Week 61 - Clinton, Oklahoma - Sept 2, 2013

Mi querida familia, It's been a nice week here in Clinton. Not quite as action packed, we had a lot more appoinments fall, and not as many members came out with us. You know, that's significant...the more members that come out with us, the more progress we see in the missionary work. The biggest impression that's come to my mind is this quote that a member mentioned to my companion and I yesterday after dinner. He was paraphrasing a devotional that Elder Bednar gave to the youth in Oklahoma. The question was asked, "What is it like to be an apostle?" Elder Bednar replied "The most significant I can say is that the Holy Ghost directs every minute of my life." I think the most difficult aspect of obedience is being obedient to the still small voice of the Spirit. I lot of times we think of obedience is being obedient to what church leaders say, or what the scriptures say...but sometimes I think we forget that we must be obedient to what the Lord says to us personally through the Holy Ghost. For example, the Holy Ghost will prompt us to repent on some aspect of obedience. This happened to me this week. Our district sometimes has a hard time getting out of dinner appointments on time, so we cousneled about it during District meeting, and apparently everyone else has had similar feelings. After we couseled, it felt so much better, like load being lifted off my shoulders. I guess that's what repentance does. THe Holy Ghost will prompt us to talk to people. Just yesterday, Elder Tanner and I were riding our bikes and we passed a man sitting at a picnic table. I had the slight thought to go talk with him, but I ignored it because we were on our to visit a different family. The family ended up not being home, but we doubled back the same we came, wherein we'd pass the same guy on the picnic table. This time I knew we needed to talk to him. So we did and it turns out he is the exact same guy that Elder Masters and Elder Hisrschi and I talked to about a few months ago! When we met him the first time, he was homeless, jobless, divorced and feeling down. We gave him a Book of Mormon and our number. And then we never saw him again. Until yesterday! And it turns out he had been reading the Book of Mormon and was about halfway through. He now has an apartment, a possible job and he loves the Book of Mormon. I asked him if he'd prayed about the Book, and he said he had not. So we invited him to do so. We have an appointment for next Sunday. Wow, it never ceases to amaze me how stinking subtle the Spirit is. And not every spiritual prompting brings drastic miracles like the one just described, in fact some times I think we follow impressions and they hardly turn into anything spectacular. But the simple fact that you follow those thoughts, strengthens your faith. The gift of the Holy Ghost is essential. On Saturday we had a baptism for the other Elders in Elk City. It was wonderful service. The family all came, the older brother gave a talk and now he wants to serve a mission. It was so touching to see this older brother give a talk at his younger brother's batpism. It made remember my own little brothers and how proud I am of them. But the little boy who was baptized didn't come to church on Sunday, and therefore he missed out on the Gift of the Holy Ghost. Without confirmation, baptism loses all it's meaning. Baptism may wash our sins away, but it is the Gift of the Holy Ghost that sanctifies us. Elder Tanner...I am so proud of my companion, he took over the area and led out all the affairs in Clinton when I went to Elk City on Friday. He is so mature in the Gospel...and he's only 18. He's going to be a leader, I just know it. So much is going on. We have consistant Bible Studies every Thrusday, english classes every monday and wednesday, and many other wonderful people we are teaching. Follow the Holy Ghost. I promise if you make it a goal to follow just one random idea that comes to your head, you will start to see miracles (as long as that idea is consistant with the scriptures and persaudes you to do good Moroni 10:6). Have a great week! Good luck to everyone starting at BYU! Les quiero! Con Amor, Elder Powley