This was a busy week. We hardly had any time to catch our breath. We had the car this week, and we were able to put it to good use. Monday we started out with two other lessons. We taught AD, the guy that lent me his phone when Elder Lott was lost. He wasn't interested in immediate visits, and lessons, but I have a feeling that we will see him again. Just before we met with him, he got the job that he had been looking for. He said it was because he talked to me, I believe that. He helped a servant of the Lord, and the Lord helped him. Right after talking with AD we were able to teach an elderly gentleman who wondered what we were doing. He was going to see the Book of Mormon play, and wondered if thats what we did. We taught him some basics, and invited him to come and see. He declined, but accepted a pass along card.
Tuesday we were able to teach two less active members, one in each ward. Ronnie, in Market Street was very honest with us about his trials, we went over the plan of salvation. We also met with him on Thursday, and talked about prayer. We asked him what he wanted us to teach him, and he told us that for the next lesson he wanted to go over the Word of Wisdom. He came to church on Sunday, and signed up to feed us lunch on Friday. That night we were also able to meet with Howard. He is complacent with his life, and how things are going, and I'm not sure what to do to help him. There are several scriptures on avoiding idleness, but I'm not sure if that approach would be benificial for him. We will continue to pray about it. That night we were also able to talk with a man who had just experienced a death in the family. We told him he would see his grandmother again, and were able to bear our testimonies of family, and God's plan. He was a firm Catholic, but he respected us, and recognized that we were doing good, and about God's work.
Wednesday was very busy. We had lessons with an old, almost deaf man, who is the father of a member in the world, and also we taught her husband, and his friend. We taught an agnostic man, also a partmember family, who loves and respects the Church, but doesn't believe in God, because he believes in science. In my mind science is how God works, and proves that He's there more that that He's not. He was nice, but not interested. We had a lesson with David. He is doing well. He wants to be baptized, but can't until he and his girlfriend are married, or one of them moves out. Due to finances the latter can't happen. They are planning a wedding in June, so their family can attend, and he wants to get baptized right after. It is sad to see them wait that long, but I think that maybe thats how it needs to happen. We will continue teaching them, and increase their testimonies, and they will be ready when it happens. We also met with Clancy, and lessactive member. We talked with him about his time in the Army, and about prayer. He said that he knows prayers work, and that while he was in Iraq he, and others who weren't religous could feel something watching over them. He teared up in the lesson. He is very close to coming back.
Thusday we met with Dirk. We tracted into him last week, and were able to set up an appointment. We taught the plan of salvation. He asked lots of questions, and wehn we invited him to pray at the end of the lesson, he did. That night we tried to have a lesson in downtown with a referral that we had gotten. The lesson had been set up by the member, but it didn't go through.
Friday went by fast. We didn't get out of zone conference until 5:00, and then were late to dinner, because we had to drop off another companionship at their house. That evening we were able to meet with a less active family. They moved in in June, and havn't come, they were really neat, and their kids love us. We taught them about faith. The kids were excited to come to church, but we didn't see them on Sunday.
Saturday we were able to contact a referral we had received Friday. He said that he didn't want us over, and he just wanted a bible. We didn't have one with us, and he told us not to worry about it, he thought we would mail it. After that we were able to meet with a less active member, Savannah. She told us that sometimes she just gets sick of church. She knows she feels better, and her week goes better when she goes, but she doesn't want to go. We were also able to meet with Ken. He has a date for January 12, and he is ready and excited for that day. He said he "knows the Book of Mormon is true as much as he knows the Bible is true." We were also able to meet with Jeff and Sarah. They are a partmember couple, and they have been praying together everyday, and said that they noticed a big difference. She prayed about finding a job, and then she got one, and they said it has brought them closer together. They were able to make it to Church Sunday, a though they came a little late. Also as we were walking to an appointment we saw a parade os Santas. There were probably 100 of them, and they were all going into either Marys Club, or another of the various bars on Broadway St. Marys Club is an adult dancer club, and Elder Lott and I thought it not a good idea for Santa to set such a bad example for kids. A lot of the Santas had megaphones, and were yelling at each other. One of them riding a bicycle almost ran us over. It was ridiculous. Also that day we saw a VW van decorated with bronze monkeys on the top. It was blaring music, and the driver had a monkey puppet on his hand, and was singing along with the music. It was wierd.
Sunday we were able to meet with our newly called branch mission leader, and talk about the work. We were also able to meet with a lessactive member named Nathan. Nathan sees and talks to spirits, and doesn't like coming to Church, because there are always so many of them. The place they live in isn't a very good place, and it wasn't very conducive to the Spirit. We are going to try and teach them at the Church building.
I have been thinking this week about the gift of Christ to each of us, and what we could give back to Christ that he doesn't already have, and the one thing that I came up with is yourself. You are the only thing that Christ doesn't have, and can't get. You have been given the ability to choose, and because that won't be taken away he can't make you follow Him, or obey His commandments. You have to give your will to Him. You have to come to Him. You have to follow Him. He can't make you do it, you have to do it yourself. So this year let us give the only gift we can to Christ. Let us give ourselves. Let us turn our will over to His, and become a servant and a disciple. As we do so we will find the true meaning of Christmas, and we will truly follow Christs example by saying "Nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done.
Love
Elder Schultz
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