Monday, September 21, 2015

Good Stuff.

Last week was such a fun P-day!  Since we are in the office Monday mornings in meeting we often don't get a lot of time to go and play... but last Monday we were able to drive up the canyon that goes to Kern Valley and my oh my it was a blast!  I miss just running around in the wilderness jumping from rock to rock and just being a kid!  Life as an assistant is so busy that we don't ever get to just come out of our weird shell and goof around.  Reminded me a lot of the good ole' days with Davis, Bowen, Tanner, Seth, Jeff and Andrew Playing in Little Cottonwood Canyon!

This week we had 2 exchanges. I was able to go with Elder Eastmond and Elder Burke.  I've been on an exchange with Elder Eastmond before and I've been companions with Elder Burke.  They are both powerhouses. They really understand their purposes as missionaries.  I often wonder to myself... why am I the one "training" these missionaries when all that is really happening is they are training me!  Haha!  We found 15 New investigators and set every single one of them with a baptismal date!

Members often wonder why missionaries would invite someone to be baptized on the very first visit... well, that is the goal we are there to help them achieve...If we don't know what we are striving to reach... then we will never reach it!  I am so thankful for Preach My Gospel and how it teaches me how I can become an effective tool in Heavenly Fathers Hands!

On my Exchange with Elder Burke right as we were getting out of the car I spotted a man with a red hat and a back pack a ways down the road heading to his apartment.  I had the strongest feeling to run him down!  We booked it over there and couldn't find him so knocked on a couple of doors.  No luck. We were just about to leave when a woman came up the aparment stairs with a laundry basket.  She immediately recognized me!  Elder Matheny and I had helped her and her husband with service about 6 months ago.  We had completely lost contact with them.  She let us in... and there stood the man with a red hat and a back pack!  We were able to sit down and share a very powerful restoration lesson in which the emphasis was on the Atonement.  Often times we don't emphasis the atonement but rather the priesthood or the book of mormon.  The man's name is J**J** He expressed several things that he has done that he was beating himself up for.  He said the only thing that had helped him at all with his problems was the Atonement.  He understood that through the priesthood and a living prophet on the earth today he could have FULL access to the blessings and healing power that Christ offers.  We are so lucky to know and understand the message of the Restoration. It was amazing to be a part of.  Oddly enough too... He had randomly popped into my head one night as I was falling asleep and I thought to myself how cool it would be to run into him again. Thank goodness we have a God of Miracles:)

M** and J** M** are going to be baptized this coming Saturday.  Both of them have been so much fun to teach!  When someone is ready to hear the Gospel... it almost seems as though it takes no effort on our part as missionaries! They are like sponges... they soak it all up on their own!

We saw a miracle with S**.  S** is the one who knows the bible better than I probably ever will.  She has been continuously praying for the past 3 weeks about whether or not she needs to be baptized.  She has been baptized in a christian church and was quite set on that being "good enough for her."  Well, apparently the spirit gave her what she would call a "God Smack."  We went over for a lesson and she just had this grin on her face that she couldn't hold back... As we were sitting down she practically blurted out that she received her answer!  The truth has been revealed to her through earnest study and prayer.  Once an answer is given through the spirit... no one can take that away from you.  We taught her the Word of Wisdom that night and she gave us her pack of cigarettes.  

It was pretty funny... We forgot to schedule a time with her as we left that night in a hurry to get to another lesson.... so the first thing she said to me when I saw her the next morning at church was "HEY! you think you can get away without scheduling an appointment with me!"  We just love S**:)

D&C 42 6-8
And ye shall go forth in the power of my Spirit, preaching my gospel, atwo by two, in my name, lifting up your voices as with the sound of a btrump, declaring my word like unto angels of God.
 And ye shall go forth baptizing with water, saying: Repent ye, repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
 And from this place ye shall go forth into the regions westward; and inasmuch as ye shall find them that will receive you ye shall abuild up my church in every region—

Shout out to my mommy.  Recover quick! Remember when I was younger and you dropped me off at nana's and came back after an eye surgery! I thought for sure you were a whole other person with that eye patch on and that you were coming to kid nap me! haha
You will be in my prayers... (even though you already are... every night!)

Elder Crandall the Vandal

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