Mi Querida Familia,
It's been a great week here in Oklahoma. It's getting really cold and I just count my blessings every day that we have a truck to drive. We try to bike at least during the first part of the day in order save on miles, but once the sun starts setting...we cave in to temptation and drive the truck usually.
Elder Mendoza and I have had some great appointments this week. We had an appointment with the Galvan family and we taught the Plan of Salvation. The parents were interested and want to learn more. WE're going to try and have church tour with them this Wednesday with a member family, we are just still trying to get a hold of them.
We met a new family this week as well. The Mom was actually baptized in texas as well as one of her daughters. We taught them all the Restoration and it was interesting how they accepted it. The husband was very non-involved, the mom was remembering everything, but still unwilling to come to church. What made this lesson awesome was how well the four daughters accepted the message. There was one little girl thats about 10 or so who payed attention to the whole lesson. I asked her how she felt during the lesson and she said very sincerely "Happy and excited!" I almost started to cry. The spirit was icnredibly strong in this moment. I pointed her out to her mother and said simply, this is the holy Ghost that your daughter is feeling. We then gave this girl a Book of Mormon and we challenged her to read the first chapter. She said ok and then immediately started reading it. Before the lesson was over she said that she liked the Book and wanted to keep reading.
I'm not sure if she read it that closely, but the principle demonstrated here is the same. If anyone is going to accpet this Gospel they must become humble enough as this little girl we met. People often dismiss these feelings of excitement that children get as foolish and not of any consequence, but this is such a vain notion! Often times I think children are more spiritually receptive than adults.
We then had a lesson with the Vazquez family. What a bitter-sweet nightmare! WE went in expecting to teach a lesson, but the husband just went off on a million tangents trying to be philisophicaal telling parables and such. He asked us probing questions such as "Is it worse to drink coffee or use the computer?" I felt like I was one of the apostles being questioned by the Pharisees in the time of the Bible. You could tell this man's agenda was to try and use his intelligence to outsmart us.
But here's the kicker, he hasn't read the Book of Mormon. We bore testimony and he was honestly stumped. He argued that the Book of Mormon was just another book. Well, he'll never know unless he reads it.
During the lesson however, we tried to gear ourselves on talking with the wife. She is way more huimble, childlike and willing to accept the Gospel. It was incredible to see the difference. and the difference is that she is reading the Book of Mormon and feels that its true. She even found a scripture and said it literally directly to her husband. 2 Nephi 33:4! It was powerful. It talks about people hardining there hearts that they have no portion of the Spirit with them. She read this aloud at the end of the lesson, and it was very cool.
We are seeing lots of things happening in this area. The Spirit is working with people in small and simple ways. I think the Lord calls this work a "marvelous work and wonder" because of how incredibly he uses small and simple means to bring to pass great and eternal purposes. It's incredible to watch the mission unfold.
Well I'm almost out of time for today. I love this Gospel and our Savior Jesus Christ! There is no other way under heaven that we can gain peace of mind in this life and in the life to come. Remember to stay humble. We can't stay complacent, because that's when we start to forget the miracles that the Lord has shown us in our own lives.
Feliz Ano Nueva!
Con Amor,
Elder Powley
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