Our week went a lot better than last week! It's kinda funny and frustrating how a lot of our week depends on the weather. We've had mostly sunny days this past week, allowing us to get a lot more done! We met with Mauricio this week and taught him the Gospel of Jesus Christ. When we talked about faith he goes, "I already have faith, I just need faith in the Mormon religion!" So faith wasn't a difficult concept for him to grasp. We're finally going to be meeting with some potentials and other investigators this week, at last. The members in this work sure are great to work with, but you can only work with them when people are available! So that's been the hang up for us.
Funny story of the week. . . the funniest stories always come from tracting it seems like. We spent three good hours tracting one road in Yukon. A lot of neighborhoods have "No Soliciting" signs, and missionaries generally knock on these houses simply because we aren't selling anything. The gospel's free, last I checked! So according to Google, soliciting means "to ask for or try to obtain (something) from someone." As such we take that to mean selling something to someone on their doorstep. I recognize the definition says "to ask for" and we ask people to say prayers. But wait, doesn't anyone that knocks on your door generally....ask...for something? To talk to you? To request to be inside your house? So does soliciting mean that no one can come to your door...ever? Anyway, this update isn't about splitting hairs on definitions of English words. The point is, a very disgruntled son of God had a conniption fit when we tried sharing the gospel. We asked a guy how he was doing, and immediately he gets in our faces and starts cussing us out for knocking on his door! He didn't even know why we knocked on his door. He threatened to call the cops on us! Oh goodness...it really smelled like idol threat up in there. But on the bright side, we found a few good potentials in that neighborhood. It was a fun day of tracting!
On Friday we did part two of raking leaves at Nick and Stephanie's home. It was pretty frigid out there, and now I'm sick because of it. YAY! Again, on the bright side, we got to meet Stephanie, Nick's Italian wife. Now's my chance to put my Italian into practice! The moment I've been waiting for my whole mission career! Ha, just kidding, I forgot most of it when I had to learn Okie English. We met her and got to know them better. They seem really interested in the gospel, and Nick already knows quite a bit about the church. They've never been to an LDS church, so we're excited for them to come when they have the day free. We have several other potential investigators that just need to meet with us so we can teach them!
The recurring theme this week was member-missionary work. We had a meeting about it during church on Sunday, and we spent time earlier this week handing out Family Mission Plans to the ward members. A scripture that goes along with that comes from Alma 26:3 when Ammon recognizes the blessings he receives in the land of Zarahemla when he and his brothers spread the gospel to the Lamanites:
Behold, I answer for you; for our brethren, the Lamanites, were in darkness, yea, even in the darkest abyss, but behold, how many of them are brought to behold the marvelous light of God! And this is the blessing which hath been bestowed upon us, that we have been made instruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work."
It's pretty apparent that Ammon and his brothers felt the blessings of missionary work. So can you! I know how much of a blessing it is for medoing missionary work, so I know how much of a blessing it can be for you as well! I hope all of you have a great week. Share the gospel, learn something new, and receive blessings.
Elder Garner
P.S. Want CRAZY and VIVID dreams at night?? Eat and drink lots of chocolate just before you go to bed. You're on a diet? Eat chocolate anyway, it's worth it. Thanks to my companion/roommates, dreaming hasn't been the same. Living with three other missionaries sure gets interesting...
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