What a week! It has only been a few days, but I will share a few highlights. I just keep wondering how it could get any better, but I never cease to be amazed.
We have been teaching Brie Engle and she is doing so great. She gave the closing prayer in one of the lessons this week and had prepared several days for it :) We all showed our family pictures and she opened right up. She attended all of primary this week too, and seemed to love it. Going to try and help her get involved with the activity days.
Church this Sunday was incredible, but so hectic! We had over 10 investigators there this week. The Lord is just blessing this area sooo much. They are just walking themselves through those doors, it is incredible. The short bus turned into a full size yellow school bus this week, it was unreal. We were running around all over the place, but it was awesome.
We met with Kristian/Renika and family this week, and they expressed how 3 hours of church was just too long for them. After a great lesson where the spirit was present, they still made it to church! Apparently Kristian bore her testimony in Relief Society about how how she was so grateful she came even though she had complained about it the night before.
Community Cultural Event:
Just picture this: 20,000 yellow mini rubber duckies floating across New Orleans City Park Lake for the annual Duck Derby. The community was raising money for the Food Bank, and we were able to volunteer scooping them up and taking down booths, etc. It was out in the blistering heat, but I resisted the temptation of taking a soak! It was awesome though and we were able to just get out there and talk with tons of people. And it doesn't get much more cultural than with Rubber duckies. I mean especially the mini ones.. Just a good family friendly event in NOLA :) All sorts of butter being sold, and ducks to be floated. Good time!
Miracle: We received a referral of this guy named Patrick Orange that was attending medical school down in the Carribbean and was rooming with a RM. Apparently he attended church with this guy like 3 or 4 times. He just recently returned home for the summer break, and got in contact with us. We are way excited about him. He made it to church in his white shirt and tie and everything!! The man is so prepared. He came up to us at church with the pamphlet he had read along with a TYPED up 4 pages of additional study questions/notes that he had answered from the back. Quote from Patrick himself, "I love to type." hahahaha what a guy! He texted us later Sunday night telling us that he had read Alma 17 and 18 with his RM friend Santa over the phone. Let's goo! He then texted saying, "I think I have found the church I have been searching for for over 30 years." Just can't even believe it. These quotes must be coming straight from PMG itself, I'm telling ya.
Well, I will leave with my testimony. I had an eye opening experience this week. It is rare down here that I have the opportunity to teach someone that doesn't believe in any form of a God. We asked this man many questions about spiritual experiences in his life and even about having his 2 young kids. I am sad to say, but his answers just seemed so depressing. It was like nothing really mattered to him. Anyways, it really made me think about what my life would be like without a knowledge of a God/eternal families. I just can't imagine it. Whether we have questions about certain things or not, I feel like it would be hard for many of us to deny the happiness of these simple gospel truths. It was a further testimony to me of the happiness and joy that come from the restored gospel. I love y'all and hope you have a blessed week! Ya herrrrd me?
Love,
Elder Wilson
