The Rain Leads to New Contacts

Hey Y'all! 

It is good to be a missionary!  It is good to be alive!  It is good to be a part of the true Church of Jesus Christ!  Life is truly good! 

This week: 

Mon. March 14:  P-Day.  

We had dinner at the Gundlach's.  Brother Gundlach's daughter and son-in-law were there.  Brother Gundlach had me convinced they were non-members, so the whole time I was trying to teach them bits of the Gospel. Then his son-in-law said he went to Utah State and served a mission in Hungary.  Oh....

We got caught in the rain, and I needed to use the restroom, so we ran inside the Advance Auto Parts. We were able to talk to a real nice lady there, and teach her about the Church.  She lives in Salem, but we were able to pass her on to the Salem 2 Elders.  If it wouldn't have been raining, we wouldn't have found her....because why would bike Elders go into Advanced Auto Parts?  ;)

Tues. March 15:  We had Specialized Training meeting today - it was an excellent follow up from past meetings; I felt very blessed to be a part of this training.

We had a good lesson with Garrett, with Brother Tourville there joining in.  Garrett read the Plan of Salvation pamphlet and we were able to go over that really simply. 

We biked to Myra & Roxanne's.  On the way there, Elder Jolley went headfirst into a metal curb; it destroyed the tire and the wheel.  He's still getting the hang of things!  We were able to make it to Myra and Roxanne's, where their cousin, Brother Frankie Rosser came with us.  He bore a powerful testimony of his conversion.  He was in tears, and Myra and Roxanne were really touched by that. 

Bishop Williams took all the missionaries to Longhorn Steakhouse (for our monthly dinner appointment with Bishop) - good steaks!

We went to Jamie's house (remember her?  We played basketball with her kids, and we've had to reschedule a couple of times.)  Well, we caught her husband, Jim outside.  He told us we'd just missed her and the kids, but we talked to him outside for like 15 minutes.  Then Jamie and her daughter, J-Ana rolled up and got out.  She yelled, "Do y'all want to come in?"  It was awesome; we were able to teach the three of them The Restoration.  They had so many good questions! 

Wed. March 16:  We did exchanges with the Salem 1 Elders.  Elder Young is now the District Leader, and he had Elder Jolley come to Salem with him, and his new companion, Elder Hepworth, come with me.  Elder Hepworth is from Blackfoot, Idaho (but doesn't know one of my past companions, Elder Boyd, who just went home).

We had a lesson with Brother Nate Henegar and were able to emphasize the importance of the Book of Mormon.  We also ended up talking to his neighbors right downstairs, and they were cool guys. 

We were out trying a referral, who wasn't home, but right across the way we started talking to these people outside.  One of the ladies was really interested named, Saprina.  It turns out she was a former investigator who was taught by my Blacksburg zone leaders (Elder Moses and Elder Clawson) when I was in Floyd!  We were able to start teaching her again and she's so interested in coming closer to God, and feeling the way she felt while she was meeting with the other Elders.  The cool thing is; Elder Clawson is now the new Roanoke zone leader (and lives with us).  He was way pumped and was able to give us so more information on her. 

We had a really good dinner at the Cowling's.

We had Ward Missionary Coordination meeting also. 

Thur. March 17: St. Patrick's Day!  

We did our weekly planning. 

Marion cancelled on us.  :( 

We did have a lesson with Brother Lloyd.  He's going to be in the temple prep class, so we talked to him about that.  

Brother Dion came with us to see Susan.  Brother Dion was really a knowledgeable man!  He has a good conversion story that he shared with Susan.

Fri. March 18: 

We had a BBQ at the Laymon's house, and they invited Johnathan and Courtney over!  It was tons of fun, with plenty of good food.  And we had a lesson on keeping commandments.  Courtney has actually been reading the Book of Mormon every single day for 5 minutes! Woo!  

We had a lesson with the Bell's. Sister Cummings, the Relief Society president, came.

 

 

Sat. March 19: 

It was raining, and we started out walking in the rain, but then we took the bus.  We were able to talk to people on the bus, and I talked to a guy named, Steven, and got his phone number and address!  

Myra and Rebbecca weren't feeling well.

 

Brother Caen came with us to Brother Tourville.  Brother Caen was trying really hard to get Gary to come to church or the devotional on Sunday night, but Gary was being stubborn.

 

We had a good dinner at the Village Grill; it's right by our house and everyone has been recommending it to us.

 

We helped this couple named Daniel and Danielle (can you imagine?) push their car out of the mud in their back yard.  Don't ask me why they got their car stuck in the mud in their back yard.  They were so appreciative and asked us to come back and preach to them. 

Sun. March 20: 

I spoke in church today; I spoke on Living to your Full Potential.  I used Preach My Gospel to teach the Plan of Salvation, and Dieter F. Uchtdorf's talk, "Your Potential, Your Privileges." 

But no one came to church (as far as people we are working with).

 

We went and saw the Mclaughlin family.

 

We had the Fireside/Devotional.  It was an alright turnout.  We were really hoping to get some investigators, but none came.  We did get some less-actives to come! 

I really enjoyed preparing and giving my talk yesterday.  Here are some thoughts from it! 

I'd encourage y'all to check out the Mormon Message I used from President Uchtdorf: http://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/mormon-messages/your-potential-your-privileges-1

I know we have a lot of potential, and it is our choice to live to that potential and enjoy our privileges. We have our agency; it is our choice!  

Joshua 24:15

15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

It is our Choice, who we serve!  Therefore it is our choice if we live to our full potential!

  

2 Nephi 2: 27-28 

27 Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself. 

 28 And now, my sons, I would that ye should look to the great Mediator, and hearken unto his great commandments; and be faithful unto his words, and choose eternal life, according to the will of his Holy Spirit;

I hope we can continue to look to our Savior, the Great Mediator.  He wants to help us so much!  Through him, and his Atonement, we never need to worry if there is hope or not. Every day we live beneath our full potential and don't partake of our full privileges.  But because of the Atonement, we can always keep both in sight! 

I Love all of you! Love, Elder Brenchley