December 25, 2011

We got to talk to Reid for two hours on Christmas Day! He sounded really happy! He can't believe he is on the downhill side of his mission. He has made 3 of his 4 calls home! 

December 19, 2011

I asked Reid for a picture of his Christmas tree, his response--"I totally forgot to get that for you. I knew that you would want one. Alright, imagine a hodge podge looking tree with popcorn on dental floss, random orb ornaments, mulit-colored lights,cans of Dr. Pepper/white Coke cans and a Jackalope figure on top :)

The mission saw fit to give us a car! It is a Pontiac Vibe and we are very happy with it. This week we had a mission Christmas devotional. We had a guest speaker come and present some of the archaeological research that he has been working on in the Yucatan. He presented the evidences that he has found the Christ came to the Americas. He first taught us some basic Mayan symbols, like how a cross (like the Red Cross sign) signified (from our understanding of their writings) the "tree of life/love of God". It was amazing and I really felt the Spirit testify that these people knew Christ and sought to follow him. That was probably my favorite part of the week. I wish that you could have seen it. 

Aside from that we had fun caroling with the ward to some less actives. We had a great lesson with a less active lady named Tammy Nosse and she had a wonderful Spiritual experience that told her that she needs to go to the temple.

December 12, 2011

Elder Lloyd and I continue to enjoy our time here in Laramie. Things have been a bit odd having a 5th dude in the apartment, as none of us like getting hypothermia from our showers. That said, I have enjoyed Elder Dayley's sense of humor. He is the only person that seems to e able to give Elder Lloyd a decently hard time and he takes great pleasure in that . Elder Lloyd doesn't mind it, but it is rather satisfying to see them throw down every time they talk. 

The work moves ever forward here in the Lord's vineyard and this week is not exception. Well, that is if you don't count Terri. She is not keeping her commitments and we are fairly sure that we are going to have to drop her. I don't know what is holding her back. We are running out of tools to give her and we have been instructed to drop those who do not progress. It is sad, but we are going to give it one more try.

Kristie is doing well. She has been reading and says that everything we have taught her thus far is some thing she agrees with. Her husband, Bruce, was surprised to know that he is a member of the church! We are going to work a little more on getting him committed to do the things that Kristie is doing. If they progress together they are more likely to succeed. 

We found a new investigator this week. Toto Pastrano has apparently met with missionaries in the past and was very welcoming.From the teaching record we have, he has been taught everything many times and all that has held him back is his less active Jehovah Witness wife. His English is a little rough, but he understands us and my history of working around Latin folks helps me to understand him through his thick accent. We are not sure how we are going to be the ones to overcome the roadblocks that have stopped him in the past, but I have faith that the Lord will help us according to His will.

I deal with all kinds of dirty people. You get used to the smell of their houses after 20 minutes or so. We see this one less active family every week and the place reeks of cat urine to such a degree that it makes my eyes water the whole time. What is better is they have a pack of 5 dogs that have never seen a particle of soap in their lives. They like to make your pants a different color by rubbing against you. I leave feeling like I did what I was supposed to do but dread the idea of returning. It is really quite the experience.

We have a Christmas tree now! Not that the others have thought about what it is going to take to make the thing look like it should. This is going to be a funny experience.

December 6, 2011

You never said how your Thanksgiving was. It was an interesting day. We had lunch of traditional sorts in the institute with the single that stayed in Laramie. It was odd to be in a church style building for lunch but ping pong and pool before the festivities was fun. We then had a traditional dinner with the Hepworths and I got to talk to the owner of Liberty Arms. He is the Hepworth's grandfather and he said that he makes the best revolvers in the world. I got to geek out by asking him about the manufacturing methods that they employ and it was clear that not a soul besides he and I had any idea what we were talking about! I got to inspect one of the pieces that he keeps with him to show off and I was impressed. After we got done with dinner we went to the Anderson's house to eat pie as a district. We visited Grandma Thompson, a lady in our ward that adopts all of the missionaries that come to Laramie and is super wonderful and then we ended our day. It was a good holiday....I mean proselyting day. :)

It has been blastedly cold here in Laramie and too slick to ride our bikes so we have been walking. I have been enjoying my time here in Laramie and am glad I get to stay with Elder Lloyd. With the addition of the Sherman Hill ward, we will definitely have enough work to keep us busy. We would have gotten a car had the sisters in Cheyenne hadn't wrecked it. The mission is supposed to be getting some trucks in January and we may get one of those. (His momma sure hopes so. I hate that he is out in subzero wind chills.)

Now some success from this week.

Kristie Bormann is really something. We had what was probably one of the best first lesson experiences that I have ever had with her and Bruce. The Spirit helped us to answer the questions that she had and she had a very good understanding of the concepts that we taught. She obviously comes from a Baptist background, but as we neared the end of the lesson the Spirit overcame me and filled me with what I needed to say. It gave me the power to testify with authority and conviction. It helped me to do exactly what she needed me to do and by the grace of God, she felt the truth and recognized that it was the Spirit. The last concern was that she would not know what to tell her family because they are all very Baptist. I gave her the promise that the Lord would help her and she now seems to be progressing rapidly. She came to church and stayed for all of the meetings. We are blessed to know them and I am confident still that they are one of the reasons I am here.

Not much else to report other than the fact that Terri Carroll is slipping further from the path she knows she needs to walk and could use some prayers that the Lord will speak to her again and help her to feel that she can do what He asks of her.