Thursday, November 14, 2013

Week 43: Getting to Know Blackfoot

Hey Family and Friends!

This week has been hectic! We've met with Ward Mission Leaders, Bishops, Investigators, Less Actives, AS MANY MEMBERS as possible, as well as trying to get a fix on WHERE we are in location to everything else! We think we have a pretty good idea of where we stand now which is great.
We cover three wards, 4th, 6th, and 11th. 4th is a relatively small ward located mainly in town. 6th and 11th are in town but have enormous amounts of farm land in which both the Bishops and Ward Mission Leaders live! So we've been doing a lot of walking lately. BUT we are working something out with the other Elders in the stake that have a car. Maybe taking turns each week so we have the car to go out into those farm areas to meet Investigators and Leaders. It'll be interesting and take some maturity and patience on both ends but I think it should work.
Our area is probably 4 miles squared. With some shoots out into the farm land. It kind of looks like a horse shoe. With 4th ward in the middle and 6th and 11th on the sides. This Weekend was also Stake Conference. It was GREAT!!! President and Sister Hoyjberg of the Mission Presidency came and spoke at the Adult session. It was so powerful! They very kindly rebuked the members if they weren't participating in the Work of Salvation. Sister Hoyjberg's exact words were "If you aren't excited, if you aren't actively participating in this great work, we need to check your credentials and find out why you were born at this time because all of us were saved for this time to help the work progress." When she said that my jaw dropped! I wanted to get up and cheer!!!!! It was awesome!!! I've never seen such a piercing yet gentle rebuke!!! For stake conference we also had a General Authority come, Elder Erickson from Boise. It was a great experience.
Let’s talk about some investigators in my area...
Gary and Christie: They are a married couple in their 40's. We had been having a hard time meeting them because Gary drives truck and is gone most of the week and Christie works as well. Gary is trying to give up tobacco so we have been texting him a scripture bright and early at 5 in the morning to help him fight the urge to chew. Last night we finally got to meet them. We had dinner with their fellowshipper Brother Inskeep and then we went over to see if they were home. No luck so we said goodbye to Brother Inskeep and as he closed his door I checked the phone. We had a text from Gary! (the first time he had ever responded to us) And he said that Christie was in the Hospital and if we could come give her a blessing!!!! We knocked back on Brother Inskeeps door, he got changed and we sped off to the ER. We met them, gave Christie a blessing, talked for a while, and then went home. Both Elder Neilson and I could tell how sincere they were about the gospel. Gary wants to be baptized really badly. He talks about it with his friends and is getting a lot of support from family and the ward.
Conrad and Arielle: A young couple that we met. Conrad is Less Active. Arielle isn't a member. She is curious about the Church because whenever they go to Conrad's parents (active members) they talk about the church. They are really nice and friendly. We still need to find them Friends in the ward and set up an appointment.
Jade and Kylie: Another young couple. Same story. Jade is Less Active. He likes to hunt and fish and plays the guitar on the weekends and is super busy with work on the week days. Kylie was raised Lutheran but has a lot of LDS family. They were a little hesitant about us when we met them. But we connected over the Hunting and Guitar so they agreed to have us over again sometime.
Those are the main families we are working with and we have tons of potential. It’s just a matter of Finding them and setting something up with the members. More and more we are finding that no one will let in just missionaries. BUT when we go with members who have relationships with these people we get in. And the spirit can be felt. That is quickly becoming the only way to get into someone’s home.
Well I apologize that this letter is short. I love you guys and hope all goes well.
Love,
Elder Rash

 

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