Week 64: Dancing In The Rain

Tanya and her boys got confirmed at church yesterday but we weren't able make it because Elder Christensen started throwing up the night before. He thought he felt good enough in the morning to go to church but when we pulled into the parking lot he changed his mind and when we got back to our apartment complex he threw up when he got out of the truck. Poor guy. I felt so bad. I stayed up with him most of the night so we were both exhausted so we slept a lot and I did an immense amount of personal study. 

On Saturday we did a ton of service and it was great! We did our usual service at the coaltion center in the morning and helped one of our friends, Michael, move houses in the afternoon. He was really grateful and said him and his daughter want to join our church?? Not exactly sure what he means by that but we're excited to keep meeting with them! 

Later that night we were walking the streets and asked some drunk guys if we could share a scripture with them and they waved us over. After we shared the scripture they started telling us how the government made our book (The Book of Mormon) to brainwash us and a bunch of other random things that didn't make any sense hahaha. They also kept offering us beer and marijuana. I have been offered alcohol and drugs way more than any other time in my life and I'm not sure why hahaha. Anyway, we soon left because they were too drunk to understand us and they were getting kinda heated. 

As we were walking back to our truck it starting downpouring and I decided to just embrace it and run around in the streets. Elder Christensen got in the truck but saw me having too much fun and decided to join haha. The seats in our truck are now soaking wet from us sitting on them but it was worth it. 

As for our friends, here are a few updates:

- Regal: We met with him again and shared the plan of salvation! He loved it and said it made a lot of sense.

- Josue: We talked with Josue on Monday and he told us about how his in-laws took away his Book of Mormon and that his grandpa said a bunch of bad things about our church. He wanted to give up and stop meeting with us but I was not gonna let him go that easy so we resolved some of his concerns and helped him realize that if the Book of Mormon was false then it wouldn't be changing his life for the better. We told him he needs to follow what he knows to be right because he's only responsible for his own choices. He told us that he's going to listen to what his family has to say but that they've never tried to help him come closer to Christ but we have. He asked for us to give him a week to talk with them so hopefully we can meet again this week.  

- Lorenzo: Early last week I felt a strong prompting to knock on a specific line of houses. Strong enough that I even did a 180 in the street and started walking the opposite direction that we were going. When we got to the first house my companion went to knock on the door and then I saw someone walking along on the side of the house towards us. I started talking to him and he ended up being really interested in what we had to say! He told us that he's been struggling for quite some time and I was able to testify of Christ's Atonement and God's love for him. He thanked me and said that he hasn't felt that kind of love in a really long time. We had another lesson with him a few days later and it went really well! He told us how much peace he felt as I recited Joseph Smith's first vision and we were able to answer some of his questions about prayer and repentance. 

Today marks 10 years since my brother, Hunter, passed away. The pain of his absence is still there and I miss him just the same but I have found peace in God's plan for us. Because of Jesus Christ we can see our loved ones that have passed away again and be with our families for eternity. How amazing is that?? Even though this mortal experience can be painful and unbearable at times there will be a day when we rest from all our cares and can live happily with our families forever. That has given me so much hope and motivation to keep pushing through the trials of this life. I'm so grateful for my knowledge of the plan of salvation and a Savior who makes it all possible. 

- Elder Christensen

Pictures

☆ Sooo I kinda forgot to take pictures this week but here's some of us having fun in the rain