Happy Holidays y'all!
People keep saying Spring is now here, but definitely feels like Summer to me. I think Louisiana has 2 seasons: Summer, and even hotter Summer. It's a good time!
This week was another one for the books. Just amazing things happening here. We have an investigator named Paul that we have been teaching, and this last week we were able to bring our other investigator Danny with us to teach. Kinda a double whammy! It was super funny actually, because we asked Danny if he would bear his testimony about the Book of Mormon in the lesson, and when we turned to him and asked how his experience has been starting to attend our church he said, "I know that the Book of Mormon is true. I attend the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church." Then he turned back to us. Haha it was pretty funny. We are working with Danny and he is a little slower, but has been coming to church the last few weeks :) He is awesome!
We had our first meeting with our investigator Chris AND his fiance Paige. Chris is just progressing so well, and it was way good to finally be able to officially introduce ourselves to Paige. She is super nice and seems way prepared as well! We read Ether 12 together and she told us that she feels there is just something missing in their life and thinks this is what it is. It was way cool, because she told us that she recognizes a difference in Chris already as he has been reading the Book of Mormon and attending church. She said, "I have never seen this side of him before, and I like it." They know a family that the husband just recently was baptized in the ward last summer (Baeli and Steve Short) and we are excited to have a lesson at their home this week all together. It was funny because of course after we left Paige started Googling and what not, (can only warn about that haha) and we ended up having to clear up some confusion with Plural marriage and tithing the next meeting. A couple days later we texted Chris to remind him to read some B.O.M and he replied, "Thanks for the reminder. Looking forward to 15 wives and 85% tithing." LOL he was joking of course, but you gotta love Google :) Chris' family is all from Italy and so that has been so cool relating with him in a small way (Yeah Big Papa J!) He fed us some delicious Bolognese too! I love how the Lord works in sharing the amazing message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
We have been teaching Melvin and Cecilia Bradford the last couple weeks, and they have been really progressing as well. Still trying to get their whole family involved, but then always remember that conversion is a personal and individual process. One by one! Cecilia had work yesterday, but Melvin made it to church with his 1 year old daughter. He seemed to love it! We had interviews after church with President Varner, and so we ended up staying way after. Well, we still left the church before Melvin, because he was having too much fun talking with everyone :) That was awesome.
Miracle: We were tracting at this apartment complex and found some way cool people, but after a door this lady came down the stairs and started talking to us. Well, turns out she lives in Houston and Mandeville 50% of the time (said she just likes both places for some reason), but her daughter was baptized in college in Houston, served a mission in California, and is now attending BYU. How cool is that? We kept talking with her and apparently she has taken the missionary discussions before, but we are definitely going to keep in touch with her.
Another great experience this week was spending a few hours completely cleaning up this older lady's yard that lives down the street from Baeli and Steve Short. We raked up leaves, pulled weeds, and wiped out all the weed infested flower beds haha, etc. She seemed so grateful for us, and there seems to be no greater joy to be felt than serving someone in need. (Even in the blistering March heat of Louisiana :D) I am in for a treat this summer let me tell ya.
It really was such a great week, and I could go on an on about the joys/smiles that were ever present. I love how the simple truths of the gospel (love, service, study, prayer) can bring so much joy and happiness into our lives. Stay blessed and look for ways to bless others! Love y'all
Love,
Elder Wilson
