Tuesday, August 15, 2017

JULY 31, 2017

Hey y'all, 

This week turned out to be a great week! Not a whole lot of time to write this week, but I will share a few updates and highlights. 

We had been meeting with Sheryl almost everyday this week to prepare her for her baptism on Saturday, but unfortunately Satan creeped in on the latter days of the week... yet again. Sheryl's family started giving her a ton of grief about getting baptized and telling her how much of a mistake it was. What was even crazier was that she started receiving phone calls from her long lost "prayer friends" that wanted to "pray" with her, but apparently just ended up bashing on us and trying to convince Sheryl not to go through with it. Anyways, long story short on Friday night she had a panic attack and had to rush to the emergency room. She had been having them years prior, but of course all of a sudden they started coming back this week. It was definitely very disappointing at first, but it has only since strengthened my testimony. It is only expected on baptism week to have major struggles since Satan is trying his very hardest to stop it from happening. However, it will only make the event that much more special when it happens. Sheryl is so prepared and could make an immense difference in the community in bringing the gospel to so many people, and that is why it is going to be a battle. I know the gospel is true, it wouldn't be hard if it wasn't. It would just be some other church. They say that Mormons have a church building on every corner over in the West, but I can tell you that Louisiana has a church building on every corner in the South, but they are all entirely different haha. The church is true though, so it makes it all worth it. I am so grateful that I get to see the miracles of missionary work every single day no matter the struggle. Please keep Sheryl in your prayers.

We have been working with several part member families and gaining so much progress. So many of them have been coming to church as well, so there is some serious potential stirring up. One of them, Reggie, met with missionaries about 10 years ago even before his wife did, but lost contact with them. We have started to teach him again, and the miracle was when we decided to open up to Alma 32. We asked if Reggie would start reading in verse 21 and when he opened it up on his phone he found that verses 21-44 were already marked. How could that be? Well, because miracles are real and Heavenly Father is there. He told us he really needed to start reading and praying now! Let's goo. 

Our investigator Allison, the one that received her first bible the day before we met her, has been doing so well. We met with her twice this week and she is such a seeker for truth. Both times we met at a young family's home and had the lesson there. The last lesson was so powerful. She came with a list of questions and as we answered them we gave her a B.O.M. The spirit was so strong and her friend Danielle who was there for "moral support" started asking questions. It was so cool. 

Well, nothing super crazy this week but it was still great! Oh, except for piling up 6 mattresses on the back of the truck and somehow tying them down to drive on the highway. I wish I would've snapped a photo, that was unreal. #Onlyinthesouth 
Love y'all, hope you have a faaantastic week!!!

Love,
Elder Wilson