May 7th, 2012

May 7th, 2012

Hello, Motha!

 

This week was pretty good. I want to say thank you for the packages and the money. It will help out a lot. I also love the scriptures and am grateful for them. I've kind of had a rough last couple of days... I wasn't feeling well Saturday morning. I'm just tired all the time and feeling really achy. It's all making me kinda homesick so I'm excited to talk with you guys on Sunday. Even now it's hard to move my fingers to write this email.

 

Monday night the Mosser family had us over for dinner. It was a lot of fun. Sister Mosser should be calling you some time today or tomorrow to get the hamburger pie recipe. She's making that for my birthday tomorrow.

 

Tuesday we did a lot of work. We're putting together a big art showcase at the chapel. It's kind of like the festival of nativities but it's all gospel art. There are a lot of artists and poets in the branch and they're really good at what they do and so this will be a good opportunity to showcase their talents and show the community that we believe in Christ. The newspaper is running an article on it at the end of the month. It's exciting.

 

Brother Sumey came with us to the Johnson's home on Tuesday night and we all watched Prophet of the Restoration. Robin, Brian, and Kara loved it. Brian said, "Wow. That's such a good movie! I can't wait to get the priesthood!" I love that kid. He's so awesome.

 

We have 2 new elders in our district: Elder McDowell and Elder Rhees. They're really cool. On Wednesday, after district meeting, we went to Brownsville and had a great lesson with Theresa. She's been reading the Book of Mormon and she's coming to church next Sunday. Brother Lima came with us and met her. His family will be giving her a ride to church. After that we took a care package to Betty. She's been going through chemotherapy this week and so we stopped by before it began. She asked for another blessing and the Spirit was really strong. Her daughter Angel started crying. They said they loved us all very much and once this was all over they were coming to church. We showed them some pictures of the restoration of the priesthood and they were amazed that we had authority directly from God. Everybody started crying again. haha.

 

Betty is doing really well so far, but keep her in your prayers. Chemotherapy is rough.

 

We had a great lesson with Ray on Thursday. He surprised us with some big news: he and his girlfriend, Ariel, are getting married! She was there (he told her "Ariel, you gotta meet my buddies. They have a lot of answers for you!") and she showed off the ring. We did have a lot of answers for her and she agreed to read the Book of Mormon. They are getting married in June at the church and Penny is making their wedding cake. =) It's exciting. 

 

William, a friend of the Kelley family, met with us at the church on Thursday. We had a great lesson. He's so funny. He thinks really fast and really deeply about things. His background story is pretty much the same as Wilford Woodruff's. He got saved in a Nazarene Church, was baptized by a Menonite because they did immersion but he refused to join their church, he is open to truth from any source, and he's searching for the one true church. haha He's a cool guy. We're meeting again this Thursday.

 

Penny had us over for Pancakes that night. They were delicious. Jonathan came out with us. He and I are starting to be really good friends. He's struggling with making right decisions but he's reading his scriptures and coming to church and hanging out with us and I guess it's helping a lot. He wants to go on a mission now, and I hope and pray that he does. It will be the best decision he'll ever make.

 

Saturday night I forced myself out of bed to go move chickens for Brother Chester. Half way through he told me to sit down because I didn't look good. I did. Then I fell asleep for an hour while he and Elder Kofford worked. I didn't mean to. It just happened. I felt like such a bum.

 

I came home after that and slept. I'm still not feeling good. Ugh. I work too hard sometimes. Tim and Jamie had us over for a BBQ on Saturday night and Radogo and Brother and Sister Sumey came. We had a blast. Radogo accidentally punted Travis's football down a cliff and so we went with Radogo to wal mart and bought Travis a new football. At the end of the night we had fifteen people gathered together in the back yard to read a chapter from the Book of Mormon. It was a powerful experience and Paul, a friend of Tim and Jamie's, bore his testimony about the Savior and his love for everyone. He asked for a copy of the Book and said the closing prayer. It was cool.

 

Sunday we tried to do work but I just wasn't feeling up to it. I felt terrible all day. I didn't want to just sit around and do nothing though, so I redid the area book. It looks nice. Please pray for me. I feel like garbage.

 

Well, that's the end of my letter. I love you all. Have a good week and don't get sick!

Love,

Zach