A Dry Desert

From Elder Paul Freeman, dated September 10, 2008

Dear Mom,

This new assignment has started out a little bit more challenging than I had hoped. We've been going out every day since last Friday looking for people to start teaching. Our goal is to find 15 new people who are willing to set up appointments for the missionaries in this area to come and teach them. We go out tracting and ride around on our bikes talking to everyone, which of course is what missionary work is all about, but we seem to be coming up short every day. There is very little to show for our efforts.

We do report how many hours we spend specifically finding new people to teach, and that shows our efforts, but the number of new people that we actually find shows the fruits of our labor. So, we have a lot of hours to report but not a lot of people. The main reason it concerns me is because that is our main responsibility. We don't have a ward and we don't have to worry about a lot of others things, so it should be simple and straight forward enough. I think the key is being in the right place at the right time and knowing it. All that depends on being obedient and following the Spirit.

Yesterday, we spent all day finding, and I was getting frustrated because we taught some good lessons and even handed out copies of the Book of Mormon. They could have counted as new investigators only if they would accept a specific return appointment. But, they all said they were busy. We were on our way to dinner when we saw this lady in her garage and decided to stop and talk to her. My companion did most of the teaching and she turned out to be our only new investigator that day. We felt really blessed.

I began to understand better about how this work is the Lord's and it will be done His way. I just need to continue to be diligent and steadily improve and strive to follow the Spirit. It's a challenge but I'm grateful for the opportunity. It's definitely is keeping me focused and busy, so I don't need to worry about slacking off.

Thanks for writing to me about everything that's going on at home. I'm super excited for Matt and it's great to hear how much support he's getting from the ward.

Dallas wrote me and said he's excited about the idea of me going to BYU, and I am too. I just checked my application status and sure enough, they received the ecclesiastical endorsement and believe it or not, I've already been admitted to BYU-Idaho. Now, I just have to wait to receive word from BYU. There could be a letter in the mail before I get home. If it does come, go on and rip it open and you can email me what it says.

Thanks again for everything you do.

Love,

Elder Freeman

Bus Contacting

From Elder Andrey Pearce Dated September 1st 2008

Thank you so much Dad for the talk that you send me. I have realy come to
learn what it means to teach by the spirit because wean i dont have the
spirit i couldent teach not knowing spanish. It helps now knowing
spanish. This last week we had a 70 come and talk to us Elder
Clarke What powerfull serventsh he is. Leaving that meating i felt like i
was ready to talk to the whole world. This week i have had quiete the
experiance. The first one Elder Clark chalenged us to stand up and contact a
bus. So i told my còmpanion i am giong to do it. So heres the story. So we
get to the bus station and i am already nervous. So we enter a house write
were the bus passes and teach the man that was there. Then we left the
house and came the bus. So i let my companion pass by then i got on the bus
write in front of the buss driver and i asked him if i could talk to
the whole bus. He said sure. So i braiced my self and started talking i
started out hi then i asked a question as all faced me and my hart
started to beat boom boom. Then i made the mastake to ask a question and
a lady in the back replied wich made things easier i talked about the
booke of mormon and envited all to church. The hardest part was walking
back to my seat as i didnt have anything to brace my slef. Hahah i thaught
to my slef next time i will prepare a talk to give on the bus we will see
if i will have the couredge to preach on onther bus there wasent more
then 20 people but all that know me i dont like talking in huge
grupes ahahah. Well then we had a mutual in ruben dario. We set a
goal to have 30 poeple there and as we didnt have time we chalenged the
members to invite all and they did we had a lovly mutual or meating. I
taught about unity i have come to love this ward alot. I have come to
realize a trick to life i am the happiest wean i serve. Wean i forget about
my slef and go to work. I hope that i can learn how to better forget about
my slef and work. We also had a baptisms this week wich was a mericle.
Cesar he has 26 years we called him over the phone because he works far a
way and we can only teach him saturday and Sunday he goes to church by him
self o evry other sunday because of work. Each time he came he came with a
friend. So we called him and asked if he was ready to be baptised thirsday
and he said maybe. We told him if he pased the in terview he said yes.
Sunday morning we had scedualed the intrerview for 6:30 in the morning and
he showed up. at 7:00 we envited all members and they came he passed the
interview then we baptized in sacrament meating was confirmed and i could
feal the spirit strong as i sat with him testify to me that it was write.
I love the work i have to much to wirte So i will end with my testimony.
I know that the savior is center of this life we cant do anything or go
anywere without him. May we see his will each day and do what he would
have us do. I love him with all my hart. I know that with his help i will
reaturne in the presence of my heavenly father. Love you All
Thanks for your prayers. Congrats Tomi 3 kids is it a boy or a girl?
Thanks mom and dad for all you do!