Monday May 24 2010 Letter

This last week has been up and down and all around. So let's begin with the analysis, shall we?

It began very well I thought, with an awesome companion, a great FHE with the Branch President's family, and just happy people all around. We had some very great lessons. Where some of our investigators told us they were already finished with 2 Nephi! Whoa!

Then on Friday we had a lesson with Alfred and Florence. We invited the couple missionaries to explain that the divorce with the first wife has to be done before they can be baptized. They tried to explain it away and say that the first wife was gone and we couldn't help them see that it HAD to be done. That is why we invited the couple missionaries, because they deal with this kind of stuff. They came and they talked to them and Alfred and Florence finally understood. But the first wife was gone, no where to be found and they couldn't divorce without the presence of the first wife. They told us that they had a testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. But they said they regretted telling us about the first wife because things were just getting to be too hard. They didn't want to deal with this anymore. They wanted to be done. They were ok before and they could always go back to how they were before. I was feeling awful. I kept trying to tell them to be patient that the baptism would be worth the wait and all the trials. But they couldn't see it. They said they would give back all of the books, that they would be okay without the church.

I could not believe it, Alfred was half way through Alma, he had stopped smoking and they came every Sunday and they had such strong testimonies! But Satan found the weakness. They were feeling lost and hurt and they just wanted to give up because it would so much easier. They said it was just too hard. I was almost in tears and my companion was in tears. They promised that they would continue to meet with us until they made their final decision... but they didn't come to church yesterday.....

I know that they could be amazing members and I hope they won't give up. But even if they do I won't. So they will be members even if isn't when I am here but they will make it through this. They have felt the light and they will return.

But that lesson really took us out of it and we went to another lesson right after, and I taught the whole thing because my comp couldn't manage to talk. It was a very difficult day but later Dorcas told us that she was reading in the Book of Mormon every day! I was so happy and she told us all about what she studied.

Then on Saturday the Zone Leader got his provisional license and was practicing driving. We were inside when we heard CRASH! I run outside, the other Zone leader is in the yard, looking at the car that had run into the house! He was trying to back up, but forgot to put it in reverse.... I laughed so hard. I felt really bad for him though. The house is fine and so is the car we just popped out the dent.

On Sunday, me and my companion decided to sing a song in Sacrament to help the Branch feel more comfortable with us and to get us acquainted with everyone. We also bribed all our investigators with it in hopes they would come to church to hear us :) We sang If You Could Hie to Kolob and it actually went well even though we didn't practice at all. Then we had a Devotional where F. Michael Watson of the Seventy and Sister Julie B. Beck, General Relief Society President, came and talked to our stake. Their talks were amazing and it was like a mini General Conference! I was way excited that we got to hear from them and shake their hands and we got some pictures too!

Then after church we went to Dorcas' and had a lesson with the family. They came to church and they made us sing the song again, and they recorded it on their cell phones and Dorcas set it as her ring tone... She played it back for us and I was shocked. I sounded nothing like I thought I did. But I hope she enjoys it.

Also a drunk guy, oh man he was super hammered, but I was telling him to come to church and he told me, and I quote, "I love you like a public toilet!" I was very confused and I am pretty sure he is the most drunk person I have ever seen in my entire life! Boo alcohol!

jThat has been my week. I love every bit of my time here and especially the people I meet. I am very grateful for all the prayers and support!

Love,

Elder Gay

P.S. We caught a chameleon! We were holding it and we got some awesome pictures! It was so cute and it changed colors very quickly. Yay chameleon!