Coming from Virginia still! The news is I will be staying in Botetourt with Elder Shirley for my last transfer as a missionary! I'm very happy! I had interviews this past week with President Salisbury, and he gave me the heads up early, actually!
Some highlights (and lowlights) from this week:
1. Sister Susan Copeland, who I taught in Roanoke, got baptized and I was able to attend!
2. We started teaching a gal named, Amber, who lives at our apartment complex!
3. 7-11 Slurpee Day
4. Interviews with President Salisbury
5. Zone meeting
6. The week of July 4-10, we didn't teach too many lessons.
7. The two days of July 11-12, we've almost matched the amount of lessons we taught the week previous. It's going good.
8. Went to court this morning for a speeding ticket..... :(
9. While knocking a street, we helped the same guy twice in 10 minutes time get his riding lawn mower out of a ditch - I'm not so sure he should be driving that thing.
As for the rest of the week, we had 100 degree weather to pouring rain storms! The weather is crazy! Haha!
Tues. July 5: We knocked Muse Road, and tracted into the owner of Famous Anthony's (a big restaurant chain here).
We also spoke with and taught a 19 year old kid named, Jacob. He is planning on going into the Air Force, but he is definitely socially awkward, so he was interested enough to talk to us, but I think it helped we were about his age.
Then we emailed at Fincastle Library because they were closed on the 4th.
We had dinner with the Cummings' and Brother Gentry picked us up. We ate really good pork loin. Then President Cummings came with us and we dropped in on the Kotval's. President Cummings was really good for them. Josh Kotval (non-member) is a Deputy Sheriff for Botetourt County, and President Cummings is a volunteer deputy. Sister Kotval is the member. We shared with them, "The Family Proclamation." Then Josh opened up with some pretty big questions regarding anti. President Cummings bore his testimony of his conversion, and answered them really well! They are going to be a great focus family for the Branch!
Wed. July 6: So we went up to Buchanan today. Then stopped by and talked to Sister Angie Rogers - she's doing fine (her dog, however, is in bad shape). She just hasn't been answering her phone.
We talked to Tiara, a daughter of a referral we got, and she seemed really cool and open.
Up in Buchanan, we didn't get too much dice. But, we saw a cool bridge!
We talked to Sister Lorton, and asked her who she'd recommend for us to go try. A less-active family wasn't home, and as soon as the Overby's saw us pull up to their driveway, they both left the front porch and went into the house.
We talked to Sister Lorton, and asked her who she'd recommend for us to go try. A less-active family wasn't home, and as soon as the Overby's saw us pull up to their driveway, they both left the front porch and went into the house.
We had dinner at the Scroggins'; they are going to pray for the opportunity to again get the Tribbles family over to meet with us.
While out tracting, we met the nicest, older couple I have ever met on my mission. Bob and Patty Cox (age 85 and 82) were so hospitable; they invited us in, kept trying to give us food and drink, and told us how a son of theirs is Mormon, and how many great Mormon grandkids and great-grandkids they have.
Thur. July 7: We had interviews with President Salisbury in the morning. It was great, as always! He told me he's never had to "worry" about me on my mission. He says, "I just don't want to get in your way, Elder Brenchley." It's always such an uplifting time to be with him - I know he was called by God to be my Mission President.
We knocked off Valley Road, where we didn't really find anyone, just the guy named Mike who kept getting his riding lawn mower stuck in a ditch.
Brother Plaster came with us for two hours today, and we taught Brother Dewie Weddle, and then saw Brother Ted Durrant (inactive member). He wasn't interested - after inviting us in, we tried to teach a lesson and invite him back to church, then he politely asked us to close with prayer and leave.
Kacy had to cancel. :( And then Amy Gregory cancelled, too.
We ate at Subway. Eat Fresh.
While tracting Camelia Drive, we found this funny guy named, Fred Smith. He's Catholic, but he doesn't know why he's Catholic. He heard our lesson, then he said, "After this many years, I don't know if I can change."
I then asked, "What if God asked you to change?"
This certainly took him off guard, and he didn't know how to answer. We're excited to go back and see him. |
{I have acquired 36 ties on my mission! WOW!} |
Fri. July 8: We had zone meeting.
Then we were able to meet with a new less-active Sister we started teaching named, Sister Marilyn Evans. She actually joined the church while working for a company based in Salt Lake City. Her co-workers shared the Gospel with her.
While tracting, one old guy was as rude as could be (probably one of the angriest I've seen on my mission) and then a different old guy was all for us coming and loved us in just 10 minutes!
We had dinner at the Elmore's and they identified some families they want to share the Gospel with.
Sat. July 9: Sister Susan Copeland's Baptism.
Brother Elmore did come out with us, but Sister Angie Rogers flaked on us!
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| {Sister Copeland and Brother Vance} |
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| {All the Elders who ever taught Sister Copeland} Me, Elder Cheever, Elder Boer, Elder Jolley, Elder Larson |
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| {The Vance Family} |
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| {Elder Jolley and I with Susan} |
We had a lesson with the Clark couple - they're still really nervous about coming to church.
Then we had a follow-up lesson with Jacob Wallis, who we found Tuesday. He didn't really remember anything we taught him.
We contacted a referral named, Freda. She was 97 years old and wasn't interested.
Sun. July 10: We had Branch Council in the morning, then church. It's becoming an all day thing with Branch Council at 12:30, then church until 5:00.
We had dinner at the Diviney's; they are awesome! They identified one kid that Jack (age 15) and Abe (age 13) know, that they are going to invite to mutual. They set a goal of July 27 to find someone to refer us to.
We talked to a Muslim man, who is from the Middle East, just visiting his parents. We had a very pleasant conversation.
Mon. July 11: We had District meeting in the morning.
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| Our District |
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| Our District Leader, Elder Hepworth, brought us a bottle of Martinelli's sparkling cider |
We taught our neighbor, Sister Amber Booher, for the first time. She's been bringing us food several nights before because she wants us to be taken care of. She is interested in learning about religion, so she said we could come by. Brother Janney came with us. She is very open and searching for truth. She has a lot of questions about what's wrong and what's right. She has a lot of tattoos and a couple piercings. She had a long list of questions! She's seems so very promising; she said she'd be baptized!
Then we were able to hit up 7-11 for Slurpee day!
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| Free 7-11 slurpees on 7-11 |
We dropped in on Angie since we had Brother Janney with us, and she said she still wanted to be baptized, and even said she'd like to be baptized this Sunday, but we talked to her about her being more prepared, and moved her date to August.
Then Brother Janney came with us to the Moore's for dinner. Brother Moore committed to get us in the door with a friend he has.
As we were coming back to our apartment (8:50ish), Amber came by and dropped us off some pasta, and reported she had already read the chapter we left her, as well as checked out the websites we left her.
Tues. July 12: We knocked this one street (in a very nice neighborhood), and it just wasn't a good street. I repeat, It was not a good street.
We had Brother Morse come out with us to see Amy Gregory and she wasn't there! We did try a couple of other people, and knocked into this cool guy named, Cody.
We then also tried a former investigator, and found this gal named, Jacelyn. She's a former Jehovah's Witness and she thought it was so funny that she was on "the other end" of proselyting today. She said she fell out of religion, and she usually tells religious ministers to take a hike, but she doesn't know why she let us talk to her (We know! We've got the truth to share!) I ended up saying a closing prayer with her. She is awesome!
After some huge thunderstorms, we were able to safely get out of the car and go see the Hodges family.
Virginia Thomas cancelled, and Dewie Weddle called us to tell us he was staying with the Church of the Brethren.
We knocked this cool neighborhood and got some good potentials.
We had a wonderful lesson with Brother Jacob Dalton. Brother Diviney made all the difference. They really got along, and Brother Diviney was able to bear personal testimony of Prophets/Apostles and the Plan of Salvation, and how it helps him as a father/husband.
Well, due to the time is running out of the library computer, I have to wrap up. It was a busy week! I'll leave with this scripture:
D&C 58:26-32
26 For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward.
27 Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;
28 For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward.
29 But he that doeth not anything until he is commanded, and receiveth a commandment with doubtful heart, and keepeth it with slothfulness, the same is damned.
30 Who am I that made man, saith the Lord, that will hold him guiltless that obeys not my commandments?
Let us be diligent in keeping the commandments of God! And be agents unto ourselves! I intend to finish my mission this way!
I Love You All!
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