Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Elder May: Chapter 10

I knew the day would come that he would cut his own hair and sure enough it was this week… I remember getting the first videos of Hunter on his mission shaving his hair off so at least this is a tad better.  Love this boy, miss this boy but oh so proud of him!  Happy Week 10 Elder May… Enjoy!

WHEW this was a fantastic week. I got to go on an exchange this week with my zone leader, Elder Casperson. All Elder Gardner told me about him, because they used to be companions, is that Elder Casperson "goes hard when finding." and he definitely does. This week has definitely changed my missionary work. A compilation of; a district meeting about having the faith to find, Elder Casperson teaching me so much in the span of one day, Elder Gardner and I working together and having more faith as we find, and something I read in personal study called the Riccardi Letter, has all literally changed our work that we are doing. 
 
Actually, I should start out with something funny that I did. I cut my own hair. I was attempting to be thrifty! The front looks totally fine and that is what I want people focused on anyway.....The back didn't look as good. BUT IT’S HAIR AND IT WILL GROW BACK.



On Monday of this past week Elder Gardner and I were pretty discouraged because of how many rejections we had the past week and Monday did not go too much better. Then came a great district meeting. We talked about how if we have faith, without any shred of doubt, that God will help us achieve our goals, then we can accomplish anything we set as our goal. God is no respecter of persons but he is a respecter of goals. That same day we had the transfer and instead of quoting this script that I had of asking if they want to say a prayer with us, asking if they had faith in Christ, asking how that has helped them through life, letting them know that we share a message to strengthen their faith, and then sharing the restoration, he would walk up and ask them what makes them happy. Or what is a miracle they have seen in there life? Heck, he even asked one lady if she had ever been baptized and she said no so he said we could do it for her! That day we taught 11 lessons and set 7 baptismal dates. He taught me a lot and a lot of those lessons he had me take the lead on them! 

Then on Wednesday we switched back companions. When Elder Gardner and I were back in our area, we started off the day with two hours of finding time, from 12-2. I was really worried the mojo was going to be gone because I didn't have anyone telling me what to do anymore. I was mistaken. We had taught 9 lessons by 2 and a total of 13 other lessons and 3 member present lessons with 8 baptismal dates that were set. It was amazing. We had set lofty goals to build our faith and we saw miracles from doing so. 

The rest of the week slowed down a bit but we still taught a ton of people and had miracles happen right in front of us. I will write down a couple

Eddie and Kristen Hilton- In our area there is a very....humble (that's the very nice way to put it) apartment complex filled with drunk people and crime. We were finding people and turned in to this complex solely because we felt we should. Right after the turn in, we met Kristen. She is a very kind lady that was walking with her two kids around her complex. We taught her all of the restoration, including me reciting the first vision to her. After we had taught her she said, "That sounds crazy, but what's even crazier is that I believe it." While Elder Gardner was writing down the address of the church and our phone number on the back of the pamphlet I asked her, "Have you ever been baptized?" She said, "I have been saved, but being baptized is a life goal of mine and my husband so no I have not." So I set her baptismal date!

Chilly Karrie- Her name is Karrie and her nickname is Chilly so we call her both! We were driving down a road and saw a lady walking down the sidewalk talking on her phone. We pulled off to the side and I yell, "Ma'am can we say a prayer with you?" Confused because I am yelling, she walks over and asks what I said, still talking on the phone too. I ask again and she says, "YES PLEASE!”, hangs up the phone without saying bye, then starts to tell me all about her life. She is soon to buy a house, have a job interview and is getting a car soon. She asked me to pray that all of that goes well and that her 11 year old daughter remains healthy and in the faith. I pray for her and when we finish she is crying. She asks us when the next time we can come by is, asks for a pamphlet then tells us that she is crying because the night before, she prayed to God that he would put a messenger in her path that would help her to strengthen her faith again. 

Both those miracles have a date set for the 23rd of July. 

I am very proud of the way that God is being able to use me. I am thankful that he is. I constantly thank Him for this chance to be here and pray and thank Him for all of you. I love you all!  

Love - Elder May


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