Dinkytown week 16

We definitely had a good week this week :)

 

I went on exchanges with an Elder in the St Paul area and got to be on a bike all day for the first time in awhile. We saw some pretty cool miracles! We taught the non-member son of a less active at his mother's house while we were waiting for the LA to get home. He is probably in his 30s and was pretty skeptical of us. We just took the time to get to know him as a person and learn about what made him him. He opened up and then started asking questions about our church. He had a lot of misinformation and we were able to clear up a lot. Then his girlfriend, who didnt really like us at first, came out and she asked a few questions. We bore testimony of Christ and she was utterly shocked that we even believed in Him. She asked us if our belief in Christ is what fueled us each day. We both replied an affirmitive yes. Missionary work is too hard to do on your own. Both of them apologized for making a lot of bad assumptions and then the boyfriend told us that he had actually met missionaries last week! And that they had actually called him earlier that day! So we got them all lined up and he is going to get taught by them. :D

 

We also met this guy on his lawn who at first was pretty skeptical. We shared the Restoration with him and he became quite fascinated with what we were telling him. Then he asked for a Book of Mormon. So we gave him one and then he said, "time for the test" and he opened it up to a random page, put his finger down, and started reading. The verse he read was Mosiah 4:11. Go read it. Seriously so unreal that he opened up to that scripture. He closed it and was like, "yep, it agrees with the bible. Ill read it." so incredible.

 

While flipping through our area book this week (a book that has records of lessons and stuff) I tried to flip to the back of the book and my fingers caught on a paper and I accidentally ripped it out! I analyzed it and realized it was a paper from 4 years ago that had the information of a less active man who was trying to come back to church. But he wasnt on our records and I had never heard of him. So i called him. He told us that he is going through a rough time and is making some big decisions in his life right now. He said he was even thinking of coming to church! He said he probably wouldnt have come if we hadnt called and then committed to church! So sweet. Gotta love crazy miracles.

 

Brother MW also got interviewed for baptism this past week! His bus got stuck and he ended up getting to the interview 2 hours late (which was a source of great stress to me. Especially since President Forbes had come to interview him) but he finally got there and it all worked out. On saturday he was baptized!!! He was grinning ear to ear and he gave a fantastic testimony at the end of the service. He told everyone he wants to go out and help other people find the joy he has right now just like we helped him. He has overcome a lot to reach this point. His neighbor dropped off a stack of anti at his apartment 2 days before his baptism and he just laughed at it and set it aside! He is going to be a solid member here in the YSA ward.

 

In chapter 1 of Preach My Gospel there is a line that reads: “Happiness in family life is most likelyto be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ." I love this line a lot. A constant battle amongst God's children is trusting that putting God first, even when it is hard, will lead to happiness. Being a disciple of Christ is not easy; it was never meant to be easy. But when we can take the leap of faith to truly live by the precepts which Christ has taught and now does teach through his living apostles and prophets, we can have a deep abiding happiness even amidst the storms of life. I know this is true!

 

I love you all! Have a wonderful week. Just FYI, I will be emailing next tuesday instead of monday.

-Elder Damron