Lots of things have happened

Sent: Monday, February 7, 2011 9:54:34 AM

All right so this letter is going to be very long because a lot of things have happened in the last week.

I have to get my planner out because I can't remember every detail.

On Wed and thurs we went to the training meeting for leaders and the sisters were invited. My district was all there except one elder. The district leader's comp. We learned how to practice teaching better, how to plan and use our time wisely when studying and how to rely on faith and not fear. We also ate really good!!!! We stayed the night in Bloomfield Hills with the other sisters in my district. I was able to teach with Sister Mary Vance who I know from BYU. We taught a member who found out last week she has pancreatic cancer. Then her neighbor came over to giver flowers. Her name is Lynn. Lynn was taking the lessons but was dropped a few months ago. So while Lynn was cutting the flowers I took advantage of the moment and starting teaching a lesson instead of leaving. Lynn listened and commented on a few things. She even came and sat down on the floor to listen. I talked about a Living prophet, our purpose and the Book of Mormon. She agreed that all that I was saying made sense. So I felt comfortable following that comment to ask her if she desired to have the Holy Ghost with her always. She answered with a yes. So I asked her if she would be baptized!!! She said soon after that she had already been baptized. So, I introduced the priesthood, and she said, "We are on two different sides of the street. If you could find a meeting line then maybe I would do something. But right now I don't believe you need authority to baptize." She said she was Lutheran. I thanked her for having faith in Jesus Christ and told her that if she reads the Book of Mormon she will find even more truth to the Gospel she already knows. She left after a prayer and trusted me and I could tell she respected me more. That was a miracle that I was able to tell President Holmes at the training meeting continued the next day.

There were two men from the MTC who travel to different missions to help them progress. They were impressed by our mission president on how fast he is able to changes things on his own knowledge and effort. I was proud to hear that. We have upped every goal since Nov. and Dec. 25% more baptisms a month. But we can do even better.

So I left those meetings a new missionary, and I am lucky because i have only been out a small time.

In PMG the summaries of every lesson in Chp 3 I have started to read over and over to feel comfortable being able to teach a lesson at the door when tracting. I feel that Sister Corbridge is feeling an urge to tract more soon. SO I should prepare my self... Ugh tracting:(

SOOO Sat is what I really wanted to talk about. We taught Tony who is getting baptized on Feb 19. He is quitting alcohol, swearing, and trying to sleep. We asked his fellowshipper Ryan if he could give him a blessing. Tony is fired up and ready. We get to experience finding someone and seeing them baptized. That doesn't happen usually. We taught him the restoration simply using a note book to draw pictures of Tony reaching the gate and what happens while he endures. He said that made a whole lot more sense.

Then we went to a part member home. The martins!!! Rida(wife) and Veronica(daughter 9) are going to come to church next sunday. They are committed to read and pray every night together. After we prayed Rida held Sister Corbridge so tight and started crying thanking her for what we had to offer. She said that her family needs this so badly. Veronica wanted to come to church because we made it sound like so much fun. We left so pumped up!!!! The spirit filled in the spots, while we were teaching as simply as we could. And I have to just bear testimony that whenever you teach with a child who is listening the lesson runs with such ease and I love it every time. They make such sweet comments. It felt like Sara was there which made me thank my God even more. Family memories flooded my mind as we were there. I love my Family.

That night we went to Brother Rays trailer. He is committed to be baptized on March 5th. Pray that he quits smoking in time. He is the most charitable person I have ever met that is not Mormon. Since there is so much snow, he cleared the whole court for his neighbors. With his crushed heel. So we came when he had just finished our parking spot. He is all limping with his big gray boot. The sight was touching yet frustrating cause if he doesn't quit smoking and treating his leg like this we keep threatening him he is going to lose his leg. Which helps him get focused!!! Ha ha ha!!! So we get in side and start teaching out of Matt 6. Good chapter for him. Things really got in to perspective about forgiveness and how he needs to put his trust in God. Of course I had already made the choice that I was leaving that night with all his cigarettes and his smoking machine. He makes his own. So I grabbed the machine, the filters, and the tabbaco and put it in front of him. He GASPED!!!! I took his hand and we told him what needs to be done of he wants to be baptized. Good news is he let us chuck it!!! Bad news is he caught Sister Corbridge taking his new pack of ciggarettes and said, "but not those"!!!! So we argued for a bit telling him he doesn't need it. But he won and we left frustrated as ever. I felt bad that Sister Corbridge put herself in that situation. We were surprised the next day when we came over the Change that came over him. He had a nice shirt on. He brought out his ties so that we could help him pick which one to wear at his baptism. We were shocked. But he said that he made a deal with God that he would quit. Now if we could get that last pack and his lighter. That is our next step. But he needs to give it to us and have it be his choice. He didn't come to church because he slept in. But I have a good feeling we will see him in a shirt and tie next week and the following after. He was a new man when we saw him last night. I love him and I know the Angels in heaven are cheering for him. And that's what we told him last night. We taught him about the Gifts of the Spirit. And we told him that he could have any of those but he needs to seek after them and pray to know if what he has seen in his past with seeing the devil and Christ and seven angels lifting up his head, if those were from God or Satan. And only him and the Lord through prayer and through the Holy Ghost will know. He really liked that and said he would pray. Well that was a miracle night as well.

Tithing stories. Debi Gennero was a woman we were teaching but she has not been in town lately. But last time we taught her she was saying how much she wanted to be in a family that loved her and treated her like a daughter. We were about to leave when she handed my comp a 100 dollar bill. She said it was her tithing. "If I am going to be baptized and a member of your church I better be doing my part. Will you take this to your head guy." We told her she didn't have to until she was baptized but that didn't make a difference. She said then take it and let him decide which family needs it. So we took it and gave it to the Bishop. She was so grateful that we were willing to do that. I was shocked. I have heard investigators wanting to pay tithing before but not that much. She was an inspiration to both Sister Corbridge and me.

So Sacrament Meeting was awesome. An investigator Nick Adkin and friend came to our ward. Sister Stroup works with both of them. Sister Stroup bore her testimony on missionary work and how Tony has changed completely. She talked about how Tony has been an example when it come to reading the Book of Mormon. Instead of going for an after lunch smoke he was reading on his I-pod the scriptures. That hit her so hard. She also said that one of those great kids were here at church. Nicks  face just lit up!!! She came down after a fabulous testimony and then surprisingly a little boy went up and bore a sweet powerful testimony. He didn't end in the name of Jesus Christ, but it was powerful. And when he finished Nick Adkins says to me, "I have to go up there." He walks up there and introduces himself as that kid Sister Stroup was talking about and that Tony was the kid who surprised him when he found him reading instead of smoking. Nick thanked everyone for being so kind to him and his family. And told us that he wants the happiness we have. I wanted to yell across the room and commit him to baptism right there. But that would not be good so I just cried. An investigator bore his testimony!!!! WOW! Every one liked that Sunday. Nick is going to be baptized.

Great things are happening and while I am apart of it I will finish strong, in the Spirit!!!!