Preparing Hearts and Minds

Haircut III

It's been a good week!!

Last 'P' day we hiked Stone Mountain (Hill) and brought along an investigator that the sister missionaries have been teaching for a while. He had a great time and will actually (hopefully) be baptized this Saturday. 

Wednesday was pretty awesome!! We found 3 more investigators, one of which we had an awesome restoration lesson with on Saturday. His name is Andre and he was actually prepared to see us. We showed up at 11 and it felt like he was waiting at the door. When we walked into his living room he had the Restoration pamphlet sitting on the (couch for your feet thing...I forgot what it was called) and he had questions for us already. I think he is the most prepared investigator we have ever had. 

Later that night we had dinner with the Baumgarts. It was great, especially when Brother Baumgart broke out his antique German officers book that he got on his mission. It is from 1930's and it talks all about Hitler, his campaign and his soldiers. All of them were supposed to be destroyed with Hitler, but Bro. Baumgart got ahold of one. Inside has 3D glasses so it feels like you are actually right there standing in front of Hitler, tanks, guns, etc. It is the coolest thing ever!!

For Thanksgiving we went to one of the craziest families in the ward's house. They are very fun and I love their guts, but sometimes I just don't know what to do in certain situations. When we were leaving they gave us a butt load of food!! Two big trays of just desserts, and another tray of reg. Thanksgiving food. They made so much dessert. I think Sister Darrington made like 150 cookies, 20 somethin pies, cake and a bunch of other stuff. It was crazy!!

After Thanksgiving we went down to Conyers so that we could have our exchange for Friday. It was really really great!! I went with ZL Elder Reading, he is one of the coolest guys ever!! We had a lot of success that night with tracting and lessons. Funny thing, he is actually going to be studying History (like me) at Utah State when he gets home so that he can be a teacher!! YESS! I finally met someone doing the same thing!!

Cool experience that happened with the exchange. At about 9 we went to Kroger to get something to eat and I saw a little old lady putting groceries in her car. 99.999999% of the time that we ask to help people out they just shoo us off. So there was a little bit of me that said don't go over to her (but that was obviously lucy telling me that) so we went over anyway. It turns out she was in a lot of pain and had a hole in her throat from smoking. When we got done helping her she gave me a big squeeze and told me how grateful she was. I am so grateful for the promptings of the spirit to lead us and guide us!! I hope to see that Lady again sometime. I know she will accept the gospel soon!

Sunday was a great day again...except for one thing that made both me and Elder Lusko pretty sad. So the kids that we have been teaching, Taosai and Elijah, were referred from our Bishop to the Twin Oaks Bishop. That was pretty confusing considering our Bishop already said it was okay to have them be in our Ward because they are just on the boundaries. Anyway, we got a call from the Twin oaks ZL's saying that they will probably be sending some Elders over to teach Taosai and Elijah from now on. And that they are going to be baptized in the Twin Oaks ward. Now, there is a couple things wrong with this. The Lopez family already went to the Twin Oaks ward but they didn't want to go there because it was just full of College students and Elderly. So they have been coming to our Ward (Family Ward) for 13 weeks now and they love it. So making them switch to that ward will make them lose all their fellow-shippers that they have had. And along with that, Ron already is pretty against the Church, so if there is a big mess and confusion, Ron will probably be even more against the Church. I know the ordinance is the most important part, but we also want to keep these kids active in the Gospel, and I know they won't be if they start out in a place where nobody is welcoming. Elder Lusko told me all about that ward so that's kinda where I am getting this information. I guess we will see what happens. Please pray for the Lopez family.

The scripture for this week actually comes from Elder Holland. 

"In any case, I am grateful to know that in spite of my imperfections, at least God is perfect--that at least He is, for example, able to love His enemies, because too often, due to the "natural man and woman" in us, you and I are sometimes that enemy....I am grateful that God is merciful and a peacemaker because I need mercy and the world needs peace."-Be Ye Therefore Perfect- Eventually

I this world of confusion and hatred, let us look towards Heaven for our peace. Love y'all!!

Elder Northrup