Called To Serve...in Houston, Texas: September 29, 2014: I MET SOMEONE FROM MAINE!

Hola!

So to start off my email...I met someone from Maine last night! Yep, that's right..I'm not the only one. As we walked from the parking garage to our apartment complex, I saw a guy carrying a hockey bag and stick..I freaked out and power walked towards him..As I got closer, I saw his blue bag and I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me...but they weren't...Written on the bag in big letters was "LEWISTON"..I called out, "Excuse me?! Are you from Maine?!" He turned around with a surprised look and said, "Yes! How did you know?" Ok, I'll be honest..I flipped out..I told him that I went to school at Greely and played hockey too..People, this is the first Mainer I've met in 15 months..I was having some serious withdrawals because everyone we talk to here doesn't know what Maine is. They all think it's Canada haha..#hispanicprobs

Okay...updates on our lovely investigators...

Paola..We taught her about the BoM and then began teaching the Plan of Salvation.. While we taught her, she said that she feels like she'll be ready to be baptized in a month. She's full of questions and we invited her to fast about when exactly she should get baptized. She came to church yesterday and fasted :)

The Razos family..We saw them on Thursday and watched the Restoration dvd..It went really well..We brought the Arrellano girls with us and it kind of took an unexpected turn...At church on Sunday, Gabby told us that the kids aren't interested anymore and they think that if they were to get baptized they'd have to give up all of their social media stuff and technology...The Arrellano's are pretty strict and they don't have that stuff..So this Thursday, we're going to clear up that concern with the kids..The mom, Miriana, told Gabby that she wants to be baptized right now! They have some problems within their marriage that I won't go into detail about but...yeah...The husband is super nice but I don't think he's as ready to change as his wife..One by one though, starting with Miriana, I think they'll all get baptized. Due to some issues..Miriana didn't come to church..

Basically..the adversary always pushes back. When is the right road ever the easiest, problem-free road? NEVER. The Savior never said it would be easy. But he said it'd be worth it.

Dad update :) We've shifted our focus to the Book of Mormon with him..We've decided to dedicate our lessons to reading the Book of Mormon with him and then assign him chapters to read for homework. Right now, he's in Helaman 5 and that's what we read last night with him. He understood it so clearly and he actually taught us! The missionaries! After we finished the chapter he said, "I find it interesting that the 300 people that were converted were prisoners and prison guards..The message is powerful enough to convert even them..It doesn't really matter who the messenger is, it's about the message." How right he is! The Lord has asked TEENAGERS to carry the most powerful message in the world. Many people tell us, "Why should I listen to you? I know what life is, you're half my age!" But it's not about who we are, it's about what we have to say.

The night before, he had told my mom, "I'm not going to church, it's fast and testimony meeting.." Through the grapevine (cough cough...Jo Ann), I found out his plans of staying home..I texted him (don't worry, i've got permission!) saying, "Hope you go to church tomorrow! The closer you get to your answer, the harder satan pushes...So push back!" He replied, "Ok, I'll think about it." When we called to confirm our appointment, he said that he went to church! Ah! So flipping happy!

Mom told me last night, that he had leaned over to her during sacrament meeting and said, "If you hear, my stomach growl, just ignore it." (my parents thought it was fast sunday but theirs is actually the sunday after general conference.) She looked at him and said, "Jeff, are you fasting?" He nodded his head, yes.

WHAT IN THE WORLD?!? WHO IS THIS GUY?!?

He told us that he sat as he sat at church he thought to himself, "If I were to go up and speak, what would I say? 'Hi, I'm Jeff...And I've been investigating the church for 25 years..'" haha...oh dad..As we talked more about faith, I felt the overwhelming prompting to invite him to be baptized on December 6th. So I did...and do you wanna know what happened? As he thought about it for a moment, the skype session closed. Really? I began to laugh at how hard the adversary is working on him! Like seriously? That would happen. After five minutes, we reconnected and dad jokingly said, "Is this a sign that I shouldn't get baptized?" I replied, "No! It means satan working really hard!" He laughed and agreed..He answered saying, "I don't know if I can.." He'll be in Wisconsin a week before December 6th and as part of the family gathering, drinking is involved. He told us that he knew that the Word of Wisdom was true and that it's what God wants him to do..But he was seriously doubting himself and his capacity to resist the temptation. I can't even imagine being in that situation..With my family..and everyone's drinking..I shared Phillipians 4:13 and asked, "Do you believe you can do all things with Christ?" He smiled and said, "Yes." I said, "So you can do it! You have two months to prepare!" He ended by saying, "I don't know if I'll be worthy to get baptized a week later..and I don't know if I'll be ready." We reassured him that he can in fact do it but WOAH. His concern wasn't about whether or not its true..It was about being ready! He didn't commit to a 'yes' but he said that he'd continue trying and getting ready.

It brings tears to my eyes to think..this is why I came on a mission. He needed me to teach him. I can say that 15 months later, we've grown so much closer. The Gospel of Jesus Christ truly unites families. eternally. The plan that Heavenly Father has for each of us is perfect. His timing is perfect. And his love is perfect.

Just keep swimming my friends! Oh and...yall should watch general conference this weekend..It'll change your life :)

sooo the toenail came back..I went to a podiatrist, who's a member, and he did it on his back porch :) surgery done right.

exchanges with hermana deloya :) I went to Gulf Bank this week...aka..THE GHETTO. We ate at a member's home..She has been feeding the missionaries for 30 years, every week. The rule in her house? You have to eat everything on your plate. Well, I didn't know that and I had eaten a big meal prior to it..Good thing Hermana Deloya has a huge stomach! She finished my plate :)