Hello Family, and Happy Easter!!
It has been a wonderful week, and so full of the spirit. I love this Easter season and I have loved every letter and package I have gotten! It's been so awesome to hear from everybody, and mom, the cookies were SO good. (I said WERE, because we ate them pretty fast.) So thank you for that. It was an awesome package. I'm so excited to listen to those CD's! Thank you so much. Those talks I'm sure will be awesome, and I like the CD. We only have a CD player in the car, but we listen to them when we can. It's alright to have any music by Mormon Tabernacle Choir, so it's awesome! And I loved the letter as well. We're not doing P-Day sports today so I'm hoping to get some letters written and sent as well!! Isaac and Ashley, thank you so much for the cards and pictures of you! Are they new? They were both such good looking pictures. I have some good-lookin siblings! ;) Isaac, I actually have NOT seen Dorothy yet. haha Who knows... maybe I will see her around. I should have guessed what "S.W.A.K." means. That's awesome! Thanks guys! And Brynlee, thank you so much for the card! It was so nice, and a dollar! Wow, that was so nice!! Dad, thank you for the wonderful letter. It was great to receive that at Easter time. I'm actually not sure exactly what day I got the Empower.. I'm trying to remember. But I think it was Thursday, in case you were still curious. ;) Braydon, I love you bud! I'm excited to get the letter you're sending, so you can tell me all about how Easter went. Mom told me about your Easter Egg hunt, and some other things, I'm excited! I also got a picture of you looking at the statue of Jesus. I love it!!
Alright, so to answer the questions about Jay Woods, I wish I could say that everything has been going really well. And things haven't been bad with him either, it just really hasn't been progressing. When we first talked to him, I told him that he needed to beware of the adversary because Satan doesn't want him to be baptized. He said something like, "oh yeah of course. I'm not gonna change my mind." :) Well now he's been at a point for the last couple weeks where whenever we call him, he doesn't have time, or he says that he's not sure about being baptized. So, it definitely won't be this month, but we will keep working with him! We're going to try to get over to his house tonight actually, so hopefully he'll be able to feel the spirit again. He's an amazing man!
One cool thing that did happen this week is with a lady named Rickie. I'm trying to remember if I mentioned this before or not. We met her right after a break up with her fiance of three years. So, she's having a pretty hard time with that. She's also divorced, and she's got three little girls. We talked with their whole family last week and they seemed kinda interested. So last week they were all at church! It was exciting to see that. They were kind of uncomfortable, but it was great that they took the leap of faith to come. So, on Saturday, we felt prompted to go visit Rickie. We went over there, and she was the only one home. Their kids go to their dad's house every other weekend, so they were at their dad's. We asked her if we could teach her outside, (because of rules), and she said that would be fine. We went out on the porch, and asked her a little bit about church. She told us that after church on Sunday her 12 year old daughter was texting everyone in her phone saying, "Hey guys! I wanted to let you know I'm probably gonna be baptized a mormon!" I thought that was pretty awesome. But she told us that she doesn't know if it is right for her. We asked her another question, and I cant remember what it was, but she just started to cry and said "Can we do this another time?" I felt bad. We began to talk with her a little more, and she actually opened up to us A LOT. It was kinda hard, because in the MTC they teach you to not get too personal with the investigator, but sometimes it's appropriate. She told us about how all her life she's never felt worth anything, and she's never actually felt happy, and that she went to the store that morning and bought a cart full of things that would have made her make some stupid decisions. We just kept testifying to her. She was so up and down, but we were able to have a good conversation, and she said she would come to church again for Easter sunday. She did, and she actually loved it! She said after sacrament meeting that she finally felt 'comfortable'. It was powerful. Our meeting had some amazing talks about the atonement, which was really nice. So, hopefully they will be baptized! It's crazy that I'm already halfway through this transfer! Wow.
But, all in all, I'm really learning to love people. I love all the people here. Members and nonmembers. We have such a good ward. They feed us amazing food too! Oh, and dad, I can't remember if I asked you, but last night we ate with a family who knows you! At least, the wife's family does. She said she was a Jensen? She's related to a Gerald Jensen who knows you. hmm... Does that ring a bell?
Also, we went to another street and house this week that we prayed for, and Elder Cisternas felt we should go to. The lady who answered the door was probably in her seventies. She cried as we taught her because she had recently lost her husband. It was bittersweet. She told us she wanted us to leave, because of the emotions it brought up in her, but we were able to teach her, and she felt the spirit. Se said she wants to find the truth, and she wants to know if she will really see him again. We'll try to go back to her house in the next couple days.
This week we had my first Zone Conference. It was neat because it was also President Van Komen's last Zone Conference. It was powerful to have a big goodbye to them. We will be getting the new president in June. I can't remember his name, but he was released from the Quarum of the Seventy during general conference to be our Mission President! I'm excited, but it will be hard to see the Van Komen's go. They are honestly some of the most loving people I have ever met. At the end of ZC, we had a testimony meeting, and that's what everyone seemed to mention was the love that President and his wife have. They love every single missionary as if they were their son or daughter. It's amazing. So, at the beginning of the conference, President had each new missionary stand up and introduce themselves. I did, and said I like playing the piano, singing, and baring my testimony through music. I don't know if that was the smartest thing to do because then President said, "Elder Egan, what is your favorite song to sing?" I couldn't really think of one, but I said, "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief". In a very President way, he said, "Would you mind singing that song for us this afternoon as a part of this Zone Conference?" "Yes." haha.. what else do you say when your mission pres asks you to do something! ;) So, I practiced with another missionary who played the piano during lunch, and I was able to sing it after. I don't know if it sounded very good because I was super nervous. But, I bore my testimony, and it was amazing to be able to do it for President and Sister VanKomen for their last time there. Afterwards, Sister VanKomen told me it was her favorite hymn, and that it made her feel like she was in Carthaige with Joseph Smith before he died. So, I was glad I was able to do that. It also made me think of my blessing I had when I was set apart. President Rockwell said something about me being able to use my talents. Also, mom, you mentioned last week about how you thought about how he said something about me being able to teach people who I knew in the pre-existence, or something like that. I wish I remembered everything from that blessing, but I do remember some things, and I'm doing my very best, and I'm working hard out here. Because I know when you're doing your best to be obedient, the Lord blesses. I'm so humbled to be a missionary.
Mom, I love that scripture you sent me in that letter. It's definitely one of my new favorites. So powerful, and so great for missionary work! Oh, also, congratulations Heather on your Mayor's Youth Award! You are amazing. Don't forget that. I continue to be so proud of you! We had exchanges the other day and the elder who took my place saw your picture and is still asking about you. ;) Just in case you ever feel like nobody's thinking about you. haha... I told him no way though. He's one of the less obedient missionaries. So if he tries to find you when he gets home, just remember that. haha
Quick scripture... I love Alma 36:27. If anybody is ever having a hard time, read it, and the verses around it. Remember, trust in God and He will be there. Faith is the first step. Have faith, act upon it, and you will have knowledge, and feel the love of God. Also, pray always to God. Praying brings strength. This week has been a bit of a struggle for me at times, but that is what I have learned. I know these things to be true. I love you all.
-Elder Egan :)
No comments:
Post a Comment