Please pray for Jeff.

So we had about 4 lessons fall trough Friday night and we decided upon lunging down a referral that we had been trying to locate for the past week but this night I think we were a bit more determined because the Spirit said "it's time". We found His house!! But he wasn't home... So we knocked some doors around the neighborhood and almost every single person whose door we knocked on, they not only let us in but wanted to be baptized as well!! Even the Baptist preacher said that he wanted to read the Book of Mormon again and ask God to know if it was the best to understand Jesus Christ. What we told him is that "it goes hand in hand with the King James Bible and tells of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ and fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ" and that he will know.

Okay so this picture is wonderful, especially the backstory behind it. So there was recently a baby born in the congregation and people will volunteer to make meals for the family. A member made a meal for this family and found out that the family already had 2 meals that night made for them and the dish was something that couldn't really be eaten over a period of long time, so they gave the entire pan to me. An entire homemade Italian lasagna. The reason I say it was homemade Italian was because they made it from scratch and both of the parents went to Italy for their missions. They said they wanted me to have it to thank me for the service that I have done so far. It was very appreciated.

 Mom. Mother's Day. Got to video chat with my family!!! That was so wonderful, I forgot how much I missed them. Coco the dog is still alive!! Hang in there Coco!!  That is like my one main fear... if Coco dies.... But is all good, she is part of the family and I am sure God will help me out with it somehow. The family is doing good and we are all excited for my sister going off to college!! That will be an adventure! Basically they asked me a bunch of questions about what was going on and I did as well, apparently I have changed a bit... In a good way! No worries. But yeah, life is good. God is Great. Don't ever think ya ought to hate. Love the people, anyway. Soon you'll see, it's a beautiful Day.

John 3:16

May God Bless and catch ya next week.