So, chronologically, last p-day dad sent me a mission
story about "spiritual tracting" (ask him about it). That evening Elder
Lloyd and I were going out tracting, so I said, hey, Elder Lloyd, we've
already tracted out a lot of places, why dont we do this thing my dad
talked about. So we did, ended up in what may have been a bad part of
town (It wasnt that bad, but Elder Lloyd said some people have warned
him off it) where we met a very nice Hispanic woman, A__. She let
us in, we taught the restoration, set up a return appointment and
everything. Our third lesson with her is tonight! So that was a cool
miracle.
We go to the
Park most nights to keep from knocking doors after 8 o'clock. With the
lights there are often families walking around. Elder Lloyd had the
inspired idea to ask if they would like us to take their pictures with
the lights. Boom, quality contacts, hasn't failed yet. We haven't found
anyone to teach at the park yet, but at least have had good contact with
people.
Tuesday was new
missionary training, which is significant in that I got my Tiwi
(teenage independent witness) card and am authorized to drive. So I get
to drive. But it was a good meeting, President Hewlett was really
focusing on setting goals. They fed us meatball subs for lunch, &
ice cream sandwiches for dessert. Well, when they were cleaning up I
asked Sister Hewlett how I could help, and she asked me to take the
leftovers. Well, we had a two hour drive home, and no refrigeration...I
had eaten 8 ice cream sandwiches by the time they were too melted to consume.
Also
on Tuesday we did exchanges with the Woodville elders, so Elder King
and I partied it up in Woodville. We didn't have any lessons that night,
but a sweet sister in the branch retaught me how to crochet and gave me
some yarn and a needle. So that has been fun.
Wednesday
was still exchanges for most of the day. Elder King and I did some
service for the morning, and then taught an hour long lesson to a guy
wearing only a blanket wrapped around his waist. Ended up being a pretty
good lesson, though, and Elders King and Ure are still teaching his
family.
We had a lesson
with A__ that night. It was cool because we brought her a Spanish
Book of Mormon, and then as we talked about scriptures I would read them
in Spanish with her. She really appreciated that.
Thursday was tracting all day except for weekly planning. It got pretty long.
Friday
was an alright day, although it rained all day long. All of Saturday
too, actually. Tracting in it was fun: I am grateful for shoes that are
largely waterproof. One family we knocked into grows oranges and loaded
us up with two grocery bags filled with them, so we have been eating
those since.
Saturday
was a miracle day. Elder Lloyd said that he had had Kirbyville bouncing
around all morning, so we drove out there & tried to contact people
in our area book. After a slow start, we tried to find this one family
that showed two children of record but no parents. Well, we get there
and the grandpa says grumpily that there are no Mormons there, then a
younger woman comes out and says she was a Mormon, but asked for her
name to be taken off of the roll. It looked like she was about to tell
us to go away and to take her daughters names off as well, but I
testified boldly that we were sent there to invite her back, and Elder
Lloyd testified about Christ, and she softened up and began telling us
her story. By the end of our visit she said she would consider coming
back to church. She doesn't have a phone or
car, so we will have to try and visit her again.
We tried to contact another inactive in Kirbyville and we found her,
M__, and as we talked to her we found out that she hadn't been to
church for 20 years, never really read the Book of Mormon or anything.
Well, we invited her back and gave her a copy of the Book of Mormon. She said that she would
come! And she was there Sunday, and said she would be next week too!
Awesome!
Also,
incidentally, Elder Lloyd's and my apartment is pretty great. Not least
because we keep it clean, but it is also apparently one of the nicest
apartments. So that is a nice blessing.
Merry Christmas,
Elder DeFord
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| Elder DeFord Lighting the World |
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