Horns Down, Guns Up

 First off, HORNS DOWN GUNS UP! Texas Tech played Texas, and it's a huge rivalry. We were able to watch the fourth quarter and overtime with a member who was feeding us. Tech won! Guns up baby! 

   Okay so this email will cover 2 weeks! Sorry I forgot to write one last week. Anyway, its been a busy 2 weeks!

   We had a lesson with a man named Isaac, who's very faithful Catholic. I love meeting with people of other beliefs and learning about their religion, because it does nothing but strengthen my testimony of Christ's restored church. He told us out beliefs about the Great Apostasy was wrong, because in 300 A.D. there was a council in Rome that decided what should stay in the Bible and what they should take out. We told him that it was literal proof of the Apostasy, but he disagreed. It was an interesting conversation and he kept trying to bash but we kept it clean. If anyone has any doubts about the church, just know that it is true! There's no other explanation. 

   I'll give an update on our friend Caden. We've had some awesome experiences with him. As we've taught the gospel of Christ, he's been working on the repentance step. I love teaching people about repentance. It's such a good thing. He has told us he feels like he is just so imperfect that he can't be forgiven. We had some powerful discussions about the unchanging love of God and Christ, and their ability to forgive us! He's come to church for a straight month now!

   I also want to update on our friend Olivia! We meet with her twice a week and she's preparing to be baptized. She's been reading the Book of Mormon from the beginning. Every time we meet she's read at least 3 chapters. She talks about "Nephi and the boys" and she learns a lot from Laman and Lemuel. She stresses that she is more like them, so we've had some awesome discussions about that.

   Anyway, last week we had the most incredible experience. Before the lesson we felt impressed to ask her friend, Whitney, to invite Olivia to be baptized. We had a powerful lesson on faith, repentance and baptism. When Whitney invited her to be baptized, she read Alma 36:24 which talks of the exceedingly joy of repentance and baptism. She then read in Christ's baptism in Matthew, the verse where God says "in whom I am well pleased." The spirit was dense in the room, and we all were just crying. Whitney tells Olivia how proud God is of her, and how God will say the same thing about her. She invited her to be baptized, and after about 10 seconds of silence she looked up in tears and said yes! Olivia told us about countless miracles in her life that have been preparing her to recieve the gospel. The only issue is, her parents are Baptist and she doesn't know how to tell them. I was able to give her a priesthood blessing to help comfort her. So pray for Olivia please!!

   I did 3 Zone conferences the past two weeks in Roswell, Lubbock and Amarillo. After the one in Roswell I went on exchanges with Elder Regen. We went to teach their friend is who on date. We were teaching their friend about baptism and his mom walked in the room. His mom walked and she joined us and heard the last half of it. She then asked "well every church baptizes people so why can't I go wherever?" We explained The Restoration to her and the spirit was so strong. After I asked her what she thinks she should do, and she said "be baptized!" I was so surprised I asked, "well where?" And she goes "in your church of course!" We put her on date. It was such a miracle!

   We found a new friend Christopher. He used to be a member of some cult. He was kicked out of his home at 16, and found the only place that gave him shelter. He was able to escape and he found us! He told us he is searching for "pure truth" and that he believes that all the churches are a little true but not all the way. He is insanely prepared. We had a great lesson with him and he's currently reading and praying about The Book of Mormon.

   Those are the main highlights of the week! The work is going so good. I had the impression to start studying my patriarchal blessing, and it led me to do some things. The main ones are study and learn how to magnify my priesthood, and to rely on the spirit. I'm not great at it yet, but as I've been doing it there have been so many miracles. God guides us to new people everyday, and he helps us teach so that we can help his children. I know the church is true! Love yall!