Called to Serve

Monday, March 17, 2014

Teaching the Gospel and Throwing out the Trash

How goes it Udall Clan?
 
This week was CRAZY! And I cant remember hardly any of it! But here is the highlight reel anyways. Tuesday was pretty nice weather so Elder Davis and I got our walking shoes on and hit the screets! On the side of one of the roads there was a bunch of bags of leaves and as we were walking by them the garbage truck stopped and 3 guys got out to throw all those bags in. So ELder D and I decided we would try our hand at it and just started picking up bags and throwing them in with them. Well these guys were really surprised I guess to see 2 guys in white shirts and ties doing this because they had all stopped and were just watching us do their job for them. Finally one of them said the majic words: "Hey man, what yall be doing out hurr anywayz?" So ELder Davis and I took that oppurtunity to immediately start teaching the restoration. It was not the most ideal lesson, with us having to yell over the garbage truck noises, it wasn't the best smelling atmosphere either. But it was awesome and we set up return appointments to teach them more! It was sweet!
 
On wednesday we had specialized training with President and sister Petersen. Elder D and I had to instruct everyone about how we can more effectively get our investigators to church. We then did a role play in front of everyone where Elder D and i were teaching one of our investigators and trying to commit him to church using a member in the lesson. President Petersen was our investigator and he had to come up with a concern for us to overcome. Well his concern was he heard the church doesn't let black people in it! ha ha that was easy to overcome considering Elder D is my companion, and the member was black too. It was pretty funny.
 
After that I went on 3 exchanges in a row!! One with pinnacle mountain, one with the spanish elders, and one the the AP's. They were all good. The Spanish one was kind of awkward because every lesson we taught was in spanish so I didn't really say anything. The whole time I was praying for the gift of discernment but anytime the investigator looked at me all I could do is smile and say bueno. It was pretty neat though hearing a testimony borne in spanish because even though i couldn't understand I still felt the spirit.
 
Saturday when I was on exchanges with one of the assistants we went down to Hot Springs to do a baptismal interview. A few weeks ago I mentioned in an email that I went on exchanges to Hot Springs and we prayed to find someone we could baptize in 2 weeks and we found him. Well it was that guy! We interviewed him and he got baptized on saturday!! It was sweet!
 
Things are going so good over here. We have a new Bishop and ward mission leader in Little Rock and I know things are going to take off! I love this work. I love teaching! 
Our Investigator John Nickle is working on getting baptized this saturday! He is the coolest most humble dude on this side of the Mississippi. He has been smoking since he was 16 and now he is like 45 but he is just about to quit it for good. We gave him a priesthood blessing 2 days ago. Since then he said he hasn't had the taste for cigarettes! He said they taste nasty in his mouth now and he feels terrible when he smokes now!! Crazy huh?!! I know it was through the grace and mercy of the Savior that these miracles take place.
 
Family thanks for everything. Thanks for the letter and picture Kate!!