So my email this week might be a tad short due to the fact that the library is being silly and so my email time is halved.
We
got about 8 inches of snow on Wednesday. Pretty ridiculous. It is April
for heaven's sake! We almost got into a major crash when 2 cars in
front of me started fish tailing (it was basically a whiteout and it had
snowed about 5 inches already). They looked like they were going to
correct but they flipped around, hit the curb, the car then almost
flipped but it hit a light pole instead of rolling, then the light pole
fell over. I had to go off the road because we were sliding forwards
while braking. But, all is well. The person was ok. only in Minnesota I
guess.
We went over to a man's apartment from Chicago and
he came out and told us he hadn't read the Book of Mormon yet. He asked
if we would read it with him, so we read Alma 7. He got quite a lot out
of it and said that he learned he needs to align his life with what God
wants him to do so he will be prepared at the last day. He doesn't want
to be doing all the wrong things at the last minute and try to change
because he is realizing more and more that wont work. So it was a pretty
sweet lesson.
On an exchange with my district leader we met with a
member who joined the church 40 years ago as a joke. he didn't even
attend church before his baptism and then 20 years later missionaries
knocked on his door and got him to come to church. Now he is fully
active. And his wife, who previously hated our church, joined after 10
years because the people of the ward basically loved her into the
gospel. It was pretty cool to hear her story.
I met perhaps the most interesting man of my mission
yet. I think he is a legitimate genius and his vocabulary strained my
biochemical computer (this is what he referred his brain to during the
discussion. ha ha. im totally adopting it into my vocabulary). He has
had a book of Mormon for like 20 years and has been reading it a little
so we talked about that for awhile. He asked us about temples. He said
it was quite brilliant that God told Joseph Smith to put ventilation
shafts in the Salt lake temple that were the perfect size for elevators
to fit into years later (This is only what I heard but apparently in the
blue prints for the temple they were inspired to put a bunch of large,
empty shafts in the temple. People were confused why they were put in
and then rationalized them as air shafts. The size of the shafts were
the perfect size to later install elevators.) basically God is really
smart. He asked me if I was going to get married in the temple and I
said yes. He wished me luck in sealing my love eternally with a choice
woman of God in one of our divine houses one day. I don't think ill ever
get that from a non-member on my mission again. ha ha. At the end I
said, "im sorry I don't think I caught your name." he replied, "I didn't
say it. You didn't ask." I got a tad sassy and said, "hence the
question." He gave us a wry smile and told us his name.
I had my last interview with President Clements and
it made me so very sad... I will miss him a lot. I asked him a few
questions about finding people to teach, the nature of prayer, and
understanding the atonement spiritually, not just intellectually. I
think he knows everything. ha ha.
Easter was fantastic. We had tons of people to
church, both less active and investigators, and the talks were
remarkable. In the shower sunday morning I was inspired to write a poem.
now I have never written a poem before (maybe a few times in elementary
school) but I was able to produce this haiku:
Redeemed from Darkness
Came forth the phoenix from ash
Cleansed by fire and freed
I like it a lot. I don't think I will ever be able to produce anything like it again.
We had two dinners. the second dinner was with Brother and Sister
Z, our investigator and his member wife, at their in-law's home (who are
members). After we had a lesson on fasting that was remarkably
spiritual. Our mission president pleads us to teach in the homes of
members since the spirit is so strong there and I loved the experience.
We have set up a few more lessons in the homes of members.
Ether 2: 14
14 And it came to pass at the end of four years that the Lord came again unto the brother of Jared, and stood in a cloud and atalked with him. And for the space of three hours did the Lord talk with the brother of Jared, and bchastened him because he remembered not to ccall upon the name of the Lord.
I have been studying prayer lately and I like this
scripture. the Brother of Jared was called to repentance because he
hadn't prayed in awhile. If we don't consistently pray to God and then
out of nowhere ask for a bunch of help im sure he still helps, but he
might be a little bit slower to help than he would have been if we had
been talking to him the whole time. I think it goes the same with my
earthly parents as well ;)
I love you all! Have a wonderful week!
Elder Damron
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