This week has been awesome!!!!

October 22, 2012

First off, I have a question for Dad. What years did he serve his mission, and in what part of the Dominican Republic? There's a sister in our branch that got baptized 21 years ago when she lived in the Dominican Republic. That would be insane if he knew her!!!!!!

I got a letter from the Tingeys, but you might already know that because it came with gummy bears, worms, and a KitKat and a Reese's. If not, the Tingeys sure are inspired when considering the things they would send! It's been amazing to know there are so many people supporting me back home!!!!!! I am grateful for the prayers of everyone and I know that the Lord answers prayers and has definitely helped me a ton in the missionary work so far!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much for everything!!!!!!!!!

This week has been awesome!!!! We've been trying to find as many people to teach as we can, and it has paid off!!! We're teaching a lot of lessons, but we're having a little trouble finding members to help us. There are only a few in our area, but they're all awesome!!!!!!!! We are trying to do everything possible to involve members and help them be excited about missionary work!!!!!

Luis Febo, who previously accepted the invitation to be baptized set a date this week!!! For November 10th!!! We'll have to see how he feels about it, we haven't talked to him in a couple days, but he is reading the scriptures and doing everything we challenge him to do, and if he keeps it up we know he will be able to make this important ordinance on the 10th!

We taught Alex about the Plan of Salvation and how we can live and love and grow with our families forever after death, and he really liked that!!!!! His wife is still back in Honduras right now and he's working to support her and his kids. He expressed that he has been receiveing tons of blessings ever since we started visiting him, and he said he would start coming to church soon. He also asked us to "help me with my vice of smoking." He is really feeling the Spirit and wanting to make changes in his life!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Raul is doing awesome! His transition from investigator to member was so natural!!! He reads from the teachings of George Albert Smith book the Elder's Quorum gave him, and he wants to keep progressing throught the steps of priesthood and everything!!!!!

A new investigator that is doing pretty awesome is Carlos! We knocked on his door and he said we could come back (en otro dia) just like everyone always says!! But we came back, and he invited us in and we had a really good lesson about the Restoration!!!! We came back the next day and talked a little bit about the Plan of Salvation, and he was really open to both lessons. He loves to read and he lives by himself, and he loves learning and talking about God!!!!!

On Friday we ate dinner with a family whose mother is from Peru. She wanted to make a bunch of Peruvian food because Elder Galvez is Peruvian. It was really good!!!!! But the family had a bunch of little kids, and it was kind of like being back at home! They had a little kid that is exactly the same age as Benson, and he was almost as cute! When we left all of the kids were saying "Chao," and it was pretty dang cute!!! Make sure you tell that kid about me!!! I don't want him to forget!!!!!!! But don't worry, I'm not getting trunky!!!

This week is transfers, and today Elder Galvez and I got the good news that we get to stay together for the next transfer!!! I love working with him!!!! Elder Galvez says that "with us it just comes naturally!"

We had this really great stake conference yesterday in the Dallas mission because that's where our branch goes to church. The mission president spoke and it was Devin Durrant! I remember a year or two back we had a big YSA activity where he did a workshop I was in and he said that if any of us went to his mission to let him know! That's pretty hilarious that I ended up getting called to the mission next door! Anyways, the Stake Conference was super good, and I learned a lot about things to help me build unity in my companionship.

We've gotta get going, but I love you all!!!!!

God Bless Texas! I am Elder Black. Thus I end mine epistle.