Interviews, Exchanges & Fun

Hello friends and family, hope you all had the best week ever, mine was pretty good I can't wait to tell you about it!!! 

Monday for our district activity we looked at the solar eclipse with 4 pairs of sunglasses on and we could see part of it!! Then we had a little ice cream party as well. We got to go to the Meiks for dinner again which was really fun, then we had a nice visit with the Armstrong family!!!  

Tuesday was district council. We reviewed our conference notes together which was really cool! Many of us got something different out of the same talk which is awesome. The Spirit works in all of us in a different way and tells us what we need to hear!! Did some service at James Storehouse, then had to take my companion to the doctor because he's been sick, but is a lot better now. Then we had a lesson with our friend Dan who shared with us a movie he is writing which was pretty cool! 

Wednesday was interviews with President Rodriguez! From him I mostly learned and was reminded that in every rich area there is a "Hill Comorah". There's an area where humble people who are ready to receive the gospel are, we just have to find it, as well as the importance of finishing strong! It was crazy when he brought up the fact I only have 2 transfers left.... After interviews we went on an exchange and I was with Elder Hoschouer. We played basketball with 2 kids at the park and one of them once we started talking about the gospel was excited because he has friends that are members! Then we met Gilberto and his son David who loved learning about the Book of Mormon, but unfortunately we only got a number and they haven't been responding... Then we got to play dodgeball with the young men! 

Thursday we had a lot of time to knock and talked to a lot of kind people who were either Jewish or just not interested in learning more about Jesus Christ... but we did meet Bob and Colleen who were super sweet and invited us back over! Then we had a great lesson with Brandon a friend of a member, then had a fun visit with the Pettit family!! 

Friday we had a lesson, but kind of a bash with our friend Jacob. He had some curious questions it was just hard to tell if he wanted to actually know the truth or if he was trying to prove us wrong. But it was a nice conversation. Then we taught Max. He loved the idea of God talking to everyone and wanted to read the Book of Mormon, so hopefully all goes well there!! Then we visited the Sheflo family and had a really nice visit with them! 

Saturday I was on an exchange with Elder Malm. I got to go back to my old area which was really fun! We stopped by the Johnsons who are amazing, then went knocking in the rain! Met some kind people, a lady who wanted to tell us what we believed, and got a lot of free chocolate milk from a family in their ward! The rain kind of killed the day, but it was a fun one and not many people wanted to hear from wet messengers from Jesus Christ... But, it wad a blast!! 

Sunday was great. Got to go to ward council, had great testimonies that were shared, and a great lesson about Elder Kearon’s conference talk. So we talked a lot about the doubts or roadblocks we put in our own minds, but as we remember who we are, our Heavenly Father can break down these walls and allow us to grow closer to Him.  But we have to find a way to keep doubt and fear out of our minds, and if we do that, God will make it to us without having to break down too many walls along the way!!! We had a fun dinner with the Taylor's, then our lesson with Max fell through....

"Many other organizations can and do make your life better here in mortality. But no other organization can and will influence your life after death."

 - Russell M. Nelson 

It's amazing to recognize that all other churches have some good, but ultimately the joy, peace, and love of God that we feel as we embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the knowledge of the Plan of Salvation, it changes lives and I've had the privilege of seeing that first hand through my mission. This gospel changes people's lives and it has changed mine too! 

Hope you all had a great week, I really enjoyed mine. Love you all!!! 

Pics: Johnson Family, Cool study spot, Elder Hoschouer, Pretty sky, Elder Malm