ALL my FRIENDS (so far) ON MY COKES WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
September 8, 2014
Dear Friends and Family,
This week has been pretty much the most insane week ever. We had district meeting like usual, but afterwards I went home with Elder Smiley to go on an exchange up in Amite, and it was crazy! I love the missionaries up there, we all had so much fun and I just loved that little city to death after I left. I ended up teaching an investigator and helping them get another investigator (who was the first investigator's wife) and now they are teaching her, so I feel totally involved. They have like the nicest apartment with huge rooms and 2 bathrooms just, so you all are aware, but all in all it was a pretty great place.
On the first day, we had dinner at a member's house whose name is Tanya Grice, and I would kindly say we got along quite well, she is a bit crazy and a lot of fun. She is rough around the edges, but has seen some major trials in her life, one of which is losing her son at 3; and this last week on Wednesday was his 5th birthday, so we helped with the little memory party at his grave-site. She also has a missionary who is out in Colorado, so anyone out in Colorado better be treating them missionaries real nice like, okay?
On one of the days (I was gone until Friday) I met a sweet black member women by the name of Sister Manning, and she boosted my confidence pretty much through the roof. She told me how warm I was, how smart, how funny, etc. etc. It's good to know I don't suck sometimes, ya know? Her husband and her have been together 10 years, but not actually literally married through the law. They are both disabled and unable to work as much as they used to (they are in the upper 60's I think) so they get SSI for both of them, separate instead of as a couple, so they don't want to lose that. Hopefully, some kind of Common law exists that will help that, because they really want to get to the temple after Jerry (her husband) gets baptized. That was a dang good visit.
Sister Stephens is an excellent friend and will be going home this transfer, so that is a bummer, but her new trainee. I imagine. is more stressed out to take over an area and continue to be trained by someone brand new, all in all, I really love our district and pretty much every single person in Hammond and Albany district are like my bestest of friends.
Our District
Me and Elder Smiley and then Sisters Stephens and Plumb photobombing perfectly!
I sound a bit casual in this email which, I apologize for, I have just been trying to think of something truly amazing to write about. Nikki Horton came to church again this week and next week will be staying for all 3 hours, she is well on her way for baptism at the end of this month on the 20th. Her kids are rambunctious but in sacrament they are so good and behave quite well and enjoy the service, so the primary and such will be getting some awesome new kiddos! Yesterday, one of our investigators, Susan Strahan, tried to drop us! We were like oh nononono that's not gonna happen. We continued to ask her questions and she really just thought her church and ours were the same belief system (Christ oriented) but then Elder Larkin just went all bold and said we are the only church with the proper Authority to act in the Priesthood and so that's why we have prophets and that's why we are here teaching you and now she is gonna pray all about it and we are excited to see the results! She prayed for us and afterwards we told her about how we have a certain Shawn and Simon Ingram in our ward and apparently her husband and her know them way great and he might even come to church this week!!! SO MUCH PROGRESS, I really like the Ingrams they are pretty great and now they just done did good.
Elder Smiley and Myers (they have like adopted me into there missionary line?)
Our whole family, Elder Rush, Elder Hillam, Elder Smiley, Elder Myers
We Mormons are a peculiar people brothers and sisters, and because we are such, we must act in accordance with our peculiarity. We love Our Father in Heaven and know His Savior Jesus Christ. People see our countenance and know of our good works, let us be worthy of that countenance in Christ always. It isn't easy to be obedient to every single command God asks of us, but if we are to obtain all that our Father hath and stand side by side with our Savior, then we must put away our natural thoughts and tendencies and ascend to the level of our Father. I know scripture study and even prayer may be difficult to do each and every day, but it is crucial and in order for us to be happy, my loved ones, we must search ponder and pray continuously so that in our hearts we have changed to act accordingly to the laws of the Gospel in harmony with our Ordinances we have partaken of. I love you all so dearly, and the worth of souls in my eyes are great, especially unto y'all who are my dearest and closest friends and family, and The Kingdom can only be complete with all of you there.
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