The Hand of the Lord

Washing off my bread (got Honey all over it!)

This week was a very good one, mostly because I won't have to start out with my companion is still sick!! We finally got out!!! Woohoo!!

On Tuesday we had another lesson with Taosai and Elijah to hopefully get them to a date for baptism. We started out talking about faith and how it is 'likened to a seed' in Alma, but then Taosai brought up his concern about the curse of Cain. We had to be very gentle with the whole situation because their dad was sitting in the background listening to everything, and that was the concern that made him leave the church. There was a time when he walked in and started off about his concerns with the curse and that made it really awkward for a few moments but we were able to somehow wrap that back up into the lesson. It is really rough when a father is sharing his own concerns with his kids like that, especially when it is a delicate topic [that needs to be talked about] but not quite in the way that he did it...if that makes sense. Afterwards we had dinner with them. The tension shrunk significantly and I was able to talk Star Wars with the kids and the dad. 

Their dad is a really great man though. I don't want to put up a false perception about him because he is a great father and husband to his family. While at dinner we were talking about actors, Will Smith, and the movies that he has played in. We got to the point where we were both nerding out about 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-air' which is one of the greatest shows ever. He was so surprised that I had seen that show. I love the guy so much, he's great!

On Thursday we were able to get out of the apartment to go tracting. Again, I have never been so happy to get doors slammed in my face!! HAHA! We actually had some really great success though, found 3 potential investigators in about an hour. And all of them are legit, not like that "Oh ya, I will be here at about 4:15 tomorrow so come then" kinda thing. The three potentials names are Sandra, Rag, and Suba (the last 2 are Nepali). 

We set up an appointment to come back for Sandra the next day to teach the Restoration and maybe get to know her a little bit. She is so cool! She was a farm-girl from a Mediterranean island called Dominaco _______? I can't remember the last part! She believes in Jesus Christ being her Savior and she actually studies out of the King James version of the Bible which is a miracle. We were so happy about that! We talked about the Book of Mormon being another record of Jesus Christ and she was very interested in that. We talked about when Christ said "Other Sheep I have not of this fold" in John 10:16 and told her that Jesus Christ was talking about these people in the Ancient America's. She was very interested in that, so we gave her a Book of Mormon and a Restoration pamphlet to read and pray over. We will be going back tomorrow!! Exciting! One of the greatest things she said was "We need to be in the World but not of the World." What the actual poop!! That's pretty much the church motto right there!! She said that she invited Jehovah's Witnesses over one time and they just Bible bashed hard. We talked about how most of them don't really like us either. She was real happy about that! HA!

Transfers are coming on Wednesday and Elder Ross will be leaving! I'm really sad about that, he's a funny guy! But he's needed elsewhere so its all good! 

So my first day in the mission field we tried to go visit this potential named Albany. And this whole time (the last month+) we haven't been in contact with her because she was never home. But we finally caught her later at night, and she said that she wanted to be taught a while ago, but she was so busy. We came back the next day (Sunday morning) to teach her the restoration and it went great!! She understood everything so well and she has a great testimony of Christ! It seems like everything is working out now that we have gotten out of the apartment. As a mission we have a goal to teach 10 lessons a week, whether that is investigator lessons or member lessons. Me and Elder Lusko's goal instead is to have 10 investigator lessons/week. I think this will get us back on track. We already had 5 this week, and we were only able to get out for a few days. Woohooo!

Oh ya I totally forgot!! Yesterday, Steven Pollock came to Church!! We asked last lesson if he would come to sacrament meeting for starters but he came for the whole block. And HE ENJOYED IT!! WHAT??? I told him I will be speaking next week so he should come then too!! Wow, that was so cool!!! 

My scripture for the week is in the early chapters of Alma. This is where Alma is preaching to the people of Ammonihah that they must repent or surely be destroyed. The people obviously cast him out and as he was leaving an Angel appeared to him. The same one that cause him to repent in the beginning when he was being a hooligan. He was commanded by the Angel to return to the city and preach again. It is remarkable that in the scriptures it says, "he returned speedily." Right after these people were abusing him, threatening to kill him, and actually trying to kill him, he doesn't even think twice about the decision and returns speedily. That is just a testimony to me that I need to return speedily to the work every morning, even if the previous day I had a really rough time. 

I think I am going to do something soon (probably over Christmas) called the Purification Challenge. What you do is you write up a list of things that you want to do (spiritually), characteristics (Christlike) that you want to gain, etc. and you fast on the list everyday for 40 days!!! It's flippin crazy but I have heard some missionaries say it changed their whole mission when they did it. So I will probably do it when I will be eating extra amounts of food and riding my bike a whole lot less (winter). If any of yall want to do it with me that would be cool beans!!

I love yall and remember to look for the Hand of the Lord in everything you do! He is ALWAYS there!! Have a great Halloween!! 

Elder Northrup

Funny scriptures about cereal