This week has been chock full of little experiences where we've followed the Spirit every so closely and we've been put in the paths of people to talk to. I'm starting to enjoy tracting.
Honestly, I think I'm starting to realize that you can meet someone ready to hear the Gospel in almost every position you're put in. Expect to find people, and then you find them! I guess its a principle of faith.
I think I'll just relate a few experiences that I've had this week in order make up the majority of my email. On Tuesday, we had an incredible appointment with a new family that just moved in from El Salvador. They don't know a lot of people, so we've been able to welcome them into the neighborhood and introduce them to the members. We had a great first lesson with them. They all accepted the baptismal invite when they know our message is true. We'll work on setting a more specific date this week. We don't want to shove too much on them too fast, because they just moved in and they'll want to get settled before making one of the biggest changes of their lives. But the family is wonderful. The parents are married and they have a 12 year old daughter who is very intelligent and loves to study. There's a member family with a 13-year old living nearby so if we can just help establish a good relationship, we'll start to see them progress more quickly.
and we met this family by following a prompting from the Holy Ghost.
On Saturday, we found a few English families. We were visiting a potencial hispanic investigator. She ended up not being home, but I looked over at the house next door and I said to my companion, "If no one's here let's go try this one over here...I think I remember it being hispanic." So we went and knocked on the door and we met Darren. He actually wasn't hispanic, but he allowed us to share a prayer with him. He didn't talk a lot but we learned that his mom had recently passed away. We were able to testify of the Plan of Salvation and have a spiritual experience with him. We shared alma 40 with him and he was pleasently impressed. We set a return appointment for this Tuesday. We met him by following the Spirit.
Later that day, we went over to try a former investigator. Apparently they had moved, but again I felt prompted to visit the neighbor's house. I knew they were American and I'd passed by their house many many times...and I'd felt prommpted to visit them, but for one reason or another, I didn't do it. But today, I felt more confident and we went and knocked on the door. We met Terry. He invited us right in and we were able to get to know him. He actually really respects the Mormons. Back in the 80s his car died about 4 hours outside of where he was going, and a member of our faith gave him a ride and helped him out. He remembered that experience for nearly 20 years. He agreeed with most of our doctrine, and he's actually very golden. So we stated our purpose. I think I even told him that we would like him be baptized. He smiled at the thought and accepted a Book of Mormon reading assingment, and we're going to try and set up an appointment this week. We met Terry, by following the Holy Ghost.
Just yesterday, we finally followed a referral from the English Elders to go try and knock doors on this one street. we knocked maby 5 doors and met 3 solid potencials. One of them being two brothers (17 and 18 years old) from Guatamala and completely open to the Gospel. I'm reminded of how Grandad was a teenager when he heard the Gospel for the first time. I guess I kind of hope these two young men will join the Church and their whole families will follow in their footsteps. We met them by following a referral which had been given to others by the power of the Holy Ghost.
I hope you see a common thread here. Elder Pierce and I are really starting to trust our instincts and thoughts that come in our heads. Most of the time they end up leading us to people to talk to. It's incredible. And what makes it so enjoyable is that my companion is so willing to trust my instincts, and I trust him as well. Unity in a companionship amplifies the ability of the Holy Ghost to lead us exactly where God would have us go.
One more experience. Just today, we decided to go get haircuts. We each talked with the hairstylist doing our hair. And naturally we got the chance to share a bit about our church, Turns out she had a friend who was Mormon. I told her, if you have any questions feel free to ask. She then proceeded to ask about our beliefs. The anwers came so smoothly. I knew exactly what to say and how to say it. The Holy Ghost gives us the words to speak.
I am so grateful to be a missionary. How often to you get the chance to share your testimony with the person cutting your hair? We're just so noticeable as missionaries, and so we get these opportunities if we allow them to happen. I'm kind of bummed we only get this for two years! I guess that means I need to step it up and talk with everyone I can.
It's been a great week. We had less actives, and 1 investigator come to church. Our area is sooooo much better than when I first came in. The Lord truly does take his time to develop people and mission areas. But when you finally see the results....it leaves you amazed and wonder-struck.
I hope everyone is doing well. The handbook just changed rules. We can email anyone now apparently, including friends, as long as they are not mmebers of the opposite sex living inside our mission boundries. I'd love to hear emails from more cousins, friends and family members if its more convenient!
I love you all, and I can feel my faith increasing. I can still see I have a ways to go (Elder Pierce is such a great example of faith to me) but I know that just like excercising a muscle, my faith can be excercised until it becomes massive and unstoppable.
Les quiero mucho. No hay ningun otra obra en el mundo come este obra.
Con Amor,
Elder Powley
P-day with the District at the Zoo in Oklahoma City
