Dinkytown Week 2 (May 12)

So most of our investigators have been dropping like flies the last two weeks. Elder Harrison made the wise observation that the Lord is opening up our schedule so we can find the people who are truly ready. And we definitely have found some sweet people this week!

 

I had the opportunity to go on 3 exchanges this week. One with an Elder From Taiwan. He just got to the mission and his english is still a little shaky but his testimony is incredible. He has been a member for 3 years. Missionaries talked to him a dozen times but he always gave them fake numbers. But one day he decided he was bored enough to actually listen. The rest is history, ha ha. We had quite the day. We taught a man from Cameroon, Africa. A man from India. And a girl from Mexico. I counted up a few nights ago and I have taught people from 17 different countries here in Minnesota. Who needs a foreign mission? pshhh. I love it here!

 

I also got to go out to dinner with an NFL player this week!!!!! That was super sick. He is a linebacker on the Vikings and is in the singles ward. Sunday he waltzed in with a pink shirt, baby blue pants, and a bow tie. So much class. And he is absolutely jacked.

 

Friday was a day of miracles on the campus here. We had about 5 hours to talk to people on campus and we prayed very specifically where we should be and at what time. We found someone to teach and set up a return appointment at each location! One guy looked identical to what Thor should look like. So yes, I thought Thor. Long braided hair and everything. We also taught this Chinese girl who was praying but not finding answers and she was losing hope. We promised that by meeting with us and reading the Book of Mormon she would understand answers to her prayers more clearly and she got super excited and happy. We had her say the closing prayer, after we taught her the manner in which Christ has taught us to pray, and it was simple, but powerful. Definitely a sweet moment. At one point we also prayed and thanked God for giving us the blessing of teaching so many people. In the prayer I asked God to help us know if we were in the right place at the right time and when we got up my companion informed me we needed to be elsewhere immediately. So we bolted across campus and went to the exact point that came to his mind and we met brother Y. Missionaries had met him the previous week in another town and taught him the restoration, but they had never called him to set up a return appointment. He said it was a strange coincidence that he has met missonaries again. We testified it was not a coincidence and set up a return appointment. Sooooo sweet. :)

 

Saturday I went on 2 mini exchanges with new missionaries. I absolutely love being around new missionaries. They are so fun and moldable. They are eager to improve. Then missionaries are in the mission for awhile and we get hard headed and think we know everything. ha ha. One of the missionaries was really struggling and I quite literally said things to him that i never even thought of and i knew it was inspired from on high. We set some goals to help him find joy. I am excited to see what he can become.

 

Saturday night we also taught Sister L., our miracle investigator. She was supposed to leave for the summer and we were super worried but she informed us that because of work she decided to stay for 1.5 more months!!! We taught her the Law of Chastity and she eagerly accepted it. She told us she has been praying to know if this church is NOT true and God hasnt told her it isnt and she feels her faith increasing. This blew me away because we never even read Moroni 10:3-5 together! Yet the Spirit helped her to know what to pray for. She also said she wants to be Mormon because out of all the religions she knows of and has associated with, she feels our members are the most pious and dedicated to living our faith 7 days a week!

 

Sunday night a member invited us over for dinner. They have a friend staying with them for the summer who just got out of jail and is trying to change his life around. We taught him about repentance and how we can be truly forgiven and feel peace. We left him Alma 36 to read and he was super grateful we came.

 

All in all it was a good week! It was wonderful to talk to my family on mothers day. I miss you all a lot but I am excited for the official start of the second half of my mission.

 

Thought:

PMG Chap. 1

" In fact, [the gospel] is the only way of living that will bring peace ofconscience and enable Heavenly Father’s children to return to live in Hispresence."

 

I have a rock solid testimony that the only way we can find a deep, abiding peace in this life, regardless of our outward circumstances, rests upon our willingness to live the Gospel and follow the footsteps of our Savior. Peace is a gift from God that is rewarded to us through our personal righteousness.

 

I love you all! Have a great week.

Elder Damron