So this last week was a LOT of fun. On Monday we went to our ward mission leader's house and baked cookies for a few hours. Then after dinner we went caroling and handed out the cookies we made. Our group had golden pipes so all was well. #CookieCarolers all 4 of us Elders went with the Bishop's son. On way home, right before we got onto the highway, the son hit something in the road. we pulled over in the parking lot and somehow a flippin bolt had gone straight into the tire. The head of it was the size of a nickel, it was ridiculous. It was freezing and changing the tire was a interesting because the lugnuts were basically frozen on. it only took 4 missionaries like 25 minutes to change a tire. no biggie. we may or may not have gotten home a little late....
On Tuesday we wrapped up some RC planes we found in our apartment and gave them to some kids in the ward. They had a lot of fun chasing their siblings around with them from what we here.
Christmas eve was really fun as well :) i woke up pretty sick and i wanted to die in a hole for a few hours, but i put myself together and we went out. We went to the Carrillo family's house and took their dogs for a walk through the snowy woods with the husband. It was quite a bit of fun! Then we had two rounds of dinner. I was so stuffed...
On Christmas we went to a YSA girl's house with the other missionaries in the ward. She wasnt able to make it home for Christmas so we made pancakes, played some games, and had a hot chocolate making contest. My hot chocolate won the style award but no one seemed to like the taste... lame. Then we played some games and of course i talked a little bit of trash and lost.. i got one of the sister missionaries to brush off her shoulder just like the nfl players do when they score touchdowns. i felt accomplished.
Saturday was basically miracle city here in Duluth. I went on exchanges with Elder Roose, one of the ZLs, and we went to town. So all of our plans fell through. 3 pretty solid appointments down the drain. But we didnt get discouraged, we went looking for the miracles that God had prepared for us. At 4:45 we ended up at a less active member's house who i was pretty sure wouldnt be home but i felt like we should knock it anyway. we had a lesson at 6:15 pretty far away so things were getting tight if we wanted to eat dinner. We knocked and he was home! So we went in and his dad was also there. I have been wanting to teach the son alone for awhile now because his dad has been causing disturbances during lessons. The dad told us he would be leaving to go to the store soon. So we patiently waited. After about half an hour he left and then things got real. We began to teach and the Spirit flooded the room. Elder Roose asked some quite bold and very inspired questions and the less active told us all of his concerns and pains. I felt we should watch the mormon message "The Hope of God's light" and so we did that and then we committed him to fast to feel God's love. We also promised to fast with him. Then he came to church yesterday for the first time in a long time! Our lesson with him ended at 6:10so we rushed off to our next appointment and we ate a few cookies we found in the back of our car for dinner. So worth it :D I just look back and see how miraculous the events were that led to us being there at his doorstep at 4:45 to teach him. Sometimes we think we know how things should pan out and when things dont pan out the way we imagine we get discouraged. if we but have faith we can recognize that God's plan is much better than ours.
To end this letter on a spiritual note I wanted to talk about a miracle that occurred for Christmas. So i woke up Christmas Eve feeling like i might die and i was very worried. i was coughing and couldnt speak too well. Christmas night we had a very important lesson with a family that is struggling. The wife has cancer and if i was still sick we would have to cancel. So Tuesday night i asked for a blessing from our WML so that i might be healthy enough to teach that family. I pleaded with God in prayer to allow us to teach them. I asked not to be healthy for my sake, but for theirs. So i got the blessing and i was promised that i would be healthy enough to teach them. And as i walked away the phrase "my grace is sufficient for all men" from ether 12:27came to my mind and i was unsure why. I was expecting to be fully healed from the blessing. the next day i felt much better. i didnt cough too much and things went really well. i was healthy enough to teach the family! But on Thursday and friday, i still was not 100% better and i felt like i was getting worse. i realized the Lord was teaching me a lesson here. The reason that scripture came to my mind was quite apparent. He was teaching me that i must rely upon him in times of distress and in times of plenty. My problems will not always just go away, but He will provide the strength to do His work. His grace will be just enough for us to accomplish great tasks and still grow from it.
I love you all! Have a great week!
Elder Damron
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