Learning Some Lessons

 April 8, 2013

Yeah this week was another one of those weeks! We had a great time fishing and spent alot of time with the Kerrville Elders Elder Killpack and my buddy Elder Steggell. I really hope that somewhere down the line that Elder Steggell and I get to be companions! We only caught one little minnow. When we went to cast it in to try and catch a catfish Elder Killpack smacked it into a tree... Killing it instantly. So we didn't really catch much else.

After we had P day we went to the Fry Family to teach them about prayer and when we got there we found out that Alane is getting so much worse... Her and Joni are going through such a hard time right now with everything. Alane still really wants to get baptized but is too sick... It has been devastating to watch.. I feel so invested into them like they are some of my family members. Well they really are! We are trying to help them in whatever way that we can, I really love watching them learn about the gospel and start to love it. For now the baptism has been pushed back to the 21st but we are going to just have to wait and see.

The next day we had our interview with President Jones for the last time. I thought it was going to be one of those interviews where I came out feeling like a million bucks. No... He kinda let me have it. I have never been so down I think.. I talked to him about our lack of referrals and I said that it was probably partly our fault and he kinda just told me that it was and I felt awful. He told me alot of it might be that the branch just doesn't trust me.. It was hard because I have been doing everything that I knew how to do but it felt like I just kept coming up short. Elder Low and I misunderstood this new study that we are doing for this next coming quarter and so Elder Low asked President about it and President kinda let me have it again because I should have understood the email that he sent out. Basically the worst interview of my entire life.. It ruined a few of the days this week to be honest. I am working as hard as I know how but sometimes it feels like I am letting the President down.

Later in the day we got to have a meeting with the Branch President.. President Smith. I asked him what more I could do to help this branch and that I was sorry for letting them down and he just looked at me and said "Elder. You are working so hard. This is such a hard area. You are doing everything that you can. You and Elder Kertamus worked so hard, I haven't seen a couple of elders for some time that were as good as you." I talked to him about having a rough time with losing my friend Jake and he just was so comforting to me. I will always be eternally grateful to that man. President Smith just told me to keep my chin up and told me one time on his mission in Mexico, he knocked for 3 weeks and only taught one lesson and that he didn't have a baptism for the first 6 months. He was such a God send. I can never express to him how much that meant to me.

The next day on Wednesday we had DM and we gave a training. Elder Low and I were supposed to train on like Faith and Prayer or something. Sometimes when I get talking
I just get on a rant and start to just pour my heart out and that was basically what happened. It was nice to get alot off of my chest and when you bear your testimony it feels so great. Don't ever be afraid of bearing it. Share it with all around you. Even when it seems that they are not listening, they are. Something deep down inside of them will hear it. Souls hunger for the Eternal Truths of the gospel that we have.

We knocked alot of doors but we are starting to this man named Rudy. He owns a couple of restaurants and is so nice to us. When I first got here Elder Kertamus and I went there to get a couple of sandwiches and he charged us 5 dollars for both. Thinking that was a little cheap we went back and asked him if it was 5 dollars each, he told us that it was and that he had made the mistake. After giving him the 5 dollars we left. Now he is starting to come and listen to us. He even gave us a couple of referrals to his friends! So now tomorrow we are going to do some plumbing on a house. So thanks Uncle Brandon for letting me learn how to plumb!

We knocked alot of doors on Friday. We walked for miles. I think we talked to more longhorns then we did people! I got a picture of it and I will send my SD card home in a couple of weeks. I just want to get some more pictures of things before I send it to y'all. But I digress. We walked alot. It was really kinda the picture perfect missionary picture. Walking along a grassy field with our scriptures going after the one lost sheep!

General Conference was incredible. I absolutely loved it. We got to watch all of the sessions at the Stake Center. Kinda lonely and hard on the back but it was so great to hear some of the messages from the apostles. I absoluetly love Jefferey R. Holland. I have his picture hanging on my desk and Elder Low thinks I am sick but I just love the power that he has. After having him pat me on the back and say Work Hard I use that as motivation for the days when maybe I don't want to move as quickly as I know that I can. I also really enjoyed the talk from Elder Perry. He just let loose! I loved it so much. I would love copies of the talks when they come out in the ensign. If y'all could send me a copy of it I would be so appreciative, or just print them out, whatever is easier and cheaper for you!

On Sunday between sessions we went and saw this Investigator that we used to work with when I first got here named Anna. She was standing in front of her house talking to people and her family. They were crying and screaming. Come to find out, her brother had just passed away the day before at the age of 24. It was hard. We bore testimony of the Plan of Salvation. The role of Jesus Christ and the truthfulness of the gospel. It was an amazing experience. One that I will never forget.

Later on Sunday we went and taught two more first lessons! We taught one to a lady named Maria. She lives in such a sad situation and has little to her name. Her husband and her are separated and I told her that if she could get the materials to fix her house that we would come back and help her install everything. Everywhere I turn there is something to do with Construction or music! Truely this mission has been tailored to fit, Paul Robert Funk. It is starting to not be a mission anymore, but much rather, My Mission.

As we finished the night we stopped and met a guy named Gary. He let us in and we taught him the restoration. In the back he had music playing and that is probably the last time that I will ever give the first vision to the tune of "Life is a Highway"!... The lesson was incredible. The spirit was working so strong on him. He will accept this restored gospel sometime in the future if not the very near future. Amazing guy.

I bear witness along with the Apostles and Prophet that this is the true church. It is the church of Jesus Christ. He did restore it, for me and for you. This will never be taken from the earth again. Jesus is the Christ. I Believe it with my whole heart. In the name of Jesus Chirst, I add my witness. Amen.