This week was another good one filled with adventure. We ate with our Bishop and their neighbors, who are also members, on Monday which was a super fun day. It was a pretty relaxed dinner just talking about different things. The best part was when we started talking about the different churches and the whole idea of the trinity (Godhead is the same being), and the bishop sarcastically said, "Oh ya I remember that part in Matthew where it says, behold this is my beloved me in whom I am well pleased". It is crazy how much of the simple doctrine that Christ taught has been skewed by man. Everything in the bible points the the Godhead being one in purpose and glory but three separate beings. Sometimes it seems like every possible way that man could skew the truth has been skewed by one of the churches here. I guess that's the workings of the devil though because he'll tell us 9 truths if he can get that 1 lie in with it. We are so blessed to have the fulness of the gospel.
Yesterday we went to another pentecostal church because we were invited by
an investigator who is a pastor there. It is really weird because he does not
fit in with the people there. They start with their Christian rock concert and
people are dancing and yelling and stuff. This one old lady ran up to the front,
put her arms out, and started spinning for like two minutes. She was down for
the 30 after that because she felt sick. It was kind of weird. The biggest
impression I felt was that the people there lacked the spirit with them and
tried to fill that void with human emotion. I wish that all those people knew
what we had to offer them. Before we left our pastor investigator stood up and
told everyone that we were there. He asked, "Who loves Mormons"? Everyone was
raising their hand and shouting amen. Then he talked about pride and we should
never be too prideful to listen to what others have to say. He told the
congregation that he was going to teach us and learn from us. That sounds like a
great deal to me. It seems like the other pastors just try to get people to
scream and yell, but Pastor Bob just likes to get up there and teach how the
Bible can help our lives. Anyways he fits in as a Mormon much better, so
hopefully we can do some good work there.
On Wednesday we biked a lot, so we went all over the downtown area meeting
with less actives and talking to people we saw out and about. We had a lot of
success talking to people and passing out cards and stuff, but we started head
back late, so we realized that we had about 25 minutes to get back to our
apartment and like 7 miles to ride. We were already super tired from biking all
day, and it takes forever to get out of the city. Then the sisters called at the
moment, so we had a short conversation with them and told them we had to go then
a free bus passed by that said it was going to Walmart. Walmart is only like a
mile away from our apartment, so we started booking it trying to catch up with
the bus. We were flying through neighborhoods with the wind at our backs. We got
some downhill and actually caught up to it and hopped on. That right there is a
miracle. We were able to get to our appointment on time and had an incredible
lesson with a lady named Pam. She came to church this week as well and we set a
baptismal date of November 9th. She is an awesome investigator and it is awesome
how everything just works out with the Lord on your side. She has been searching
for peace in her life and it is so cool because she is finding that as she reads
the Book of Mormon and prays.
Oh and other awesome news... The Helsleys came to church as a family for
the first time this week. We have been meeting with them pretty much the whole
time I've been here and they are finally starting to make some big time
commitments. They are such a fun family and eventually they will realize that
this gospel is something they want to be a part of. The gospel of Jesus Christ
is the best way you can build a family and we have been given the fulness of
that gospel. I can't wait for them to be baptized. They fed us on Saturday and
Sunday, so I think they like us a lot. It is just a matter of time.
We met with Jake a couple times this week, but we had a really cool
experience as we watched the new restoration movie. That movie is super powerful
and Jake told us how it crystallized his two options of choosing whether this is
all true or it's the greatest lie ever created. Ya he's definitely going to
recognize that first option. He told us that he has a desire to believe as well
which had been a struggle to get him to decide that, but we were so happy to
hear those words. That night was kind of like a dream because we spent our night
watching a movie and eating pizza. Ha we don't get very many relaxing moments
like that, and we got to feel the spirit the whole time. Basically it was
awesome!
I could honestly tell tons of stories because I've started to write a lot
more in my journal so I remember things I did during the week, but that right
there is pretty good. So I hear from some pretty reliable sources that Dad sang
in sacrament meeting. I also hear that there was no video taken. I'm
disappointed. Jk that's awesome and I wish I could have been there, but way to
go dad. Sounds like some good stuff is happenin in Utah. I love you all.
HFF
Love,Elder Hoddy
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