My 4 month mark

This past week has been just kind of a humbling experience for me. We ran to so many people who is spiritually and physically going to pain, grief and afflictions. Wednesday morning we went over to our less active member brother Langestein and we got to met his wife for our first time. His wife is going to really hard times. She has some type of a disease all over her body. She can't even walk on her feet. Her whole bottom feet looks like it has been wounded. She told us how every day is a struggle for her just to get around in her home. Even though she has been going to all that for years and years, she still has a great faith in God and willing to accept what he has given her with thankfulness. Sometimes it is really easy to forget the things that Heavenly Father has blessed us with. It is huge blessing just to have a healthy body. I shared Alma 7:11-12 and told her how Christ has felt her pain and how he knows what she is going through. That just made me to be grateful for the healthy body God has blessed me with.

My other experience was with Brother Hutton. Brother Hutton lost his wife first week I got here. He called us down to the hospital when his wife was on a life support machine and he asked me if I could give him a priesthood blessing. I was really nervous at the time because I never have given anyone a priesthood blessing before. Anyways we haven't seen brother Hutton since then but we finally saw him this past week. He is going to really hard times right now. He doesn't have any family members close by so he doesn't have anyone who takes care of him. He is very lonely and spends most of his days and night on bad because of his health issues. From now on we are going to see him at least once a week and hopefully that would make him feel better at least for that moment we are there. 

On Thursday we had really good zone training. Most of our training was on Book of Mormon. I learned a few great ideas on how to pass out the Book of Mormon. One of the thing me and Elder Pollmann trying is to write our testimony and mark few scriptures before giving out the Book of Mormon. Hopefully they will at least read those verses we marked for them. 

This past week was been really good as far as teaching goes as well. We had some great lessons and we found a few more potential investigators. Our area is slow picking up and the members are helping by coming out teaching with us. It is always the best when the members and full time missionaries work together. We are trying a few things to have the members share the gospel with their nonmember friends. One of the thing that we came up with was to give the ward monthly missionary challenge. And our challenge for this month to the ward is to share something spiritual on social media. 

 

This mission has been really great experience for me. I don't think I would have learned in 10 years the things I have learned in four months. Yesterday was my four months Mark, it is crazy ha? I got all of the winter stuff you have sent me at zone training on Wednesday. Thank you so much for all that. The weather is really nice here for now, this past week the lowest was 55 and highest was 78. I'm really enjoying it right now, it's kind of feels like I'm in Ethiopia. 

I'm so glad you all are doing so well. I do really like how you and grandma Hill have positive attitude about everything. That reminds me of the pioneers, they sing "all is well" when all wasn't well and when they are experiencing all the hard times. You are right being on a mission during holidays season could be hard but I think it's a special blessing to be out here during those times. I only have two holidays of each to spend to spend while serving the lord and have all those when I get home. 

Yes I did heard about the new church policy. On Saturday one of our less active member texted us and said  "After reading the story that CNN did and doing my own research.... the church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints is no longer welcomed in my house.To hold a child responsible for the sins of parents who are gay is directly against the teachings of Christ. Do not come over my home ever again." That was exactly his words. I think there was a reason that he was a less active at first place and that just gave him another reason to leave the church. It all comes down to weather God has called the prophet here on earth. If we have testimonies about God calling the prophets and apostles, then what they they does really comes from God. We might not understand all things alright now but we should just take it with faith. I know that God has called the prophets to guide us in this latter days. I'm sure we are going to have a lot more people ask us about that but it's doesn't change anything my belief. 

Thank you so much for everything, I hope you will have a fantastic week. 

Love elder Haws