Family and Friends,
This
week has been super fun and interesting. So I guess I will start from
Tuesday after we got done emailing. Pdays are Mondays here but it was
Labor day so the library and some of our favorite places to shop were
closed so we did some proselyting on Monday to make up for the time we
would spend emailing and shopping on Tuesday. Anyways, The spanish
missionaries moved out and didn't have a car so we took them to go
shopping with us. There is a sweet place called Aldi's out here where
the food is dirt cheap. A dozen eggs for 89 cents, milk for a buck 20,
so we missionaries really like it. After our shopping we took the
Spanish Elders back to their apartment and as we were leaving we noticed
some groceries by the main entrance and a tv and a woman struggling
with her baby in a carrier, so Elder Berthold held the door while I
offered to help the lady. Then her husband sees us and says you better
never come back here again. Interesting. We were all pretty confused so
the Spanish Elders said oh Sir we live here. He didn't care. He said I
don't care I don;t want to see you. I guess he might of thought we were
knocking doors. Anyways, Elder Berthold left the door cause he heard the
guy yelling and swearing at us and he passed him and said have a god
day sir and the guy said get the heck outta here. So Elder Berthold just
laughed cause it was an interesting situation and the Guy ran back and
said you want to laugh kid? ill call the cops. Elder Berthold said why?
And he said for being a punk (bad word) kid. Anyways, Elder Berthold
dared him to call the cops and despite them being face to face in this
heated argument no punches were thrown... it was so strange cause there
were five of us Elders and one of him, and he was begging Elder Berthold
to hit him. And it ended with us leaving and the guy cussing us out.
The moral of the story is that Satan has people prepared to stop us just
as much as God has people prepared for us to teach. So who knows whats
going to happen and when. It was hard for us all to feel the Spirit for
atleast an hour after that though. But it slowly come. Elder Berthold
just isn't the kind of guy to be challenged and just let the guy swear
at him and stuff. He never had intentions to fight with the guy he just
wanted argue his case I guess. It could have been a lot worse but I was
ready to jump in there and protect him if I needed too. Well, Cedar
Rapids is absolutely beautiful. The more we drive the more I think Id be
ok living here even if there are no mountains. We had a chance to teach
Anthony this week. His mother is less active and he has two younger
siblings. We taught him the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Which consists of
faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the holy Ghost, and Enduring to
the end. He's 13 and an absolutely fantastic kid. He loves us all to
death too. His mom sits in on every lesson and I know that she feels the
Spirit when we teach. Anthony has really progressed. He madeit to
church on Sunday for the second week in a row so he is good to be
baptized now. His date is October 12th, to see a baptism that quick on
my mission would be amazing. he wasn't going to make it to church
because he had to babysit while his mom worked, but we told him he could
bring his brother and sister. So, we had a member pick them up and that
is the most courageous thing Ive seen Anthony do. Not only did he come,
but he brought his family. Which is remarkable for a 13 year old too.
Isabelle his younger sister who is 7 absolutely loved church. She loves
it! So I hope they can come again. We still haven't been able to meet
with Laurie since we committed her to baptism though. But thats probably
due to her health mainly. And her work. Because she got kidney Stones
she had to work on the day we had scheduled to meet with here and then
she went out of town. But she gets her schedule today and will let us
know when we can meet. I really do love this gospel. It brings so much
happiness and I can see that. I think the main thing Ive noticed is that
without this knowledge life becomes so much harder. just with trials.
As we have this perception of how they cause us to grow and where we are
headed the things of this world don't matter anymore. I love the verse
in Doctrine and Covenants that says, set aside the things of this world
and seek for the things of a better. Im teaching people to do that. And
that has brought me so much joy. Keep attending church. I promise you
that as you do you will feel that joy that Im speaking of. You will see
the blessings flow. And attend the temple. That is the closest place to
heaven on this earth. Long to be there. And long to feel the spirit
there. I love you all. And I love this work. Thanks for your prayers.
and the love and support. You make me happy :) Keep going. And I will
too!