Called to Serve

Monday, April 14, 2014

Seriously!

What is up!!

The Little Rock life is kickin! Hows AZ and Utah and Oregon?

So this week was pretty jam-packed with trials and weird experiences but it ended in an awesome way! We drove down to Pine Bluff on Tuesday
and went to their district meeting. It was way good! Afterwards Elder jackson and I went back to Little Rock for an exchange! We set a couple of baptismal dates which was awesome! We made it a goal to not drive by anyone without talking to them. It was sweet! Anytime we saw someone porch-sitting (and there is a lot of that in the south) we just put it in park and walked up and talked to them! It was a good exchange.
 
That night we were eating at my favorite burrito stand, Tequiera Samantha 2, when this homeless man walked up to us and asked me if I was a christian, he then told me he had not eaten in 2 days and needed food. So I said alright lets get you some tacos and he said "no, I want subway." Then ELder Jackson offered him some of his drink and he said "no you guys can just buy me a new drink." Most spoiled homeless man I ever met! Anyways after some persuasion I talked the starving man into settling for tacos. The weirdest experience on the exchange happened the next morning though when we were street contacting. This gangster dude walked up to us and asked what we were selling and then he gave me a really tight hug and then kissed me on the neck! And then he did the same thing to my comp! Then he ran off. You meet some weird people on your mission. 

Have I told you about Karsha? She is one of our investigators. Last week we were across the street from her house when a huge branch fell off a tree and landed on a car and completely shattered the windshield. Karsha came out of the house to see what was going on and then Elder Boyer and I went and talked to her and that's how we found her! She came to church yesterday and is loving the missionary lessons!

Anyways even though there were a lot of trials and disappointments this week it ended off great last night! We had a lesson with on of our investigators, Robert, who struggles with Alcohol.  He committed to a baptisimal date but he is having a hard time quitting drinking.  It was raining hard last night when we went over to his house.  He asked us why we always come over.  He wanted to know why we never give up on him no matter what the weather or what mistakes he has made.  We took the opportunity to teach him the plan of salvation and explained to him that in pre earth life before we came to earth we were all brothers we were all brothers and desired to follow Christ.  We told him about his divine potential and why this earth life is so important.  During that lesson I felt an extreme amount of concern for that guy. That lesson was a turning point for Robert because the spirit was changing his desires. It was like a Mosiah 5:2 experience. We told him that we are going to stay in daily contact with him to help him quit drinking.

The best part about last night is we found an awesome family! We were walking in this neighborhood at about 8 45 pm and Elder Boyer felt prompted to knock on this door. So we did and 3 kids let us in right away. The mom was in the other room yelling about something. She then came to the front and said "Seriously? It is seriously to late for ya'll to be coming up in my house. I'm serious." So I apologized and asked her what her name was and with a mean/sarcastic tone said "Serious." So I said I was just going to say a quick prayer for their family and I did and in the prayer I asked for a blessing to be with the 3 kids Lexus, Kayla, and Kenyon, and then I asked for a special blessing on "Serious." ha ha The kids were cracking up that I called her that in my prayer but I continued on. I could feel that the spirit entered the room and after the prayer the moms attitude was a lot different. She said she didn't know we believe in Jesus. We begin teaching portions of the Plan of Salvation  and about families and it was awesome! She set up her own return appointment and we are going to see her on tuesday! Things are going so good here! Thanks for everything Udall clan and fam!

               Elder Soelberg sent me this picture today on my Email!