yes

Sooooo

Lets see here, It was a really busy week! Lots of things coming together last minute. But somehow things do come together and work out. Thats why I always say I'll figure it out. Cause eventually somehow it will get figured out. Out here, and really anywhere anytime, thats why it is so important to be obedient in every case. When we are obedient we can trust that whatever happens is supposed to happen...PErfect obedience is very very difficult. Obviously perfection is not possible, but there are things out here like being perfectly obedient to the daily schedule that are achievable and show the Lord that obedience is important to us. "If you love me, Keep my commandments." Right!?! Like I said its hard. But I'm getting better. The Lord does bless us when we do our best. Here's one small example. We are supposed to be in bed by 10:30 each night. It is really easy to not be in bed my then. Especially when things get busy and we have a lot to plan for and all (I haven't written in my journal all week! Bummer.). Its easy to be ready for bed by arond 10:30 and then pray. But then I'm tired and spacing out and all this stuff. Okay, the point of it all is that when I am actually in my bed by 10:30, the next day I am soooo much better well rested. No joke, without fail. Its only a few extra minutes of sleep, but I have such a better day when I'm in bed at 10:30. Obedience reaps blessings. I promise! But its still not easy. You'd think it would be. Keep the commandments and God promises to bless us. Make sacrifices and get blessed. It's like a formula but still we can't do everything the way He asks us. But we can do our best I guess. I read an awesome scripture in my conference notes this morning about sacrifice. I think it was DC 97:8-9. There's a commandment, then a promise. The Lord is bound when we do what he says. He won't break His promises to us. BLessings come! SO just be obedient.

Well, I have bad news. Rick has been dropped. He is no longer investigating. He goes in for treatment a week from today (the 15th) and told us saturday that he's done. We could feel the change as soon as we started talking to him. Such a bummer. There's a laundry list of reasons. They all stem from one in particular. Rick has had a real sketchy past life. Been through more than most of us will ever know and experience. Tough life. Tough, tough life. And he has killed people. I don't know the cirmumstances, but he has committed the unpardonable sin, as he calls it (I guess from the Old Testament). In the midst of cancer and providing for his family (which they are just barely doing thanks to some dear friends of theirs), he just can't deal with trying to clean up those past sins right now. He's not ready to deal with repentance at this point. It's just too much. There are some things he's going to have to do to get baptized and he's not into doing them right now. Thats the big thing as far as I can tell. He also loves coffee more than life itself, is surrounded by people who probably don't encourage him through all this, and lots of other things. It really is a shame and makes me real sad to see. Rick is one of my favorite investigators. One of the most interesting people I've met out here. In many ways he is a very amazing and admirable person. So I hate to leave him be, but maybe its for the best right now. Anyway, we're just gonna try and be there for Rick here and there. Just love him. Thats all for now.

Besides that, we have a few other people who are doing well. Two in particular who I am seeing first hand the gospel and its principles change their lives. Its so cool. One guy we just helped quit smoking. He quit smoking. He doesn't have much of a testimony, he believes most of what we teach, but hasn't taken the time to find it out for himself through prayer and study. But he did quit smoking. I think its fantastic. He just changed his life. Whether he gets baptized or not (this guy will for sure, just needs the time, however long it is), we helped him change his life. He'll be a better example to his kids, he'll be able to provide better (because smoking is expensive and hes' saving like $200/month), and through doing all this I"ve seen his demeanor and attitude change. I know it was waaay hard for him, but he's more positive each time we see him now. He's starting to keep commitments. Its so cool to see!! His name is Josh.

The other is this older lady named Carol. I mentioned her story weeks ago when we tracted into a house kinda by accident and the lady said no she already had a book...what book is that...its called the Book of Mormon...Great! Anyway, she's got a terminal illness and is very very quiet and sad looking. But since we've been meeting with her over just 3-4 weeks, I have seen her change. She smiles. She even gets a little excited sometimes. She's sarcastic even! She can't remember anything she reads for very long because of a brain injury, but we bring her videos. She's coming along. She's going to be baptized but can't till October for some health and family reasons I'll probably tell you about in the future. Anyway, apparently we have very much restored her faith. It is very cool and an amazing blessing to be an instrument in the Lords hands. To be able to change someones life. Even if its just little things. But being a missionary we have the opportunity to change peoples lives forever! To help them make the most important changes they could ever make in their whole lives. The seriousness of being a missionary is overwhelming sometimes. I feel bad for the missionaries who come out here and waste theirs and the Lords time.

Well yes, things are busy. We fasted Sunday to find families to teach. Sunday night at 8:30 we found one. Wow. Coicidences are foolishness! There is a God and he has layed out the ways he works for us. We don't have to figure it out ourselves. We just have to find it. And follow it. Simple. The Gospel is simple. We have a prophet on the earth who help us. What an insane blessing that is! I gotta run everyone but I love you so much! Just writing that is not enough. I Love you so much. You all mean everything to me. Thank you for making me who I am. I wanted to write a few of you a few things individually but can't today. But I love ya!

David