Happy Jesus Friends

Hey yall! This was another super good week. I love it here in Odessa. I wish I had more time left here but I'll make the most of what I've got.

    It was a hard week with our friend Jaylon. She's been super flaky as of late and she missed church again so she can't be baptized this coming Saturday. Super big bummer. We're hoping we can meet with her this week and figure our what's going on. Everyone please please say a prayer for Jaylon.

    We had a very very frustrating experience this week haha. We finally got to start teaching this lady named Haidee. She calls us her "Happy Jesus Friends". he's been in and out of a prison and has a hard life. She doesn't believe in God or Christ. She has so many questions and we sat down with her and we were helping answer them and then right as we started to get into a coherent message, someone called her and she had to take off. Satan pulled a quick one but we'll get her back.

    We had a cool lesson with a member Barney Barnes, and he wants to start preparing to go to the temple. It was an awesome talk about starting to prepare to get a temple recommend and he wants to. So pray for Barney as he strives to do that.

    A cool part of this week was our friend Patrick. He has had an unreal past. If you can think of a sin, he has done it. We read Alma 36 and he called himself "Alma Jr." HAHA. He has turned his life around so much and now he just has to beat smoking. He wants to be baptized on May 28th. He said the coolest thing that I want everyone to take to heart....he said "If God can sacrifice his only son, I can sacrifice this for him." Such a cool mentality to live by. There's nothing we can't do or give up for him.

    We also have this 13 year old kid named Jaden who lives with a member who wants to be baptized. He is super spiritually mature and stud. Please pray for Patrick and Jaden as well!

    Love yall! A cool thought I had this week comes from Mormon 5. Moroni compares the between the Nephites when they were righteous vs when they were wicked. When they were righteous they were "in the arms of Jesus" and they "had Christ for their Shepherd." When they turned from God, they were like a ship in the sea with no anchor, no sail or nothing to steer with. When we choose Christ, we can be in his loving and comforting arms. When we don't, we are left to the Stormy sea with no guidance or protection. Choose Jesus! Love yall!

Love, Elder Ryan