Week 82: The Book of Norman & Murderers

We had another crazy week! 

We met a gang member and he told us about the different people he's killed (apparently out of self defense). He was talking about how he'd sit down and have a beer with Satan but that he also loves Jesus and has a tattoo of him on his shoulder. ??? That didn't really make sense to me. Anyways, we gave him a Book of Mormon cause he really needed it haha. Super wack experience. 

We received a referral for a guy who lives in Jourdanton and he told us that a prisoner who murdered a family got loose, tried to break into his neighbor's house, and was shot in front of his house by his neighbor and the cops at the same time. He said he grabbed his AR15 and came outside but the guy had already been killed. In his own words he said, "They f*$%g riddled him with bullets!" It was the most Texan thing I've ever heard. Apparently these rural Texas towns are not as innocent as I thought they were. 

One evening while in Floresville we decided to walk down this dead end road with barely any houses on it and we found an iPhone on the road. We picked it up and used siri to call random people and eventually we were able to have someone get in contact with the owner. We found out he was actually a pastor of the church across the street so we waited for him to get there and gave him his phone. He was very grateful and I almost gave him a Book of Mormon but he ended the conversation too soon. Maybe next time... 

Just before that we got bashed by a Catholic lady because she thought we were Jehovah's Witness. When we finally helped her understand that Mormons and Jehovah's Witness aren't the same thing she calmed down but still didn't want to walk to us haha. 

About a month or so ago we met this man named RJ while stopping by his mom's apartment. We were walking back to our car and saw him walking towards us so we decided to talk to him. He told us that he had been reading in the Book of Mormon and would be interested in meeting! We've met with him twice now and he told us in our last lesson that he had been really struggling and then we showed up outside his mom's apartment at the perfect time. It's crazy because if we had left just 15 seconds earlier we would have definitely missed him. He told us he knows God crossed our paths and that he's been feeling a lot better since we've started talking to him. Once again, God is real y'all. 

The same night we met with RJ this last week we stopped by our friend's house who is in jail just in case if she got back. Her brother answered the door so we talked with him for a minute or so and then his sister called him on the phone. We got to talk to her for a little bit and she was so happy to hear from us. Crazy timing right? We almost didn't even stop by but I guess we needed to! 

Our friend Joshua has been reading in the Book of Mormon and LOVES it and basically bore his testimony of it to us over the phone. It's funny though because no matter how many times we say "Book of Mormon" he has continued to call it "The Book of Norman" hahaha. I love him. 

In other news, EJ is still on fire and said he wants to be baptized this year, Leroy is pondering baptism, and our new friend Fabian said he wants to be baptized! He's the boyfriend of a girl in our ward and we just started meeting with him a little over a week ago! We haven't set a baptismal date with him yet cause he wants to read more of the Book of Mormon first but hopefully we can soon! 

Something that has been impressed upon my mind lately is the blessing of the gift of the Holy Ghost. 2 Nephi 32:5 says: "For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do." 

When we "enter in by the way", meaning that we are baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ, we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. That means that we get to have the Holy Ghost with us at all times to guide us in all that we do. I know that I haven't fully appreciated this gift in my life like I should but being on a mission has really opened my eyes. I know the Holy Ghost is real and I couldn't imagine my life without the guidance and comfort I've experienced because of this amazing gift. 

- Elder Christensen

Pictures

☆ Last district lunch with SA 10th Ward

☆ Texas Sunset

☆ On the grind